$20 Shelves Anyone Can Build!
That’s right… ANYONE! These are super simple to build! This is by far my favorite $20 project to date.
Shelves Anyone Can Build
I have been in the process of redoing my oldest son’s room over the last few weeks. I shared his bed HERE and the headboard HERE.
I know one of the next things on my to do list will be a desk, and I knew I wanted some shelving for above it. I found THIS plan on Ana’s site and jumped on it.
If you own a drill (every woman should!) you can build these shelves. I made 2 for my son, and I also made 2 for my younger sister. Each shelf cost $10 to build. Here are a few tips and progress shots…
You will need 2 – 1×4’s and 1 – 1×2 for each shelf. That’s it!
I made 8′ shelves so no need to use a saw. I also used my Kreg Jig, but if you don’t own one you can just pre-drill your holes and use wood screws to attach everything. I prefer drywall screws, but both will work. You will also need wood glue. I started by adding a line of glue where my 1×4’s meet.
Join your boards together like this. Just pre-drill from the back and attach your screws.
Now add some more glue to edge of your bottom 1×4…
And use some finish nails to attach your 1×2!
That’s it! Not even kidding!
I didn’t even worry about filling nail holes because I stained mine and I like the imperfections… So shanty! 😉
I used my new favorite stain on mine…
Rust-Oleum Ultimate Wood Stain in Dark Walnut
I LOVE this stuff… It dries beautifully within an hour… Whoop! You can get it at Lowe’s.
These are super easy to attach to your wall too! I used 2″ drywall screws directly into the studs of the wall. I didn’t even have to cover the screws because the things I put on the shelves covered them easily.
I got them up and took some pictures for you!
And if you aren’t quite convinced please look at this picture…
Yes. Looks familiar! You can find this lovely at Pottery Barn, except it costs $85 for 4′! That’s half the length and 8 times the price. No thank you!
What do you think???
You OFFICIALLY have no excuse to not build! These are easier than putting together anything you can find in a store. I LOVE them.
You can see the detailed plans HERE on Ana’s site!
FINALLY…
Did you like it??? Would you be a dear and PIN IT please?!? I would appreciate it greatly 😉
Thanks so much and happy Tuesday!
~Whitney
How far apart did you hang the shelves?
what kind of wood did you use?
WhAt kind of wood did you use?
I just stumbled back upon your site after seeing something on Pinterest. We used this tutorial to make picture ledges for our den a few years ago. We painted them white to blend with the wall and then used black frames. This isn’t the best picture, but proof that they turned out 🙂
Hello, what is the name of the paint color on the wall where you hung the shelves?
I want to make many of these with larger boards to make a series of tracks around the house for my cat to run on. Shelving gets expensive, this looks like the cheapest deal for my project.
I still don’t understand how to hang them… 🙁
How did you mount these to the wall?
Loved this project! Easy and looks fabulous in the entry way of my new home!
How did you mount this to the wall?
I used the exact same stain color from Lowe’s and mine turned out a completely different color. Way more chocolatey.
How did you stain it to get this color?
And I was really going for the color yours are
How did you stain the wood to get this color? I bought the same stain from Lowe’s but mine turned out way more chocolate in color
Will this work on plaster walls?
I’m totally New to this.. how did you mount these?
Did you use a Kreg Jig like Ana did or did you just screw and glue? If we were to see the back of the shelf, we would see the screws right? I am a total beginner without a Kreg Jig and just trying to figure out if I have the steps correct. Also – I would LOVE to know how you mounted these to the wall. I am just not visualizing very well how to get these onto the wall. Thanks much!!
I don’t know how Whitney mounted them, but we are building a couple of these this weekend and plan to use drywall screws and just go right through the back of the shelf into a couple studs. I will cover the screws up with the decor I put on the shelf. Can’t wait!!
a friend made these for me i cant take credit but i love them!!
Lovely idea – very good tutorial 🙂
are these the shelves that you used to display your chippy picture frames??