• About
  • Contact
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • Image Map

Southern Revivals

A DIY, home decor, lifestyle and interior design blog based near Savannah, GA.

  • Home
  • Furniture Makeovers
    • All Furniture Projects
    • Client Files
  • DIY Tutorials
    • Home Improvement
    • Projects
    • Style & Design
  • Crafts
  • Entertaining & Recipes
    • Entertaining & Party Ideas
    • Just Recipes
  • Travel & Life
  • SHOP

Quick, Easy & Cheap DIY Floating Shelves | Southern Revivals

 DIY Floating Shelves – This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy for more info. 

Southern Revivals | Cheap & Easy DIY Floating Shelves

What is it about those gravity defying planks of perfection, commonly known as floating shelves, that have us wanting to cover all vertical surfaces with several of them? Is it their modern clean lines, their sophisticated simplicity or the fact that they look like they could fall of the wall any minute.

But don’t.

And that’s cool.

Southern Revivals | Cheap & Easy DIY Floating Shelves

Ever since I posted my Under $500 Bedroom Makeover where we managed to pull off a pretty amazing {even if I do say so myself} makeover for just $485 bucks,  many of you have said – Yeah, but what about those shelves?

Well, here goes and, by the way, there’s no building required!

The boards we used in the bedroom makeover were 2x10x10’s. I chose the 10″ deep boards because it’s what looked best for that particular wall and because it would be deep enough to accommodate what I wanted to put on them once complete. I have done these shelves in two rooms in the house now and the depth and length varied both times depending on the needs of the space {more on why in a minute}. But one thing remains the same and that is the 2″ thickness of the board and that’s not just because I like the look of a chunky board but also because it allows you to do this technique without having to worry about splitting your boards, the weight it can carry, etc. I wouldn’t recommend this technique with a thinner board.

{EDIT: Please keep in mind that when a board is labeled as 2″ in the store it is ACTUALLY 1 1/2″ thick. The boards I used here were labeled 2″ but their actual thickness is 1 1/2″.)

There are many variations of floating shelves out there. I like to think of these as the purist version – no brackets, no cleats – just shelves seemingly suspended in mid-air. Here’s how we did ours.

You Will Need:

  • 2x10s (length depends on number and size of shelves)
  • 4″ screws (we did not use pocket hole screws but longer wood screws to grab more of the stud)
  • Drill
  • Kreg Jig Pocket Hole System
  • Saw
  • Sand paper
  • Stain
  • Sealer

 

Southern Revivals | Cheap & Easy DIY Floating Shelves

First, a note on choosing the length. I’ve explained why I chose the depth, and that’s pretty relative to your space, what you want to place on the shelves and is basically a personal choice, and choosing the 2″ thickness gives you the best looking and most sturdy shelves (Remember, that means your shelves will actually be 1 1/2″ thick). But there’s a pretty basic reason for choosing your shelf ‘s length and that is, so it’ll line up with the studs in your wall.

Southern Revivals | Cheap & Easy DIY Floating Shelves

We made our shelves approx 3ft wide because this way we could get 3 pocket holes per shelf and each one would line up with a stud. When we screwed them in, they’d have the extra security of being in a stud. Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend doing this version unless you can get at least one of your screws in a stud. Just for added security.

If, as was the case in our guest bath where we also added floating shelves, you cannot line each of the shelf’s pocket holes up with a stud, you can use a toggle bolt for added security. I must mention though that while we couldn’t line up all of the holes with a stud in our bathroom remodel, we were able to get a least one to screw into a stud. If not, I wouldn’t recommend floating shelves for that area. If you have any questions on using a toggle bolt when necessary please don’t hesitate to leave your questions in the comment section below!

Southern Revivals | Cheap & Easy DIY Floating Shelves

The first thing we did was find our studs in the wall, that helped us to decide how long we wanted the shelves, then we drilled our pocket holes using our Kreg Jig. So measure the distance between your studs first, this helps to decide your shelf length. Mark on your board where the studs are and drill your pocket holes there.

