diy floating shelves

Ever wonder how floating shelves are made?? In this DIY tutorial, I'm going to show you how to make your very own floating shelves. You can make them any size or colour to best suit your space.

MATERIALS:
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lumber                         air nailer (or finishing nails & hammer)
miter saw                   paint/stain
3" screws                    orbital sander (or palm sander, sand paper/sanding block)
3.5" screws                q-tips & rag (if distressing)
screwdriver               level
wood glue

STEP 1: BUILD THE BRACE

I used 2"x3" to build my brace. We need 1 piece cut at 24 1/2" and 3 pieces cut at 8 1/2".

Lay out the pieces for your brace, spacing your 3 shorter pieces evenly across the longest piece and mark where your screws will go. Then pre-drill your holes to prevent the wood from splitting. Then you can assemble the brace. I used six 3" screws to assemble, and I pre-sunk my screws to make it easier to put together. Repeat this for as many shelves as you need!

STEP 2: BUILD THE BOX

I used pine I had laying around that I made into 5 3/16" x 5/8" for the top and bottom of the box.  I cut it into 4 pieces at 24 3/4".

The sides were 4"x 5/8" with one piece cut at 26" and two pieces cut at 10 3/8"

Then I used 3" spacers to help assemble my box. I laid out the top and two side pieces. I applied wood glue to the ends and then clamped it together. I put four air nails in each end.

Then I added glue to the ends of the bottom pieces and then laid them in place. I put air nails in one end to keep the pieces in place, and then flipped it over, clamped it, and nailed the pieces in place. 

To finish building the box I just glued and air nailed on the front panel.

STEP 3: FINISHING

For a nicer finish, I used wood puddy to fill the holes. My favourite wood filler is Timber Mate. Then give your entire box a good sand using an orbital sander, palm sander, or sand paper/sanding block. 

Then you can paint or stain your piece. If you wish to stain your boxes, it's time to do so. If you wish to paint your boxes, make sure you cover up any knots using a stain blocker like B-I-N to prevent them from bleeding through later. Then paint your boxes. 

I chose to distress my boxes. I used an orbital sander using 200 grit paper (OR palm sander, sand paper/sanding black) to go over all the edges. Then using a q-tip I applied Early American stain by Minwax to cover the newly exposed wood. I wiped it with a cloth right away as to not discolour the painted parts. I finished off the boxes with a coat of varathane.

STEP 4: INSTALLATION
 
Hold your brace up on the wall where you want your shelf to go. Using a stud finder, find your studs and mark their location on your brace. If you don't have access to a stud finder, I suggest using drywall plugs to ensure the stability of your shelf. 

Then I used two 3 1/2" screws to hold my shelf in place, making sure to pre-drill my holes t prevent the wood from splitting.

Then simply slide your boxes over the braces, and VOILA..your floating shelf is complete!