18 DIY Floating Shelf Plans You Can Build Today (With Pictures)
- Pete Ortiz
- Last updated:
Floating shelves are an elegant and stylish way to store some of your items and make them look fashionable. But just because it looks good doesn’t mean it has to be expensive. In fact, if you have just a little bit of DIY know-how and enthusiasm, you could easily learn how to build floating shelves for yourself.
If you’re not intimidated by the idea of making a little sawdust while creating your very own floating shelf, then the following 18 DIY floating shelf plans will show the steps you need to take to get there. Pick one and get started. Before you know it, you’ll be taking a new fashionable Instagram pic of your own to show off your chic new floating shelves that you personally hand made.
The 18 DIY Floating Shelf Plans
1. DIY Floating Shelves by Sawdust Sisters
These Free DIY Floating Shelf Plans by Sawdust Sisters will help you build a heavy-duty set of floating shelves for a very low cost. They have a rustic look if left unpainted, or a more modern look if you opt to paint them once they’re finished.
These shelves aren’t terribly difficult to build, but you’re going to need to know your way around several power tools, including drills, saws, and a nail gun.
Project Difficulty: Intermediate
Time to Build: 1-3 hours
Tools Needed: Miter Saw, Pocket Hole Jig, Wood Glue, Pocket Hole Screws, Wood Screws, Drill/Driver, Brad Nailer with 1¼” brad nails, Level, Stud Finder, Wood Stain
2. Simple Floating Shelf by Rogue Engineer
These free plans for a Simple Floating Shelf come from the Rogue Engineer. They’re relatively simple, though the end result looks awesome. They have a rustic look with accentuated wood grain.
You’ll need a miter saw to finish this project, but only minimal skills or experience are necessary. It’s a great project for beginners to take on because it’s very simple and short.
Project Difficulty: Easy
Time to Build: 1-3 Hours
Tools Needed: Pocket Hole Jig, Drill, Miter Saw, Stud Finder, Tape Measure, Pencil, Safety Glasses, Hearing Protection
3. The Best Floating Shelves by Ana White
A lot of these projects require a pocket hole jig, which is a small, specialized tool for drilling holes to join wood together. But the Best Floating Shelves by Ana White don’t require you to have any specialized equipment. You’ll need a drill and brad nailer, but no pocket jig.
These shelves are simple and solid. They’re easy to install and quick to build. Plus, they look great when painted, so they can be painted to match any colors you currently have in your home.
Project Difficulty: Easy
Time to Build: 2-3 Hours
Tools Needed: Tape Measure, Pencil, Safety Glasses, Ear Protection, Drill, Circular Saw, Brad Nailer, Sander, Level
4. DIY Wood Floating Shelf by DIY Projects With Pete
One major reason to build your own floating shelves is to avoid the expensive cost of purchasing pre-built shelves. Well, if you build this DIY Wood Floating Shelf by DIY Projects With Pete, you’ll be able to build some high-quality shelves for less than $10 that look like they’re from a designer brand.
For the shelf, you’ll need a 2X4 and some cedar pickets, that’s it. It’s a very simple project that can be completed in an hour by someone with just a little DIY experience and a few tools.
Project Difficulty: Easy
Time to Build: 1-2 Hours
Tools Needed: Circular Saw or Miter Saw, Table Saw, Drill, Kreg Jig, Orbital Sander, Nail Gun, Tape Measure, Straight Edge, Pencil, Ear and Eye Protection
5. Easy DIY Floating Shelves, No Bracket by DIY Creators
These Easy DIY Floating Shelves with No Bracket by DIY Creators are thinner than many of the other shelves on this list, but they also have one of the most elegant finished looks. They’re made from some simple 2X8 lumber with a few dowel rods. The finished product is stained to give it an elegant appearance.
This project only requires a few basic power tools. However, it is a bit more in-depth than some of the other projects. Because the shelves are stained, it also has longer drying times. That said you could opt to leave off the staining step and mount your shelves right away as raw wood. But basic 2X lumber isn’t the most attractive, so you may think twice before doing so!
