How to make a Rustic Wall Shelf
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I wanted my shelf to have a rustic look. I have some well-aged one by fours that have been stored outside for many years. I also have some old wood that has been painted white. You can also make this project out of pallet wood or lumber straight from the home center.
I cut the pieces on my miter saw. Basically you need about ten pieces varying In length from 30 to 10 inches. I have cut list below if you want to use same dimensions as me. But if you want have something wider or taller cut more and longer pieces.
CUT LIST:
1 x 28"
1 x 26½"
1 x 25"
1 x 22½"
1 x 21½"
1 x 17"
1 x 12½"
1 x 11½"
1 x 9½"
3…5 x ~3” for the shelves, depends on the lumber you are using
I played around with the boards trying different combinations to see what looked best to my liking. After some time I think I have something looking good. I suggest you also play around with your pieces and go with whatever you like. Use more or less boards, use different lengths. The cost of lumber isn’t that great so you can make more pieces than you need, so you can experiment.
I used some number eight screws to assemble the shelf. Some of the screws go quite near to the ends so it’s a good idea to drill pilot holes to avoid any splitting. You could also use pocket holes to assemble the shelf, but I don’t have any Kreg jig around, so I use just used butt joints with screws without any glue. I didn’t bother using square assembling the shelf. If something is a bit off square I think it just adds to the look I’m looking for. The pieces are going to cover most of the screw heads, but some will be visible from the outside. The screw heads don’t bother me but if you want, you can use wood plugs or wood filler to hide them.
I measured some horizontal boards to go in to the backside to really tie the shelf together. I used some shorter number eight screws to attach the boards. I screwed the shelf to the wall studs through the vertical boards. Use a level during the install to get the shelf straight. You could also have a French cleat on the backside to have a hidden connection.
I didn’t use any treatment on the shelf, but if you want you can paint it or seal the wood with varnish or something like that. I know my lumber isn’t 100 percent dry so there probably will be some bending and gaps showing up.
The overall cost to build something like this is quite low even if you have to buy the lumber. And you don’t need any fancy tools to make it. You can make this shelf with just a circular saw and a drill in couple of hours. Cheap and easy.
I wanted my shelf to have a rustic look. I have some well-aged one by fours that have been stored outside for many years. I also have some old wood that has been painted white. You can also make this project out of pallet wood or lumber straight from the home center.
I cut the pieces on my miter saw. Basically you need about ten pieces varying In length from 30 to 10 inches. I have cut list below if you want to use same dimensions as me. But if you want have something wider or taller cut more and longer pieces.
CUT LIST:
1 x 28"
1 x 26½"
1 x 25"
1 x 22½"
1 x 21½"
1 x 17"
1 x 12½"
1 x 11½"
1 x 9½"
3…5 x ~3” for the shelves, depends on the lumber you are using
I played around with the boards trying different combinations to see what looked best to my liking. After some time I think I have something looking good. I suggest you also play around with your pieces and go with whatever you like. Use more or less boards, use different lengths. The cost of lumber isn’t that great so you can make more pieces than you need, so you can experiment.
I used some number eight screws to assemble the shelf. Some of the screws go quite near to the ends so it’s a good idea to drill pilot holes to avoid any splitting. You could also use pocket holes to assemble the shelf, but I don’t have any Kreg jig around, so I use just used butt joints with screws without any glue. I didn’t bother using square assembling the shelf. If something is a bit off square I think it just adds to the look I’m looking for. The pieces are going to cover most of the screw heads, but some will be visible from the outside. The screw heads don’t bother me but if you want, you can use wood plugs or wood filler to hide them.
I measured some horizontal boards to go in to the backside to really tie the shelf together. I used some shorter number eight screws to attach the boards. I screwed the shelf to the wall studs through the vertical boards. Use a level during the install to get the shelf straight. You could also have a French cleat on the backside to have a hidden connection.
I didn’t use any treatment on the shelf, but if you want you can paint it or seal the wood with varnish or something like that. I know my lumber isn’t 100 percent dry so there probably will be some bending and gaps showing up.
The overall cost to build something like this is quite low even if you have to buy the lumber. And you don’t need any fancy tools to make it. You can make this shelf with just a circular saw and a drill in couple of hours. Cheap and easy.
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Lifestyle