DIY Shelf Tutorial

Today, I have a little DIY Shelf Tutorial that was too cute not to share!  I love how it turned out and can’t wait to share all the details with you guys!

When I added this bench to my kitchen, I knew I wanted a shelf with hooks to go above it. I looked high and low but could not find one in my budget that was long enough (around 50 inches.)

I hung the sign and mulled over the situation for over a year.  Sometimes it is better to live with something for a while to figure out what you really want.  It looked strange with it hanging so high but I knew I was going to find the right shelf any day. That day never came so I decided to DIY one!

Here’s what I used (contains affiliate links):

• 2 wooden corbels (mine were from Decor Steals but here are similar ones I found on Amazon)
• Beadboard wallpaper
• 48 inch shelving board (stain grade)
• 1×4
• White paint
• Stain – I used Dark Walnut by Minwax
• Wood filler
• Metal hooks
• Wood screws
• Wood glue
• Drill
• Level
• Painter’s Tape

Step One

The first step was screwing the corbels to the wall. I used a nail initially but the corbels wanted to droop a little. The screws solved that problem. My corbels were a Decor Steals Deal of the Day but here are some similar ones I found on Amazon.

Step Two

The next step was hanging the beadboard wallpaper directly to the wall. (You’ll need to take the corbels back off and use the wall screws as your hanging guide.) Using the beadboard wallpaper makes it look like the shelf is one solid piece. The wallpaper was leftover from my mudroom project and it is much lighter than using an actual piece of wooden beadboard and much easier to cut down to size!

Step Three

Next, place a piece of painter’s tape under the bottom of the shelf, marking the studs on the painter’s tape.

Now let’s get that 1×4 ready to hang! I painted mine white, cut it down to the right length and pre-drilled holes for the hooks. One hook happened to be in the same spot as a stud so I left that hook off so it could hide the wall screw once it was hung.

Using a level is key here! Since you’re using screws, you don’t want to have to re-do it because it isn’t level!

Step Four

Next, I filled in the screw hole from the screw that was not covered by a hook with wood filler. I also filled in the gap between the 1×4 and the corbels since I cut the 1×4 about 1/4 of an inch too short. Not a big deal and the wood filler hides it. I let it dry and painted it the same color as the 1×4.

Step Five

The last step was staining the shelf. I went back and forth between staining it and painting it white. I ended up using Minwax Dark Walnut on it and I love it! It ties in with the dark bench as well as my kitchen cabinets which are also dark.

Step Six

I added a little wood glue to the top of each corbel to keep the shelving board from shifting or slipping off.  It probably was not absolutely necessary but I have three wild children running around and didn’t want to run the risk of anyone getting hurt.

I am so excited to get this little space dressed up for Christmas!

I am so glad to cross this project off the list! You can see the whole project unfold in my Instagram Story Highlites as well!  If you make one yourself, be sure to tag me or email a picture!  I would love to see how it turned out!

Want more?  Check out my other DIY Projects here!