Designers love recessed shelves for a few reasons. First, you can add more shelf space without taking up any floor space, which is crucial in apartments or small homes. You also get the benefit of increasing your storage capacity by utilizing wall space instead of buying bulky furniture or cluttering up your counters and tables. Secondly, the shelves look sleek and add a minimalist touch to any room. They are particularly useful in smaller apartments that don’t have enough square footage to accommodate bulky pieces of furniture, but they can be used anywhere. I’m going to walk you through how I made my own recessed floating shelves and what I learned during the process so you can make them, too.
The shelves look sleek and add a minimalist touch to any room.
Recessed shelves are a great way to store items without taking up floor space. They can also be used to display books, collectibles, or other decorative items. Recessed shelving units make a room feel more spacious and modern because they allow you to keep items out of sight when not in use.
In this example, we will not cut a new hole in the wall.
- Use a stud finder to locate the studs in your wall.
- Mark the location of each stud with a pencil.
- Drill holes for screws into each marked location and install appropriate sized wood anchors if needed (usually not necessary).
- Put your shelf bracket into place, then attach it to the wall with screws that match those used for mounting the bracket and mounting hardware supplied by the manufacturer of your recessed shelving system.
Call your local city hall to see if you need a building permit.
You will want to call your local city hall before you begin this project. Your city or town may require a building permit if the project is large enough, and if you don’t have one, you may be required to take down your recessed shelves.
If the project is small enough, though—a single wall without any structural changes—then it won’t need a building permit at all.
If you plan to cut a new hole in the wall but are not sure where to put it, here is how to take accurate measurements.
If you plan to cut a new hole in the wall but are not sure where to put it, here is how to take accurate measurements.
- Measure the height of your shelf. You want this measurement as close to exact as possible, so make sure you’re looking at a ruler when you do it.
- Measure the width of your shelf. Again, trust what your eyes show—don’t measure too high or low and end up with extra space on one side.
- Measure the depth of your shelf. This one is pretty straightforward—all you need to do is look down from above and count how many inches deep it goes into your wall before hitting anything else (like another stud).
- Measure where along that edge of your chosen stud surface you want it start…and then mark those points with masking tape so they don’t get lost.
Make sure no plumbing or electrical lines run through the space where you wish to put your recessed shelf.
- Before you start, make sure no plumbing or electrical lines run through the space where you wish to put your recessed shelf.
- If you don’t know where these lines are, call an electrician and plumber to come out and check for you.
- If there are lines in this area of your home, find another location for your recessed shelf.
You will also need some construction adhesive for this process.
Construction adhesive is a type of glue that can be used to attach two surfaces together. Its main purpose is to create a strong bond between the two pieces, but it also has many other uses.
For this project you’ll need a high-quality construction adhesive that provides an extended open time, meaning it takes longer to dry than traditional adhesives so you have more time to work with it.
The next step is framing out the wall around the box with 1x3s.
You can use 1x3s for framing, but it’s often recommended that you go with 2x4s. The reason is because 2x4s will be stronger and more durable, meaning your recessed shelf will hold up better over time.
If you’re using 1x2s for framing:
- Use three studs on each side of the box and two studs on top (this will leave enough room for some shelving).
- Make sure that these studs are placed 16 inches from floor level and 24 inches from ceiling level (the standard height for a wall). These dimensions should be enough material to support whatever weight you plan to put in your shelving system.
Place these 2x4s against the wall and use your level tool to ensure they are plumb and level with each other.
Measure 2x4s and nail them to the wall.
Once you have your 2x4s, place them against the wall and use your level tool to ensure they are plumb and level with each other. You want both sides of the shelf to be perfectly straight before you start cutting it.
The next step is adding plywood paneling to the front and sides of your shelf box.
The next step is adding plywood paneling to the front and sides of your shelf box.
To install the paneling, place it on a flat surface and make sure it’s cut to the correct size. Use a level to make sure that both ends are straight and even. Next, use construction adhesive to glue it onto your box in all areas. Make sure you get good coverage on all exposed surfaces so no moisture can get behind your plywood panels later on.
Use construction adhesive liberally on both sides of the plywood before placing it in between the walls of your shelf box.
One of the most important steps in building recessed shelves is using construction adhesive liberally on both sides of the plywood before placing it in between the walls of your shelf box. Make sure to spread it evenly across the entire surface, but not so thick that you can’t fit the plywood into place.
Do this process at least three times until all of your edges have been caulked and smoothed over.
Next, do this process at least three times until all of your edges have been caulked and smoothed over. Use a level tool to ensure that the plywood is plumb and level. Apply construction adhesive liberally on both sides of the plywood. Using a caulk gun, apply glue to all four edges of the plywood sheet; then press it against your wall so there’s an even overlap with each side edge.
Recessed shelves can be tricky, but following these tips should help
- Laying out the shelves
- Marking the lines for the shelves
- Cutting wood for your recessed shelving
- Installing the first shelf into your wall
- Installing additional recessed shelving
Conclusion
As you can see, recessed shelves are a great way to add storage space without taking up any of your valuable floor or counter space. They also look sleek and give off a minimalist vibe. Once you have assembled everything, all that is left is to paint. You will be amazed at how easy it was to create these beautiful new shelves in your home.
