How to make a floating shelf
November 2, 2017You’ll need
- a glued wood board
- a pencil
- a ruler
- jute rope, 1.5 to 2 meters for each side
- a power drill
- a spade bit, which you can get at any hardware store. But make sure it’s about the same diameter as the jute rope.
- a brush
- a rubber band if possible
- your choice of paint and
- two circle hooks with wall plugs, to attach the shelf to the wall
Instructions
First, measure out the positions of the drill holes.
They should be located 5 centimeters from both outside edges.
Mark the positions with a pencil - e.g. 5 centimeters from each of the two outside edges.
Next, put two pieces of wood under your board and drill all four holes through the wood with the spade bit.
Use sandpaper to smooth down any ragged drill holes.
Now, you can paint the board with your choice of paint.
You should also paint inside the drill holes with a smaller brush.
Once the first side is thoroughly dry, you can paint the rear, as well.
To protect the surface and make it scratch-resistant for daily use, apply some cream wax to it with a cloth.
Finally, pull the ends oft he jute ropes through the holes and knot the ends on every side.
Tie a knot halfway up each rope with a loop.
It should be big enough for a finger to pass through, so later on, you can hang the shelves on the circle hooks.
Post-its are incredibly good at catching the dust from drilling. Just stick one on the wall under the hole and crease it.
Then drill the holes, using an 8-mm rock drill bit. Push in the wall plugs and screw in the circle hooks. Now, you can hang your shelf. Just make sure it hangs in level.
Good to know
You can also knot several shelves one under the other, but remember to adjust the length of the jute ropes accordingly.