Blog

Nov 09, 2023

Everything You Need to Know to Build Your Own Floating Shelves

DIY bracketless shelving is a stylish and budget-friendly way to accessorize

DIY bracketless shelving is a stylish and budget-friendly way to accessorize your home. Here's our easy guide for how to building your own.

Caylin Harris is a freelance writer, stylist, and crafter with over a decade of experience in the media industry. She is a regular contributor to magazines like Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Family Circle, Rachael Ray Every Day, Good Housekeeping, and Parents. Served as craft producer for season three of the Emmy award-winning TV show, Naturally, Danny Seo. Whether she's working for editorial or brand clients, she loves helping people learn new and exciting information about all aspects of their homes and lives.

Who needs built-ins when you can create your own storage instead? A stunning way to display books, photos, or personal items, floating wall shelves not only look good, they don't require much space. It's a win for rooms that are short on square footage—you can utilize vertical space instead. These floating shelves will help you add personality and interest to a room by allowing you to show off your favorite books, curios, and plants.

DIY floating shelves are an easy woodworking project for someone who feels comfortable using power tools, but don't worry. Our floating shelves DIY offers practical tips and reliable supplies that will help you create a truly custom décor piece affordably. So, break out your tool kit!

While it might be tempting to buy your floating shelves from a big box store like Home Depot, Lowe's, or IKEA—IKEA is admittedly a great place to buy items like wall-mounted spice racks—you might end up with a less custom look. A lack of variety in color and size—not to mention a wider, overly boxy shape—really limits what you're able to buy pre-made. For almost the same price or less, you can create your own custom versions that are tailored to your home and color scheme. Use the supplies below to craft your own floating wood shelves.

The steps below will teach you how to build floating shelves with as little pain as possible. Excluding drying time, this project can be completed in half a day, giving your walls a custom, high-quality feel.

The most cost-effective way to create DIY floating shelves is to buy a larger piece of wood and cut it into smaller sections using a miter or circular saw. Obviously, you'll want to customize the size to fit the space you plan to hang them. We cut ours to 25 inches per shelf.

Create a notch using a hand router so that the hardware will fit in the back of each shelf. If you use the hardware we recommend, the notch should be a 1/2 inch deep per the instructions. If you use different pieces, follow those instructions. You'll need the notched back so when you hang the shelves the hardware doesn't create a gap between the wall and the shelf.

There are a few ways you can do this. If you're using a hand drill, use the paddle bit to create holes where your hardware will slide into place. The holes here are 4 inches deep, but follow the instructions on your hardware. If you're nervous about creating straight holes, start them with the paddle bit and finish drilling with a drill press. Using a paddle bit will make it easier to accurately start each hole.

In a well-ventilated area, sand any rough edges on each shelf. Wipe off any extra sawdust, then apply your favorite stain or paint. Depending on your home's aesthetic you might want to choose white floating shelves or something more rustic like wood floating shelves. The beauty of painting them yourself? You get a customized look than if you'd bought floating shelves premade from a store.

Get creative and use reclaimed wood or make pallet floating shelves for a weathered look. If you're applying stain, be sure to wipe off excess stain and let each coat dry until you reach your desired finish. If you want your stained shelves to be glossy, cover with a coat of polyurethane lacquer. Let all pieces dry completely.

Once the shelves are dry, it's time to install your hardware. While you might see tutorials online with wood framed supports, this hardware makes things a little easier and allows your floating shelves to handle more weight. Building your own wood supports can be time-consuming and can go horribly wrong—a lack of precision could get you to this step only to have your shelves not fit.

Figure out where you want to place your shelves and mark and measure where you'll need to install the hardware on the wall following the packaging instructions. Use a level to make sure each shelf is straight. Once the hardware is on the wall, slip your shelves (via their drilled holes) into place.