Southern Revivals | Cheap & Easy DIY Floating Shelves

I have the cutest little helper in the world and he has known how to properly operate a tape measure since he learned to walk!

Southern Revivals | Cheap & Easy DIY Floating Shelves

Our pocket holes now lined up with the studs in our wall so that all 3 screws are secured into a stud. We used 4″ wood screws, not pocket hole screws. We felt the pocket hole screws didn’t come in a long enough length and we really wanted to get a much screw into the stud to make the shelves as sturdy as possible.

Southern Revivals | Cheap & Easy DIY Floating Shelves

Floating on air, right? And because the shelves are high enough that you can’t see the tops, there’s no need to fill those holes with anything other than stain to match the rest of the shelf. That way they’re easy to remove later on if you ever needed or wanted to. No one would ever notice the holes once all the decorations are in place anyway.

Southern Revivals | Cheap & Easy DIY Floating Shelves

These shelves are done in just one coat of Dark Walnut stain with Hemp Oil to seal.

Southern Revivals | Cheap & Easy DIY Floating Shelves

They have such a natural and earthy beauty. Not to mention gravity defying good looks!

Southern Revivals | Cheap & Easy DIY Floating Shelves

And my favorite part is I can change them up any ol’ time I want!

Southern Revivals | Cheap & Easy DIY Floating Shelves

For now though, I love them just the way they are!

These shelves cost just $3 – 5 each to make depending on the supplies you already have on hand, i.e. Stain, paint brushes, screws, etc. That’s a bargain, especially for such a great look.

Are you considering floating shelves now that you know how easy and cheap {but definitely not cheap looking!} they are?

 Southern Revivals| Under $500 Master Bedroom MakeoverClick here to see the entire Bedroom Makeover

 

Southern Revivals | Nautical Guest Friendly Boys Bathroom RevealClick here to see how we also installed these shelves in our Bathroom Remodel

More Posts You'll Love!

  • Easy DIY Bench – Modern or FarmhouseEasy DIY Bench – Modern or Farmhouse
  • Office Makeover Part 2 | Building in Billy IKEA HackOffice Makeover Part 2 | Building in Billy IKEA Hack
  • Best of 2014 – Furniture Makeovers, DIYs & Home Improvement ProjectsBest of 2014 – Furniture Makeovers, DIYs & Home Improvement Projects
  • DIY Message Board & Command CenterDIY Message Board & Command Center

Filed Under: DIY Tutorials, Featured, Popular Posts, Projects 89 Comments

IF YOU LIKED IT THEN YOU SHOULDA PUT IT IN YOUR INBOX

* indicates required
Email Format
« DIY Animal Head Wall Mount
Creative Ways to Get Organized {& Healthy} »

Comments

  1. Marci says

    at

    I love the floating shelves! I have been searching for some for a DIY for my bathroom. But what would you do if you didn’t have a Kreg Jig? I can’t imagine the holes would be the same angle,so leveling the shelves would be challenging.
    Your bedroom revel is amazing!

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      It is easiest to do with a jig. If you do many DIY projects purchasing one is totally worth it. You can get a a Mini Kreg Jig for $20. Otherwise you can drill pocket holes without one but I find that the easiest and most convenient way is with a jig. Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Marci says

        at

        Thanks! that little mini Jig looks like a handy tool. My husband just said “oh no….I’min trouble!”

        Reply
  2. Candace says

    at

    Found this tutorial while looking at your bathroom makeover (which is gorgeous, BTW) — just curious how strong these shelves are? I was wanting to put them over my toilet, not putting anything super heavy but my husband isn’t convinced they won’t sag after awhile. Have you had any trouble with this?

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      We have these shelves both in our master (with large glass containers on them!) and in our bathroom. The kreg joints give them strength, we used good, strong screws and they’re in studs. We’re pretty confident about them. It sounds like you won’t be putting anything too heavy on them so you should be fine.

