How to Make Floating Shelves and Install Them

31Comments

Is there a materials & tools list for this & other projects?

Robin Pasternak-Seggelke

Feb 27, at 3:42pm

31Comments

Wanderful.

juan contreras

Oct 14, at 9:10am

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Wow!! I love this video. I will be adding some shelves at my wife's closet and i surely use this technique. Thank you Ron.

Gel

Sep 24, at 7:02pm

31Comments

Wow, you just made my project easier!

4thespider7

Sep 23, at 5:57am

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Share this idea with them; they will need it for their kids.

4thespider7

Sep 23, at 5:56am

31Comments

This give me an idea for CD and DVD storage below my wall-mounted flat screen TV.
However, there is an easier way to store stuffed animal that will take up far less space; wrap a 1" dowel of needed length with the firm side of medium duty or heavy duty (depending on the weight of the toy) Velcro, put an eye on one end and hang from a hook in the ceiling. Then sew or glue the soft side of the Velcro to a convenient area of the toy (usually the back of the head) then press it to the dowel. These can be hung in the corners and out of the way. Velcro comes in many colors, so you can color coordinate with the room or the animal or both.

4thespider7

Sep 23, at 5:55am

31Comments

I could have used this idea when the 2 boys were a lot younger. Now they are 29 & 30 years of age.

Ernie White

Sep 23, at 2:42am

31Comments

also, the plywood was cherry. One word of caution. The premier plywoods have a very thin veneer and will not take agressive sanding. If you sand too much you will sand thru the veneer and into the filler woods.

Mike Henderson

Sep 4, at 7:22pm

31Comments

I used plywood ( 8 ply ) because it's stable and glues well. You certainly can use any wood of your choice. Glue and clamp for 24 hours. Be patient and use a lot of clamps. I prefer Tite bond premium wood glue.

Mike Henderson

Sep 4, at 7:19pm

31Comments

p.s. Thanks Marcos

Mike Henderson

Sep 4, at 6:55pm

31Comments

The shelf plans in this link are much better and a heck of a lot more sturdy then Ron's

http://www.younghouselove.com/...

Chad

Aug 29, at 12:32pm

31Comments

Why waste the money and time to build the shelves when you can just cut ends off of smooth, hollow core doors instead? I did that for CD storage and made 13 floating shelves to hold everything. Using the doors made it fast and cheap.

Aug 27, at 7:31pm

31Comments

Hi Mike, amazing job!

How can I give a better finish to the wood instead of using plywood?
I was looking for something similar to the attached pic or similar to walnut. I could do what the video says on the front of the shelves, but what about the top and bottom?
Thanks!!!

Marcos

Aug 21, at 12:13am

31Comments

as a contractor and designer here is a solution to shelves that hold a lot of weight. I have 3 holding well over 200 lbs. each for a customer. Find your studs and lay out your shelves. Make sure its where you want them cause they will be semi permenant. Purchase 14" or 16" 1/2" lag bolts. Cut the hex head off with a hack saw. Now, using a tap and die set thread the smooth shank about 2 inches to fit a washer and nut. Build your shelves with 2 layers of plywood and a poplar center leaving the poplar center 2 inches from the outside edge. carefully drill the 1/2" hole in the center and ends ( about 4 inches to 6 inches from the edge )thru the poplar center filler piece EXACTLY where they coincide with the studs. Using painters tape get a level line and mark the stud locations.Pre drill your lag starter holes. REMEMBER...your studs are usually only 3.5" deep. Drill to a depth of 1.5". The lag will pull itself into the wood. A 16" lag will allow you an 11" shelf....a 14" lag will allow you a 9" shelf. Now your ready....place 2 nuts on the stud and tighten until 3"s of thread are in the stud. Remember the wall board adds 1/2" so mark the threads @ 3.5". Place all three in the wall. Remove the nuts and washers. Now slide the shelve over the lag bolts. You may have to tap them on with a rubber mallet. Add your washers and nuts and trim out the front with a piece of poplar stained to match. note: the granite and dolomite busts weigh about 180 pounds

Mike Henderson

Aug 16, at 8:54pm

31Comments

Why is there no response from the author to any of the questions asked? obviously the load limit is going to be small, but if these shelves have an issue being loaded with books, then they aren't sturdy enough

Evan

Jun 18, at 7:50pm

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Hi Ron, I tried to do you project and I ran into an issue, the cleat wouldn't support itself and sagged against the wall. do you know what I did wrong?