Project Difficulty: Intermediate
Time to Build: 2 days because of drying time
Tools Needed: Mini Miter Box and Saw, Circular Saw, Orbital Sander, Level, Drill and bit, Speed Square, Tape Measure, Stud Finder, Countersink Drill Bit, Dead Blow Mallet, Drywall Screw Anchor (for mounting)
6. Long Wood Floating Shelf by Apartment Therapy
If you want to build a floating shelf but need it to cover a long distance without sagging, then check out the Long Wood Floating Shelf by Apartment Therapy. It’s made from some common boards that you can easily find at your local home improvement store for a low cost.
The final product has a rustic look, but you can make it turn out however you like by changing the stain you use. These plans build a long, sturdy, and simple shelf, and the only specialty tool you’ll need is a pocket hole jig.
Project Difficulty: Easy
Time to Build: 1-3 Hours
Tools Needed: Pocket Hole Jig, Drill, Miter Saw, Stud Finder, Tape Measure, Pencil
7. DIY Floating Shelves by The Home Depot Blog
Once painted, you can’t even tell that these DIY Floating Shelves by The Home Depot Blog were homemade and not purchased from a big box store. They’re simple shelves that can easily be altered to any size.
These plans are simple and quick to build, though they’ll take two days because you’ll have to wait for the wood glue to dry. They’re still a great choice for beginners since the instructions are very thorough and easy to follow.
Project Difficulty: Intermediate
Time to Build: 2 Days Due to Drying Time
Tools Needed: Circular Saw, Clamps, Screwdriver, Drill, Brad Nailer, Level, Stud Finder, Paint Brush, Painter’s Tape, Wood Glue
8. DIY Floating Shelves by Simply Designing
With a sleek modern-rustic appearance that will fit with nearly any decor, these DIY Floating Shelves by Simply Designing are an easy project with an awesome outcome.
These shelves are essentially built in place, instead of being built and then mounted like other similar DIY floating shelves. This might make it easier for some, especially if you’re building in a tight space between two walls.
Project Difficulty: Intermediate
Time to Complete: 1-3 Hours
Tools Needed: Drill/Driver, Kreg Jig, Electric Sander, Compound Miter Saw, Table Saw, Brad Nailer, Level, Stud Finder, Tape Measure
9. How to Build a Floating Shelf by Family Handyman
Do you love to repurpose old materials and give them new life as something useful once more? If so, then you’ll want to learn How to Build a Floating Shelf by the Family Handyman. These shelves are built out of an old hollow core door and a 2×4, that’s it. They’re dead simple and they make good use of an old door that was probably about to help fill up a landfill.
Project Difficulty: Easy
Time to Build: 1-3 Hours
Tools Needed: Circular Saw, Glue, Hammer, Level, Socket/Ratchet Set, Straight Edge, Stud Finder, Table Saw, Tape Measure, Wood Chisel
10. Easy DIY Floating Shelves by Shanty 2 Chic
Shanty 2 Chic shows you how to build a set of inexpensive but excellent-looking Easy DIY Floating Shelves. These shelves are made from 1X4, 2X3, and some plywood, all easy to find at your local home improvement or hardware store.
If you make them the same size as the author of the plans, you’ll be able to make three floating shelves for under $50. You’ll never find a deal like that at Ikea!
Project Difficulty: Intermediate
Time to Build: 2-4 Hours
Tools Needed: Brad Nailer, Kreg Jig, Pocket Hole Screws, Wood Screws, Wood Glue
11. Build a Floating Shelf for Less Than $10 by Man Made DIY
If going the DIY route for your floating shelves isn’t already cheap enough, then you may like these plans to Build a Floating Shelf For Less Than $10 by Man Made DIY. A 2X4 is used to build the frame and a piece of 1X10 makes up the panels. It looks surprisingly good for such a cheap shelf and you’d never guess that it cost so little.
Project Difficulty: Easy
Time to Build: 1-2 Hours
Tools Needed: Wood Glue, Drill/Driver, Sander, Nail Gun, Clamps, Level, Table Saw or Circular Saw, Miter Saw or Circular Saw, Pocket Hole Kreg Jig
12. DIY Floating Shelves by Real Simple
These beautiful but simple DIY Floating Shelves from Real Simple are made from a single piece of 2X10 wood. It’s hard to get much simpler than that. You’ll need a few tools to prepare that piece of wood for mounting though. What’s great about this shelf is how easily you can change it to fit the decor in your home by simply using a different stain when it’s time to finish the shelves.
