How to Install Wooden Floating Wall Shelves
Floating wall shelves attach to the wall by means of hidden supports, rather than the more traditional brackets or hangers, and provide an attractive feature for any room which needs shelving. They look streamlined sleek and are easier to put in tight corners than their traditional counterparts. Fitting these shelves is not difficult once you know the secret to installing the hidden cleats.
Step 1 - Check the Wall
Find the location of the studs in the wall before you start making holes. Use a stud finder to locate these; mark them clearly. The shelf needs to be supported by the studs, so work out the length of the shelf and mark that in the available spaces between the studs. You should now have a clear idea of where you want your floating wall shelves to be located.
Step 2 - Make the Shelves
Each shelf is actually a long, flat 5-sided box. Using your saw, cut 2 pieces of plywood to the right length. These are the top and bottom of the shelf. Cut another strip of plywood 1 inch wide and the length of the shelves. This is the front of the shelf. Cut 2 strips 1 inch wide and 1/4-inch less than the depth of the shelf. These are the sides. Sand them down carefully. Drill pilot holes so the wood doesn't split, then glue and screw the boxes together.
Step 3 - Finish the Shelves
You want to do this before you hang them so you can easily work with them without having to avoid getting paint or stain on the wall. Sand the shelves down and varnish them, or you may add a layer of paint to the wood before the varnish. You can paint the whole unit one color to match the decor of the room, or you could paint different shelves different colors if you want something more eye-catching.
Step 3 - Build and Hang the Bracket
The bracket attaches to the wall and will be the sixth side of the box. Cut a piece of 1x1 to the length of the open end of the shelf. This is the ledger board that holds the shelf to the wall. Set the ledger against the wall where you marked the studs. Use a level to make sure it is even. Drill pilot holes in the ledger and then screw it through the wall and into the studs.
Step 4 - Mount the Shelves
Put some adhesive onto the back of the shelf and around the ledger board. Push the shelf onto the ledger board, hiding the ledger inside the box of the shelf. Drill pilot holes through the shelf into the ledger board and then screw it in place. Leave the glue to dry.
Check that the floating wall shelves are firmly sealed before you place anything valuable upon them.
For more shelving alternatives, check this out.
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