      Reply
  3. Becky says

    at

    What length screws did you use?

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      We used a 3″ screw.

      Reply
      • jamie says

        at

        My above comment is incorrect, we used a 4″ wood screw as indicated in the post. I wanted to update to hopefully avoid any confusion. I apologize for any inconvenience.

        Reply
  4. Sandi says

    at

    in a lower shelf, would it work putting the screws underneath the shelf, rather than on top?
    thanks

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      I think it could work. It won’t be a sturdy but you’re just planning on putting little thing on there it’s worth a try. You could always turn it over the other way if it didn’t work out!

      Reply
  5. Paul says

    at

    My wife loves these shelves. She wants me to build her 6. My only question is: Where did you find a board 2″ thick? A 2″x10″ is actually 1 1/2″x9 1/4″. I can order a nominal 2″x10″ but it is going to cost me $8.50 a linear foot. Thanks. Paul

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Hi Paul,

      Don’t spend the extra money for a true 2″ thick board. Mine are, as you mentioned, in actuality only 1 1/2″ thick. As I said in the post I wouldn’t recommend any thinner board and I should have clarified that by telling folks the board’s actual thickness. I shouldn’t have taken for granted folks would know that. I will be updating my post with that info. That being said, you should be able to knock these shelves out pretty cheaply. Thanks!

      Reply
  6. Amber says

    at

    Thanks sooo much for the tutorial! I will adding to my bedroom as well! Thanks again and I always look forward to your posts!

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      That is so great to hear! Thank you!

      Reply
  7. Jessi says

    at

    This is awesome!! I am looking at using this idea for some cat shelves- both smaller (1ft) and longer (6ft). Do you think it would stay sturdy with a 12lb cat on it? traditional diy floating shelves are just so much work!

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      I think that would depend on how many studs you can anchor it to. I’d try to get at least two ends in a stud, which wouldn’t work for the 1 ft shelves but should for the bigger ones. Studs are usually 16″ apart so I wouldn’t make any shelves shorter than that that would be required to hold very much weight.

      Reply
  8. Faisal says

    at

    I wonder…would this work for a 2×12 at 8 feet? This is assuming of course that I use one pocket screw per stud. At approximately 16 inches apart, that should give at least 6, maybe even 7 points of contact with the studs. Plus, I’m thinking of using the Kreg HD which using larger diameter screws (#14 to be exact) and is expressly designed for larger cuts of lumber. I don’t intend to put a lot of heavy items on these shelves, but I do have two small kids…one is currently and infant. I could see her trying to using the lowest shelf as a rail to aid in her standing and walking…not to mention the chance that one (or both!) of the kids might decide it’s a great idea to climb the shelves.

    And lastly, you mentioned in a response to post #8 that attachment points on the underside might not be as sturdy as if they were on top. Is there any specific reason for this? What makes the pocket holes on the top stronger?

    Thanks!!

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Hi there!

      Thanks so much for your comment. To address the question of sturdiness with the pock holes from the underside, think of it like this. Because of the angle of the screw and the weight of the board the head of the screw pulls and keeps the top edge of the board snug against the wall, if attached from the top. With the screw attached from the bottom it will keep the bottom of the board snug to the wall but doesn’t keep the top of the board snug to the wall. Add gravity and things placed on the shelving and this compounds the problem.

      As far as children go, I have a small child, too and none of our shelves are low enough he can reach. I don’t think I would risk it if I thought there was a chance he’d hang, hold on or climb them. You know your children better than I do, of course, and I wouldn’t dream of trying to tell you what to do. But I think it’s only fair to tell you.

      For the rest of it, it sounds like combined with the Kreg HD and the fact that your shelving will be placed in studs at several points, I think they’ll be quite sturdy and stunning to look at. Good luck!

      Reply
  9. Jessi says

    at

    Can’t wait to put these up! What kind of screws did you use? I know you said 3″, but drywall or wood? Will I need some kind of long screw bit to be able to drive the screw in enough?

