After we listed everything we wanted easy access to in the workshop, we figured out how many shelves we’d need, how tall they’d be, and how much space they’d give us. We measured our big storage bins, the height of two paint cans, and took stock of all the glues, tapes, and other tools we need for projects. Planning and prepping took about a week. Then, we got started on the actual work!
If you’re planning to do something similar, your shopping list may change depending on the size of your shelves, but here’s what we used for four 6-foot-wide floating shelves:
Supplies for 6-foot shelves:
- 4 sheets of 1/4″ plywood
- 12 pieces of 2″ x 4″ x 8′ lumber
- 12 feet of 1″ x 6″ aspen planks
- 2.5″ wood screws
- 4” wood screws
- Wood stain (Special Walnut color)
- Wall paint for touch-ups (Stratton Blue by Ben Moore)
Tools Used:
- Miter saw (for small cuts)
- Circular saw (for longer cuts)
- Table saw (for cutting down the aspen planks)
- Drill + right-angle adapter (or right-angle drill)
- Nail gun
- Measuring tape
- Level
- Sandpaper
- Mallet
- Paintbrush (our favorite one!)
- Rags (for applying stain)
Begin by envisioning the perfect placement for your shelves. Using blue painter’s tape can give you a clear visual guide.
Once you know where you want your shelves, use a pencil to mark where the studs are.
This project is neat because it uses a 1×2 pine board (actual size is 0.75 x 1.5 inches) for support and places it on its side so it’s thinner. You’ll put these 1×2 pine supports on all three sides of the wall. Check the picture below for better understanding. To size your shelf, measure how wide and deep you want it. Here’s the wood you’ll need:
- 1×2 common board: Cut to the length of your shelf, plus cut 2 support cleats (one for each wall). These cleats should be the depth of your shelf minus 1.5 inches and minus 3/4 inch.
- 1×3 common board: These are cleats spaced about 8 inches apart. Cut them to match the depth of the 1×2 support cleats (depth of your shelf, minus 1.5 inches and minus 3/4 inch).
- 1/2-inch plywood: This will be the top of your shelf. Cut it to the length of your shelf and the depth minus 3/4 inch.
- 5 mm plywood: This is the bottom of your shelf. Cut it to the same size as the plywood top.
- 1×2 select pine: This is the front piece of your shelf, so choose a nice board. Cut it to the exact length of the shelf, and it’s best to cut this last to be precise.
(To make it easier, I drilled small holes into the side of the 1×2 so the screws didn’t have to go through the whole board. Be sure to mark where the studs are so you can drill the holes at the right spots. For extra support, I used 1×3 pine boards for the middle cleats and made pocket holes using my Kreg Jig.)
Attach the 1×2 support along the back wall, making sure to screw it into the studs. Be sure it’s level! Then, attach the 1×2 side supports, checking they are level as well. Clamps will help keep everything in place.
Next, attach the cleats. To make sure these line up perfectly with the other boards, I used clamps again. For the top, I used 1/2-inch plywood (the depth should be the 1.5 inches of the back support plus the cleat). I had this cut at Home Depot — they might love or hate me by now because I’m always there!
If you prefer, you can stain your wood before attaching it. I used 1-inch screws to secure the top, screwing from underneath so the screws stay hidden.
For the bottom, I used 5 mm plywood, attached with wood glue and finishing nails, using clamps to hold it in place.
Finally, the last step! I took a piece of select 1×2 pine and cut it to fit the front opening exactly.
I waited until the end to cut this for the best fit. To attach, I used wood glue and finishing nails.
Congrats, you’ve built floating shelves! Now go make more!
Meet Mike O’Connor, (a DIY enthusiast), living in Cincinnati, a city ranked as the noisiest in the USA.
As a work from home dad, I have a first hand experience of how noise can truly affect your well being.
Soundproofing isn’t something that should be taken as a hobby, it should be a skill that every homeowner should be equipped with.
Most of the work documented on this blog comes from purely first hand experience, and the products recommended work as indicated.