Rookie Series: Easy to make DIY Floating Shelves

There's just something to the naked eye about a floating shelf. It gives off a natural look of cleanliness. I know for me, less is more. I try my best to live a minimalist lifestyle. Creating a floating shelf could only help with the process of achieving that goal.

I decided to make my first floating self in my young DIY career. The concept is simple. I'd need to make a bracket and an outer shell. The bracket would go on the wall, and the shell would go over the bracket. The only question was, how do I go about creating these two objects?

Personally, it's easier to start with one problem at a time. First, I'd focus on the bracket. I decided to use 2x2's for the process. I need to know the size of the floating shelf before I could configure the size of the bracket. The length of the bracket would need to be 1.5 inches shorter than the length of the shell. The 1.5 inches account for the width of a board (each board is 3/4 of an inch). I applied the same concept for the depth of the shell too. Once I figured out those two measurements, it was time to start cutting.  

To make the bracket, I'll cut the 2x4's into the measurements I need. Then, I'll cut the 2x4's down into 2x2 pieces (You can see how I do this process in this video.). I'll take these four pieces I've cut and create the bracket. The three shorts boards will be screwed into the longboard, and that'll be the brace to hold the floating shelf up. Once that part is complete, we can set the bracket to the side and create the shelf.

To create the shelf, I'll cut the lumber to the length mentioned earlier. There are five pieces, two pieces for the top and bottom, two pieces for the sides, and one for the front. Once the lumber is cut to size, I can start to assemble the shelf. To connect the pieces, I used a brad nailer. I nailed together one of the side pieces to the top and bottom and repeated the same process to the other side. Lastly, I'll put the front piece on, and I'll have the shell for the floating shelf.  

The last thing to do is install it on the wall, in its final destination. I'll hang the bracket on the wall (make sure it's level). Put the screws into the bracket, and make sure they're going into a stud if possible. If there isn't a stud, you can use a drywall anchor to get that added support. The last step is to insert the shell onto the bracket.

The floating shelf is complete and ready for action. Overall, the project only takes a few hours to complete. It doesn't require a lot of tools or advanced techniques. Sometimes, keeping it simple is the best way to go. Try it out, and you'll surprise yourself. You'll never know if you don't try.