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      You would use wood screws for this project. And yes, you will need an elongated bit for the screws. If you have or purchase a Kreg Jig it will come with the bit that you need.

      Reply
      • Thomas says

        at

        Were these 3″ kreg pocket screws? The longest I can find are 2.5″.

        Reply
        • jamie says

          at

          You’re right, Kreg doesn’t make a longer one. We didn’t use Kreg screws. We wanted something longer so that it would really bite into the studs. We use a 4″ wood screw instead.

          Reply
          • Corey G says

            at

            The studs should be 2×4’s … so with 4″ screws…you are probably run the risk of going through the stud significantly and maybe even hitting wires or other objects in the walls… just IMO (im not a pro)

          • jamie says

            at

            Once the screw enters the wall (sheetrock is 1/2″ thick) and through the shelf itself, there isn’t enough of it to go through the 2×4 stud. The way a 2×4 stud is turned in the wall you get 3.5″ of stud to drill into. Factoring in the sheetrock and the shelf itself, the screw never comes out the other side.

  10. Stephanie says

    at

    Built these shelves this week. They were so easy to make and install. I made one that even fit into a corner. I mitered the 2×10, used the Kreg Jig to screw the corner together. Filled all the holes, seams, knots with wood filler. Then painted it. In the corner I placed the Kreg Jig hole on the miter to angle it into the corner stud. It all worked beautifully. I also discovered that I could use the B and C slot of the Kreg Jig and get two screws into the stud. I did that on the farthest end since my shelf was so long (23″to corner than 48″). The smaller shelf I made may should have had longer screws than just 3in since the warp of the board and the wall made a gap of 1/4 inch, but it still seems pretty secure.
    Thank You so much for this common since, easy DIY.

    Reply
    • Stephanie says

      at

      common sense 🙂

      Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      They sound amazing! I’d love to see pics! Thank you so much for sharing with me.

      Reply
  11. Nancy Barr says

    at

    OH thank you! I was looking for an easier way to do floating shelves and this might just fit the bill!!!! YAY!

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Great! Glad it was helpful!

      Reply
  12. Kallie says

    at

    What is the bolt thing you mentioned? I want to put these about the toilet in the bathroom and I don’t think I can get more that one stud

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      They are called toggle bolts. They’re thick and strong and will give you some added stability. Careful what you place on the shelves though when you’re only able to anchor to one stud.

      Reply
      • Alissa says

        at

        I have been attempting to hang these type of shelves with a screw in one stud and toggle bolts for the other screw however I can’t get the screw to go into the actual metal part of the toggle bolt as the screws are at an angle. I also tried using toggle bolts that screw onto the end of the screw prior to inserting into the wall however the screws with the small enough head to fit in the pre-drilled hole in the wood are too short to use. Help and Thank you!

        Reply
        • jamie says

          at

          We used 3″ toggle bolts, unfortunately I don’t remember the size (diameter) of bolt. We got ours from Lowes.

          Reply
          • Dan Harrison says

            at

            Hi Jamie,

            Great work on the shelves. I am in a similar situation like Alissa. I am curious to know how you managed to fit the toggle bolts into the wall through a pocket hole given the screws has to go through the drywall at the angle of the pocket screw. Was the toggle bolt installed at the same angle?
            Any advice would be helpful.

            Thank you, Dan

          • jamie says

            at

            Hi Dan,

            First, you’ll drill your pocket holes into your shelf. After you drill your pocket holes, take a 3/8″ drill bit and drill through the pocket holes so you can get your toggle bolts through. The reason you’ll need to do this is that the pocket hole drill bit is designed for use with a screw, not a toggle bolt. The tip of that bit won’t be long enough to go all the way through. This doesn’t matter when you’re using screws but since you’ll be using a toggle bolt you’ll need to make sure that hole is big enough.
            Once your pocket holes are predrilled, drill holes into your sheetrock just big enough to get the folded wings of the toggle bolts through. Stick the bolts through the shelf then screw the wings onto the end of your toggle bolts. Then push the wings through the holes in your sheetrock. Tighten bolts. Once they’re snug, check they’re level before tightening.

