How to Make Wood Floating Shelves

Wood floating shelves are easy to build, take up as little of your time as possible, and improve the amount of space you have in the room.

You may think that making a wood floating shelf sounds too difficult for the average person. Actually, DIY wood floating shelves can be made by almost anybody.

In this article, we'll give you the basic means to make your own wood floating shelf. If you'd like to save some money by building this piece of furniture on your own, then take a look below!

Needed Supplies

• A single 2x4 board of wood
• Four smaller boards
• Three cedar pickets
• Vinegar and Steel Wool Solution
• Polyurethane Spray (Water-Based)
• 3-inch wood screws
• 1+1/4 inch nails
• Gorilla Wood Glue

Tools to Acquire

• Table Saw
• Circular Saw
• Drill
• Kreg Jig (optional)
• Orbital Sander
• Nail Gun
• Tape Measure
• 1 Meter Ruler
• Pencil
• Protective Goggles
• Ear Muffs

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Cut Your Wood

You need to make cuts on your 2x4 plank and your cedar pickets. Make cuts on the 2x4 in three symmetrical locations. These spots are where your cedar picket frame will connect with the board.

After that, make cuts on the cedar pickets. The cedar picket cuts need to line up with the cuts on your frame so that they can easily slide onto them to create the main shelf.

Once you're done with all your cuts, sand down each piece of wood until they're very smooth. After doing all of the cuts, you can move onto the next step:

2.Put the Frame Together

Now, you can set up your frame. Use the 2x4 board and Kreg Jig the smaller boards to it. Keep each board the same exact distance apart with two on either end of the board and two at the 1/3 mark of the edge.

If you don't have a Kreg Jig, you can still attach these boards using simple screws and a drill. Screw the 3-inch screws into the ends of the boards to fully secure them to the board. This section of the frame will be enclosed within the board, so you don't have to worry about looks too much.

3.Shelf Assembly

Putting the shelf together isn't so difficult either. Take the cedar pickets and slide them onto your board. Use the Gorilla Wood Glue to keep all the pieces together, initially. After letting the glue set for a while, use the 1+1/4 inch nails to fully secure the shelf box.

4.Sand and Finish

Use the orbital sander on your finished box until it is completely smooth all the way around. Use the vinegar and steel wool solution to finish it off after sanding it. It is up to you to decide how long you want to apply the vinegar and steel wool solution. Base your decision on the wood color you wish to retain when your shelf is mounted.

Once you're done with the solution, use the Polyurethane spray to seal and completely finish off the shelf. Using this will keep your shelf the exact color that you see before you. (Or at least, it will keep it this way for a long period of time)

Mount Your Wood Floating Shelf

You've completed your word floating shelf. Congratulations! Pat yourself on the back then mount that baby on your wall. Make sure you place it somewhere that looks nice and is easily reached for convenience.

You now have a piece of home-made furniture in your home. You should be proud of it and show it off to everyone who visits your house!