Assaf Oppenheimer`

Jun 17, at 11:09am

31Comments

Thanks Ron, I used your design and the shelf worked very well. ahead16

Peter Stewart

May 10, at 2:57am

31Comments

what a great video, just starting a project on my bedroom and now after watching your video im gonna attempt to make my own, many thanks

chrissybus

Apr 12, at 11:14am

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The episode where the parents needed floating shelves for their son; well, you must see the father of this kid. the host and this kids father look like brothers-or should i say 'brothers from a different mother.'

deb

Mar 31, at 4:38pm

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I would like to know if it's advisable to construct a solid L-shape unit that will extend roughly 30" each direction, or if I should build two separate shelves that will meet at 90 degrees. Could you advise on the frame construction and cleat placement?

Carleen

Mar 6, at 12:19am

31Comments

Could you let me know what the dimensions are for the framing pieces that are sandwiched between the plywood skins as well as for the outside face pieces that cover the 3 exposed edges? Also the dimensions of the cleats you used. Thank you very much.

Josh

Feb 4, at 4:55pm

31Comments

Careful with the weight limit here! I wouldn't trust even Harper sitting on one of those shelves once they're installed. The limiting factor on these shelves is the force needed to rip the 1/4" plywood top surface through the screws that attach the shelves to the wall struts (and to top it off, they've been countersunk --- so there's very little wood left to hold onto) --- I'd guess the one shelf with the 18" length of books is about the limit of that shelf's capacity.

Richard

Jan 31, at 10:03am

31Comments

I'm about to make this project, wish I had a list of materials needed; guess i'll have to watch it again, I know you said 2" strips but is there also 1" on the outer sides? Thanks sewwww much. Ruthie

ruthie

Jan 9, at 1:23am

31Comments

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Jan 7, at 4:33am

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I would like to build some of these to give my cats a "habitat" looking out a half-moon window, with a few shorter ones to give them some lead up to the higher shelf...as several others asked, what is the weight load when using 2" x 2" pine cleats with the shelf 12" wide? I'd hate for the cats to come a'tumbling down on top of my plasma television, lol. I'm sure they probably wouldn't like it to much either. :-)

Ricky

Dec 10, at 4:02pm

31Comments

The first project I viewed was the floating shelves. I was very board with all the waiting for the reloading of each section. When that young boy puts his weight on the lower shelves trying to reach the upper shelves I'm afraid there will be damage to the wall or shelf and the youngster will be injured. No mention was made of the load limits of these shelves. It was attractive, BUT!!!

Ted

Dec 6, at 12:57pm

31Comments

it can handle heavy things didn't you see those 2 big guys sitting on it drinking coffee? I like to get the dimensions of all them cuts.

stevogadevo

Nov 19, at 12:12pm

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Great video, easy to follow and a terrific finished look! I want to build these for a friend's daughter's bedroom. What kind of wood did you cut the 2" x 2" cleats from, does it have to be poplar since the rest of your poplar stock was 1" thick? Weren't the facing pieces taller than 2" since you were covering the 2" frame plus the thickness of a top and bottom piece of 1/2" plywood?

Glenn

Oct 15, at 2:22pm

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Great Video! I'm also curious as to how much weight these shelves can hold? I have a lot of books and love the floating shelves look. thanks!

PETER

Oct 13, at 12:14pm

31Comments

how much weight can you put on a floating shelf, max?

mandy scuderi

Sep 28, at 3:11pm

31Comments

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HesterWhitley29

Sep 18, at 4:22pm

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How to Make Floating Shelves and Install Them