  13. Aryane says

    at

    I love this! So much nicer than those Ikea floating shelves that everyone has.
    We’re trying to decorate our apartment on a budget, so we might just give it a try.
    Btw your bedroom is absolutely gorgeous, very inviting 🙂

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Thanks so much!

      Reply
  14. Hailey says

    at

    LOVE the tutorial. We have a ton of 2x10s in the basement from the previous owner and I can’t wait to get started! I always wondered why the boards were never quite what they posted as the measurements at the store also. Found this explanation on wisegeek: “Indeed, at one point in the milling process, two by fours actually do measure 2 inches by 4 inches. This is the measurement of the planks just before they are run through a machine called a planer. A planer uses sharp blades to shave off all of the imperfect edges left behind by the rough sawing process. Commercial lumber mills may have to plane off as much as 0.5 inch (1.27 cm) of length and width from two by fours to provide a quality product for carpenters, roofers, and homeowners.”

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Great share! Thank you!

      Reply
  15. Alissa Brooks says

    at

    We have a 3 ft long shelf that has 2 studs to drill into however it is still wobbly once installed (following the above direction). We are trying to use a toggle bolt however the screw head is too big to fit through the hole made by the Kreg jig. How were you able to use your toggle bolts? Thank you!

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Your toggle bolts are too big. You’ll need to find a toggle bolt small enough so that the head of the bolt will fit in the hole and the wing (nut) will fit into the wall. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  16. kk says

    at

    Do you think this would work for books?

    Reply
  17. kk says

    at

    These are really awesome. Do you think these would take the weight of books?

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      It depends on the amount of anchors you can get into studs and the weight of the books, how many books, etc. I definitely think you could put books on these but unless you are anchoring most of the board into studs with heavy duty bolts I wouldn’t suggest them as an alternative to bookshelves.

      Reply
  18. Katie says

    at

    Thank you for sharing this project, it’s genius! I am hoping to make a floating shelf a little over 6′ long. I would aim to hit a minimum of 4 studs but hopefully 5 studs. Do you feel this would be sturdy enough to hold a plant (5-10lbs.)?

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      I think that would depend on how many studs you’re able to hit and also the placement of the plant so that the weight is evenly distributed. If you can get it into 4 and you’re using a thick study board I would think so. If you won’t centering it on the shelf then I would definitely keep an eye on it. It sounds like you’ll have a pretty sturdy shelf. Just keep in mind that the weight of the shelf itself needs to be factored into to how much weight the bolts/studs can handle.

      Reply
  19. Jeff says

    at

    Awesome shelves. What kind/color stain did you use and how many coats? Thank you!

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Hi Jeff & thanks! They are done in one coat Minwax Dark Walnut and sealed with hemp oil.

      Reply
  20. jo says

    at

    HI, I love the shelves! What kind of wood did you use though? Is it pine, fir?

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Thank you! And yes, it is pine.

      Reply
  21. Ashley says

    at

    My husband and I did 36″ shelves with 3 pocket holes for each shelf. We used 3″ wood screws that went into 3 studs; however, the front of the shelf sags a bit. Any advice? Thanks!

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Make sure the top of the back of the board is touching the wall. It sounds like your screws need to be tightened. Hold the board up from the front and push toward the wall while screwing in the screws. If the top back of the board isn’t touching the wall you’ll get sag. Also, I’m saying all of this assuming your screw holes are on the top of the board, correct?

      Reply
  22. Neha says

    at

    Hi Jamie, what is your suggestion to make a 10 inch square floating shelf with this technique ….with one center screw in the stud and 2 side one in the dry wall. I want to scatter these shelves on a wide open wall to display pottery which can be 1 – 2 lbs.

    Appreciate your suggestion and advice.

