Floating shelves are a great storage option in the kitchen and are especially useful if you don’t want to add additional cabinets. But, although they seem like they float on air, floating shelves are actually quite sturdy. And the best part is that, with a little know-how, you can build your own floating shelves for just about any space in your home! In this article, we’ll show you how to make simple but beautiful floating shelves for your kitchen.
Gather the supplies
Gather supplies
You will need to gather a few tools and materials to build your floating shelves. You can choose between wood, plywood, or MDF depending on the look you want to achieve and how sturdy you want them to be. Wood glue should be used for assembly as well as any nails you may use to secure brackets in place. Mounting cleats are also used here if there are no studs available on which to attach your brackets. If so, they can be secured directly into drywall with screws or into studs with anchors (depending on the type of anchors). Paint or stain is also needed for finishing touches like painting the sides of each shelf separately before attaching them together mechanically or staining after assembly is complete (if this is done before attaching them together mechanically). A foam roller works best for applying paint/stain evenly over large surfaces; however, an old paintbrush will work fine too! An adjustable level helps ensure that all pieces are placed squarely against one another when building your project–you’ll need it for placing brackets evenly across both sides of each board when assembling pieces together later down the line once everything has been prepped properly beforehand.
Cut wood to size
To begin, measure the wall where you want to add your floating shelves. Note the measurements of the shelf box and cleats as well. Cut all your materials to size, making sure that they are exactly alike in length and width (e.g., if one cleat is 5 inches wide, then all of them should be 5 inches wide). The brackets and screws can be purchased at any hardware store; they just need to match up with what you’re working with here.
Next, place a bracket against each side of your shelf box on top of some scrap wood so that it sits parallel with the bottom edge of said box (i.e., not leaning forward or backward). With a pencil or pen marking tool like an erasable marker or whiteboard marker (something easily erased later), mark where each screw will go through both sides of this piece at once: one into each side for every pair together—eight total per row means sixteen holes total across three rows total means thirty-two marks total across four rows total means sixty-four holes needing drilled into these pieces altogether regardless whether using single lengthwise strips instead multiple shorter ones per shelf level…
Assemble shelf box with glue and nails
To assemble the box, use a hammer and nails to nail boards together, or if you have access to a nail gun (or another power tool), use that instead. You can also glue the boards together with an air-powered glue gun if you are proficient with it. If you don’t have a power tool and don’t feel comfortable using an air-powered glue gun, simply use wood glue to secure the pieces together by hand.
Finally, screw each side of the shelf into place with screws drilled into predrilled holes in each corner of each side at intervals along its length. You may find it easier to measure out where these should go before assembling everything else first so there’s no confusion during construction about whether something should be attached here or there.
Stain or paint the shelf box with paintbrush and foam roller
If you’re painting the sides of your shelf box, use a paintbrush.
If you’re staining the sides of your shelf box, use a foam roller.
If you’re painting or staining the edges and corners of your shelf box, use a small brush or sponge brush to apply stain/paint in corners & around edges (you don’t want to get any on yourself)
Sand edges of wood for a smooth finish
Once the shelves are cut to size, you’ll want to sand the edges with 130 grit sandpaper to make sure they’re smooth. Use an orbital sander on flat surfaces and a belt sander for rounded edges.
When applying stain, use a foam roller to spread it evenly over the wood. Then clean up any excess with a damp rag; don’t let it dry before wiping it off.
After letting your stain dry overnight, you can apply another coat if necessary (I used three). If you’ve done everything right so far, this is where things start getting awesome: once your second coat has dried completely (another 24 hours), sand again with 220 grit paper until all of those beautiful wood grains have returned. Next up: polyurethane.
Attach mounting cleats to wall for bracket
- Locate the studs in your wall using a stud finder. You’ll want to drill your mounting cleats into a stud, so make sure that you are drilling into one.
- Once you’ve located the studs, use a level to adjust the bracket’s horizontal position until it is level with your cabinet doors (or other base cabinet).
- Use a drill to make holes for three screws in each cleat. I recommend pre-drilling these holes because they will be easier and faster when attaching them to the wall.
Attach bracket to shelf box with screws
Now that you’ve assembled your floating shelf, it’s time to install it.
- Use a drill and screwdriver to attach the bracket to the top of your box with screws.
- Make sure that everything is level before tightening down all four screws (or however many were used).
- If you are staining your shelf, use a rag or brush to rub in some stain evenly over its surface; if painting it, apply paint with a foam roller for greater coverage or a paintbrush for more precision when filling in corners and edges.
Install the shelf box onto cleats and make sure it is level.
- After deciding where to place your shelf, mark the location with masking tape.
- Using a stud finder, locate the studs in the wall and mark them with pencil.
- Attach cleats to the drywall using screws and make sure they are level and secure. Once you have installed all of your cleats, it is time to install your shelf box onto them. Make sure that everything is level before attaching the brackets to the wall. You want everything to be even so that when you put things on there they will be nice and straight looking.
Use decorative brackets (optional)
You can also use decorative brackets to add a unique look to the shelf itself. It is important to always measure your brackets before you buy them so that they fit perfectly with your floating shelves.
A floating shelf can add storage space in your kitchen without taking up much room.
A floating shelf is a great way to add storage space in your kitchen without taking up much room. They are easy to install, can be used in a variety of places and can be made to fit any size. They can also be made from wood or metal, stained or painted however you like.
Conclusion
There you have it. You’ve learned how to make a floating shelf in no time at all. It’s a simple project, but has a big impact on the overall look of your kitchen.
