DIY Floating shelves

DIY Floating shelves

I miss going to coffee shops! After working from home for over a year, I have developed my own coffee routine in the mornings, but I miss the look, feel and smell of a cozy coffee shop. So much so that I decided to create my own little coffee bar in my kitchen. And to add some interest, I decided to add some open shelving above the coffee bar because what better way to display my coffee cups and dishes than floating shelves.

After a bit of trial and error, I created two chunky floating shelves that I am very happy with. Here’s a guide on how I created the floating shelves. This tutorial is beginner friendly and a quick weekend DIY project. I wanted my shelves to be a little chunky, but you can scale the dimensions of the lumber based on your preferences. 

Supplies: 

  • 1×8 board (you can use 1×4, 1×6, 1×8 or 1×10 boards based on your desired depth of shelf)
  • 1×3 board
  • 2×2 poplar board
  • ¼ inch plywood
  • 2 ½  to 3 inch long self tapping wood screws 
  • ¾ and 1 ¼ inch brad nails
  • Wood shims
  • Tape Measure
  • Level
  • Brad nailer
  • Miter saw
  • Sander and Sandpaper
  • Stain

Step 1: Measure, measure, measure

First things first, decide where and what your floating shelves will be used for. I wanted my shelves to be above my coffee bar and I knew I wanted a chunky shelf that could support coffee mugs, dispensers and a few decor items. I also wanted my shelves to be 48 inches wide and a depth of 9 inches. The amount of weight a floating shelf can hold will depend on the type of wood, size of the shelf and the capacity of the brackets used to support the shelf. 

For the average kitchen shelf, i.e. a shelf that will not house heavy duty items, common boards like poplar, pine or plywood should work well. The type of brackets used for the shelf will depend on the width and depth of the shelf. I wanted a narrow shelf (depth of 9 inches) so I could use pine or poplar boards as support but for large depths, a heavy duty bracket is recommended. The shelf will also need to be installed into the studs in the wall, the longer the shelf the more studs it will need to be installed in. 

Once you have decided on what your shelves will be used for and the type of support it will need, next, use painters tape and a level to map out where you want to hang your shelves. Identify the stud locations along your wall using a stud finder and mark the center of the studs on the painters tape. If you want to stack multiple shelves, map out where each shelf will be. The standard space between shelves is about 12–18 inches and 18-22 inches between a countertop and shelf. 

Step 2: Cut list:

  • Cut the 2×2 boards to the desired depth of your shelf minus 1 ½ inches (to account for the 1×3 boards that will be used to frame the shelf). 
  • Cut the 1×3 boards to the desired width of your shelf (this will be the front and back frame pieces).
  • Cut the 1×3 boards to the desired depth of your shelf (this will be the end frame pieces)
  • Cut the 1×8 board  to the desired length of your shelf (top board)
  • Cut ¼ inch plywood to the desired length and depth of shelf (bottom board)

Step 3: Build Brackets

Using pocket holes, attached the 2×2 boards and 1×3 boards as shown, making sure there is ¾ inch gap at the top for the 1×8 top board and a ¼ inch gap on the bottom for the ¼ inch plywood. Use a Kreg Jig to create the pocket holes for the boards.  Place the 2×2 support boards at each end of the 1×3 board and then about every 10 -12 inches along the length. 

Avoid placing the 2×2 boards near where the studs in the wall are located to allow for easier installation to the wall. I did not do this initially then had to remove the boards and readjust. Tip: mark where the studs in the wall are located on the 1×3 board so you will know where to avoid attaching the 2×2 boards. 

Step 4: Install Shelf Bracket

Now that you have created your shelf support bracket, install the bracket to the studs in the wall using 2½ inch self tapping screws. Start with screwing the bracket to the center stud, use a level to make sure the bracket is straight then secure to the outer studs. If your wall is like mine, and isn’t very flat, you might need to add some wood shims behind the bracket before securing to the wall. 

Step 5: Add Shelf Frame

Attach the 1×8 top board to the brackets. It should fit right about the 2×2 inch support boards in the ¾ inch gap left at the top of the bracket. Attach using wood glue and 1¼ inch brad nails. Attach the 1×3 end and front pieces to the shelf top board.  Finally, attach the ¼ inch plywood to the ¼ inch gap at the bottom of the bracket using glue and ¾ inch brad nails. 

Repeat and add shelf frame to all other shelves.

Step 6: Stain or Paint

Now, this was my least favorite part of the process, but it had to be done. Fill all holes with stainable wood filler and sand using a fine to medium grit sandpaper. Once the shelves are sanded and smoothed, you can start staining. I mixed two different stains to achieve this color and did two coats of stain. 

Step 7: Decorate and Enjoy!

Now that your shelves are installed, add some greenery, coffee mugs and enjoy!