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      I don’t think a square shelf will work using this technique, especially since you’d only have one screw in a stud. The problem with a square it that it doesn’t evenly distribute weight, there isn’t enough support at the front of the shelf. You won’t have the stability you’d need to hold the pottery. I know it isn’t the same thing but you could do something similar to the shoe rack I did here: https://www.southernrevivals.com/2015/08/man-closet-makeover.html

      Using this alternate technique you’d need two 2x4s along the back to screw the shelves to. This could work.

      Reply
    • Neha says

      at

      Thanks so much for the quick response !! I will stay with the longer length

      Reply
      • jamie says

        at

        You are quite welcome! I’d love to see pics once you’re done. Good luck!

        Reply
  23. Anna says

    at

    I know my comment well after you posted this, but I’m wondering if drywall anchors would work for these? I want to center two shelves above the toilet in our guest bathroom. My guess is I could get into one stud and use two drywall anchors for 24 inch shelves.

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Hi Anna,

      I did this in our bathroom. One stud for each shelf (center) and two drywall anchors on either end. Our shelves are also above our toilet. This can definitely work, just be mindful of how much weight you place on these shelves and check them periodically to make sure they’re still secure. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  24. ssk says

    at

    Hi! Great shelves, thanks for writing the post and sharing your idea. I have a similar project in mind, but there is no stud where I want to install the shelves. Do you think a toggle bolt could be substituted for the wood screw/stud? The very helpful man at the hardware store did not think a toggle would work if installed at an angle, I don’t see why it couldn’t. Thanks!

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      We used toggle bolts with those expanding nuts in our bathroom where there were not studs and they work great. Of course we don’t put anything too weighty on those. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  25. Laura says

    at

    Hi! I love your tutorial so am attempting to create my own shelves.
    I had a question about the screws you used. Everything I was reading about pocket holes was that the shoulder of the screw head had to be flat to get a tight fit and it was mentioned that wood screws could cause the wood to split.
    Did you have any concern with splitting happening? Did you use a small washer to create the flat shoulder with the wood screw, or just went straight 3″ wood screws in the pocket holes you made? If you did just use the plain wood screws does the shelf ever loosen from the wall?
    The shelves I’m wanting to make are 5ft long and from a 2×8 board, with 4 studs to drill into.

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      If you can use pocket hole screws then those are always your best bet when working with pocket holes, especially when creating joints (as with building furniture). However, in this case, we needed longer screws so that we could hit our studs and pocket hole screws just don’t come in long enough lengths, also we weren’t creating any joints, so we went with flat-head wood screws. We did not use washers. We were able to get them to sit fairly flat in the pocket hole. As when placing any screw into a pre-made hole always take it slow and listen to your wood. If it starts to make noises indicative of splitting, stop. Hope this helps! Have fun with your project!

      Reply
  26. Lloyd says

    at

    Love this approach! I’ve got a 12 foot span with a perpendicular wall at each end. If I screw into each stud along the back and the studs in the perpendicular wall do you think this would work?

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      I think your shelves will be the sturdiest of them all and I bet they’ll look great, too. Good luck!

      Reply
  27. Ruben says

    at

    You said you dont recommend this with thinner boards. I am trying to attempt this wtih a 1″(3/4″) board that is 9.5′. I will be hitting about 6 studs( pretty sure whoever built the wall didnt follow standards). I will only be putting small collectible figures on it, nothing heavy. Do you think using this thin of a board will be a problem? I mean worst case scenario is the shelves fall and id have to redo with a thicker board, correct? I didnt want to use a thicker board because i felt it was overkill and would add to the weight of the load. Also, i am using 8″ deep boards. Thoughts?

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      You could always try and see how it works! While a thicker board does add to the weight of the load it also gives strength to the pocket holes. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
      • Ruben says

        at

        I am staining the boards as we speak. Probably wont get them up until monday. Ill reply with how they feel once they are up.

        Reply
        • jamie says

          at

          Awesome! Have fun!

