How to Build a Floating Shelf Support
Floating shelves are unique because they literally look as though nothing is holding them in place. The shelf support system for floating shelves consists of hidden brackets mounted on the wall. Building a floating shelf support requires some carpentry skill and knowledge.
Things You'll Need
- two-by-four wood pieces, one for each shelf
- tape measure
- circular saw
- pencil
- stud finder
- level
- hammer
- drill
- construction glue
- nails and screws
- Measure the length of your floating shelf. Use this measurement to measure the length of your wall-mounting bracket, or floating shelf support.
- Cut your two-by-four to the measurement you just took. You will need to measure and cut one piece of wood for each shelf.
- Decide where you will mount your floating shelf.
- Draw a straight line on the wall where you would like your shelf to hang.
- Use a level to check that the line is straight and not slanting at either end.
- Locate the studs in your wall by running a stud finder over the line you just drew. You will need to know where the studs are to mount your floating shelf support.
- Mark the wall with a pencil to indicate the location of your studs. Make sure when marking the studs that you will be able to see them as you hang your mounting bracket. The marks should be a little higher or lower than where you will be placing your bracket.
- Following the manufacturer's directions, apply a generous amount of construction glue on the back of your mounting bracket. Read the instructions carefully for the glue. Some glues need to set before applying the object to be adhered.
- Place your mounting bracket against the wall where you have already marked it. The side of your bracket with the glue on it should be against the wall.
- Hammer one nail into the center of your shelf support to anchor it in place.
- Use the level and make sure the mounting bracket is level. Move the bracket ends up or down to make it level.
- Find the stud marks you made on the wall.
- Using a drill, drive one screw through the shelf support into the stud behind the wall. Do this to every stud you have marked. This will make your mounting bracket secure for your shelf.
- Hang your floating shelf on the mounting bracket you just installed.