Make and Install Floating Shelves

The other day I was looking something up on Google and was amazed when I googled the word shelves.
The overwhelming interest in floating shelves was unbelievable. Then of course, I remember you can now buy them in stores like Target and Lowes and many other home decorating stores. I think even Bed Bath and Beyond carries floating shelves.

I always thought they were attractive especially in kitchens and bathrooms where you may not have a lot of storage space.

The floating shelf has been around form many years. They first came on the scene in the 1950’s. They were considered very new age and contemporary for their time.

Like many trends, they are making a big comeback. I am happy about that. Especially for the do-it-yourself woodworker.

Installing a floating shelf is a very easy project using only the most basic of tools.

Here are two easy installations. You can build your own wall shelf. It is nothing more then a small hollow box. You can use plywood or pine.

The box’s top and bottom panels rest in rabbets cut into the sides and front, which are mitered at the front corners. The wall cleat is a piece of 2 x 4 sawed to width.

Your first option is to bore a pair of holes into wall studs, insert metal bars or wood dowels into the framing and slip a solid wood shelf over the supports.

The important part of this installation is to make sure the holes in the framing and the shelf are bored so they are parallel to one another and in the same plane. Otherwise the shelf will not easily slip over the supports.

Your second option is a better because it can be more forgiving of small inaccuracies in construction and installation.

Build the shelf, which is nothing more than a small hollow box, and test fit the wall cleat in it. Then simply attach the wall cleat to the studs, slip the shelf over it and screw the shelf to the cleat. Although it is ideal to mount the cleat to two studs, you can also attach it to a stud on one end and use a hollow wall anchor at the other end.

Now I remember why these shelves are so popular they are easy to make and fit into any room of your house.
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