          Reply
  28. nupami says

    at

    Thank you for sharing this wonderful idea !
    We are trying to do these floating shelves in out bathroom with 2X8 board. The shelf is 35″ wide and we have found two studs.
    [Sorry for these dumb questions, we are very new to the DIY world 🙂 ]

    1. What kind of driver did you use to drive the screw into the stud? Did you drill a pilot hole first through the pocket hole into the wall?
    2. We were thinking to use slot B and C of the Kreg jig and drill two pocket holes for each stud. Do you think that will work? or is it an overkill?

    Thanks,

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Hi! Not dumb questions! We used a drill and the extended bit that comes with the Kreg jig to drive in the screws. Two pockets holes for each stud couldn’t hurt. I don’t know that it’s strictly necessary but it is a pretty heavy and deep board you’re using so I definitely think it won’t hurt. Good luck!

      Reply
  29. Megan says

    at

    Thanks for the tutorial! Looking at doing this and curious how your shelves are holding up currently? Thanks 🙂

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      We’ve had these shelves in our boys’ bath and in our bedroom and our shelves are as sturdy as the day we first installed. Enjoy!

      Reply
  30. John says

    at

    Hello, so my daughter wanted floating shelves for her books. We came across this option and she liked it better than the other way (so do I). This looks cleaner and I really do not want anything thicker than 2″ (actual 1.5″). So we bought the wood, stain, poly and we have just finished. Color is amazing and she picked this out all herself (wife loves it too and now wants to start building other items). The wood was 2×12 (actual 1.5×11.5) and I stripped it down to 10″ so we actually have 1.5″ x 10″ x 36″. We are able to hit 2 studs, evenly spaced and am hoping that would be sufficient for the weight and have bought 2 sets of 4″ screws and cannot seem to get them to fit (head to big for the pocket hole). 1 set used hex the other was t30 bit. After reading the comments, it appears you bought basic 4″ wood (cross-head) screws, is this correct? Also after further reading, you recommend the screws be placed on top. I was planning on placing 2 shelves with screws underneath to hide them but you are recommending the be placed on the top for stronger hold, is this also correct? How much difference is there in support / weight when screwing the shelves on the top vs underneath? Thank you for your help and the idea!

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Hi John!

      I’m so glad you guys like the look! Yes, we used regular Phillips head screws, as we often do when we need longer lengths than pocket hole screws come in.

      There is no clear evidence that placing the holes on top offers a stronger hold, just a supposition on our part. It seems to us that having the majority of the wood hanging ‘from’ the screws as opposed to the weight of the wood sitting ‘on top’ of the screws offers more support. Having said that, our shelves are up high so this also keeps the pocket holes from showing.

      I wish you guys the best of luck and would love it if you shared a pic when you’re done. Happy DIYing!

      Reply
      • John says

        at

        Hello Jamie

        So after getting the screws, i tried both ways as we originally planned on having one with the screws on the bottom and one with them on top. both times were unsuccessful. ;o(

        I pre-drilled holes into the studs but could not get the screws to sink in and the shelf were leaning forward. 1st attempt I was able to use SpeedOut to get the stripped screws out. 2nd attempt the screws got stuck and had to sawsall the board off the wall with the screw still within the pocket hole. Double :o( :o(

        So now I am trying to figure out an alternative to get the shelves up and welcome any ideas.

        They did look great despite them leaning forward and 1/4″ off the wall.

        Reply
        • jamie says

          at

          Oh no! So it sounds like the problem might be that your bit wasn’t long enough. You know how the Kreg jig comes with a really long bit? That’s to allow your drill to get down in those pocket holes. If your bit isn’t long enough your drill will bump into the wood, especially since those screws go into those pocket holes at an angle, and that causes it to lose tension on the screw. Then the screw strips out. If you don’t have a longer bit, you can drill your screws in most of the way and then use a long screwdriver to continue to tighten. That should close your gap without stripping out your screw. There’s really no need to predrill into the studs so if you want to try it again, I’d just move the shelves up (or down) slightly to cover the holes you already made and try it all again. Good luck!