Project Difficulty: Intermediate
Time to Complete: 2 days due to drying times
Tools Needed: Miter Saw or Circular Saw, Hand or Bench Router and Dado Bit, Drill Bits, Sandpaper, Stain or Paint, Polyurethane (Optional), Paintbrush, Invisible Support Brackets, Pencil, Drill, Level
13. Quick, Easy, and Cheap DIY Floating Shelves by Southern Revivals
These Quick, Easy, and Cheap DIY Floating Shelves by Southern Revivals are everything that you’d hope from a DIY floating shelf project. That is, their quick, easy, and cheap to build, but they still look great! The hallmark of a good DIY project is that other people won’t know it’s DIY, and these shelves look so good that others will never guess you made them yourself!
Project Difficulty: Easy
Time to Build: 1-3 Hours
Tools Needed: Drill, Kreg Jig Pocket Hole System, Saw, Sandpaper, Stain, Sealer
14. How to Build Seamless Floating Shelves by Woodshop Diaries
These Seamless Floating Shelves by Woodshop Diaries look like they’re made from a single large piece of lumber. In truth, they’re lightweight hollow boxes that are made to look like solid pieces of wood! But it’s not as complicated as it sounds. In fact, you can make some just like this! They’re very easy to build and require minimal materials.
Project Difficulty: Intermediate
Time to Build: 2-4 Hours
Tools Needed: Drill, Miter Saw, Table Saw, Nail Gun, Orbital Sander, Wood Glue, Brad Nailer, Clamps, Wood Putty
15. DIY Floating Shelves by Living to DIY with Rachel Metz
Many of the floating shelf plans on this list are for shorter shelves that don’t span a large distance. But if you have a much bigger area that you want some floating shelves to reach across, then you might check out these DIY Floating Shelves by Living to DIY with Rachel Metz.
These shelves are framed out of 2X4s and covered with thin plywood. You can find this wood anywhere locally, as well as the few tools that you’ll need to complete the project.
Project Difficulty: Intermediate
Time to Build: 2 days due to drying time
Tools Needed: Speed Square, Stud Finder, Wood Glue, Measuring Tape, Wood Putty, Drill/Driver, Nail Gun, Drill Bits, Saw
16. Firewood Floating Shelves by Fix This Build That
If you like rustic looking furniture and repurposed materials living a second life, then you’ll love these Firewood Floating Shelves by Fix This Build That. As the name suggests, they’re built from an old piece of firewood that was repurposed as an elegant way to hold some decorative pieces.
The final result of this project is unique and elegant. Each one will look special since they’re made from natural woods. Of course, you may have to go on a few hikes to find some eligible wood pieces!
Project Difficulty: Advanced
Time to Build: 2-4 Hours
Tools Needed: Bandsaw, Jointer, Planer, Sander, Drill/Driver, Forstner Bits, Spade Bits, Drill Bits
17. Easiest DIY Floating Shelves by Bitter Root DIY
Short and simple, the Easiest DIY Floating Shelves by Bitter Root DIY can be built out of just a few pieces of lumber ripped down on a table saw. While they are very simple plans, we don’t think they’re quite the easiest ones out there! Still, the end result looks great and they can be easily assembled in a few hours with just a little bit of DIY know-how.
Project Difficulty: Intermediate
Time to Build: 1-3 Hours
Tools Needed: Miter Saw, Brad Nailer, Orbital Sander, Tape Measure, Clamps, Wood Glue, Level, Speed Square, Pencil, Safety Glasses, Ear Protection
18. Fast, Easy, and Cheap DIY Floating Shelf by The Wonder Forest Blog
This Fast, Easy, and Cheap DIY Floating Shelf by The Wonder Forest Blog can be built in an afternoon for a minimal investment. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to learn how to build floating shelves that are attractive for just a few bucks! If you don’t have many tools to work with, this is the floating shelf project to choose. You’ll only need a couple of very basic tools to complete it, so it’s definitely beginner-friendly.
Project Difficulty: Easy
Time to Build: 1-2 Hours
Tools Needed: Drill with Bit, Wood Screws
Featured Image Credit: KathrinPie, Pixabay
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