          Reply
          • John says

            at

            I am using a 6″ Phillips drill bit since I am using #10 x 3.5″ Philip pan head screws and not the square head screw that came with the Kreg Jig Kit. I notice you have 3 screws holding yours while I am using only 2 and am wondering if this is too much weight for a 36″ board. I think I will re-drill new pockets to accommodate 3 screws.

          • jamie says

            at

            Hi John,

            Did you get it to work out?

  31. Bob Gallagher says

    at

    Can I get more details on the 4″ wood screws used in the pocket holes?

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Hi Bob,

      So we just used a 4″ screw with a coarse thread. It doesn’t have to be a wood screw. It can even be an exterior screw, anything with a coarse thread. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  32. matt says

    at

    How do you think this would do holding up cookbooks. We would hit at least 3 studs.

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Hi Matt,
      I would say that might depend on the how big/heavy the cookbooks are and how many are on a shelf. It’s good that you’re hitting 3 studs but there will still be weight on those screws. If it were me, I’d try it and if they started to sag I’d have a backup plan for braces underneath each shelf. Good luck!

      Reply
  33. Andrea Reimer says

    at

    This looks fantastic, just one question. Apologies if it’s already been asked. I’m looking to do some cat shelves, if I install 3 foot shelves and am able to get the screws into studs at either end, and possibly in the middle, would these be strong enough to hold a 12 lb cat? Thanks again.

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Thank you! That’s a good question! I’m not sure and I’d hate for your cat to get injured. If you try it, just be sure to keep an eye out for sagging or support issues.

      Reply
  34. Jason says

    at

    I am thinking of using this technique to install some shelves in 2 nooks next to our fireplace, mainly to display small photos, decor stuff and maybe a few books. The shelves will span around 5′ so should be able to tie into at least a few studs. Just curious if you pre-drilled any pilot holes into the studs…or will the wood screws draw the shelf flush to the wall alone w/o pilot holes? Thanks so much, looking forward to giving this a shot!

    Reply
    • jamie says

      at

      Hi Jason,

      We didn’t drill any pilot holes and our shelves are nice and tight. Our bit wasn’t long enough to drill the shelves all the way in so we use a screwdriver for the final tightening. Good luck!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Creative Ways to Get Organized {& Healthy} - Southern Revivals says:
    at

    […] DIY Floating Shelves […]

    Reply
  2. Nautical Guest Friendly Boys Bathroom Makeover Reveal - Southern Revivals says:
    at

    […] of my current favorite DIY projects. This one costs you about $3 for each shelf! See my tutorial on DIY Floating Shelves – no building required. Also, I’m in love with this driftwood fish photo holder – […]

    Reply
  3. My Under $500 Master Bedroom Makeover - Southern Revivals says:
    at

    […] Quick, Easy & Cheap DIY Floating Shelves | Southern Revivals – Southern Revivals says: March 20, 2014 at 6:00 am […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Follow Me

Image Map

 

Popular Posts

Southern Revivals | Nautical Guest Friendly Boys Bathroom Reveal
IKEA Hack Closet Makeover

MORE FROM SOUTHERN REVIVALS

Vintage Chest of Drawers Revived with a Shipping Pallet | A Chest of Drawers Revival

UnBuyer’s Regret | What I Wish I Would Have Bought

Finding the perfect light fixture for that sometimes small, often times awkward space - The Home Office #lightingideas #homeoffice #officemakeover SouthernRevivals.com

Finding the Perfect Light Fixture | The Home Office

How to Etch Glass with the Dremel Micro #etchedglass #fall #dremelproject SouthernRevivals.com

How to Etch Glass with the Dremel Micro

Top 5 DIY Pallet Projects

My Top 5 DIY Pallet Projects

Southern Revivals is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Copyright © 2023 · Southern Revivals · Log in