How to Build a Floating Plant Shelf
With a simplistic design, this floating plant shelf is a great addition to any room! Below you will find a detailed overview of how I build these shelves along with all of the tools and materials used.
Disclaimer: Follow all safety instructions provided by the manufacturer of the tools you are using. If you do not feel comfortable making a cut or using a specific tool, do not do it! These tools are dangerous if not used properly and can cause serious harm to you or others if misused.
STEP 1: Cut Boards to Size
Using the miter saw I cut my lumber down to size.
Cuts:
2- 1x6 boards at 21”
1- 1x4 board at 21”
STEP 2: Prep the Table Saw for Cuts
To create the flush finish I remove a section of each 1x6 to allow for the back of the shelf to align flush with the two shelves.
To accomplish this first I ensure that the blade on my table saw is at a perfect 90-degree angle. Then set the blade height to the same thickness as the 1x4 board. The thickness of this board is ¾ inches.
STEP 3: Mark the Cut Lines
Lay one of the shelf boards flat on your workspace. Measure 5 ¼ inches from the end of the board and make a mark. Using the back board (1x4) align this board flush with the mark you just made and mark the other end. These two lines will indicate where you need to start your cut and end it.
STEP 4: Make Several Passes to Remove Material
I am now ready to remove the grooves where the back board will rest. I Stack the two shelf boards on top of each other with the board I marked on top. Use clamps on the top of the boards to hold them together and ensure they do not move when you begin sawing. I usually make several shelves at once so I cut four boards at the same time.
I Align the blade with the first mark made on the board.
Turn on the saw and begin making passes through the boards. Sliding the boards down about the width of the saw blade each time until I have reached the second mark line indicating where I need to stop.
To ensure my hands never come too close to the blade, I utilize the clamps that are securing the boards together as a guide for where to place my hands. As long as my hands stay on the outside of each clamp, my hands will not be near the blade at any point while making the cuts.
STEP 5: Test the Fit
With the two boards still clamped together, grab the 1x4 board, and test the fit. If the board does not snuggly fit into the grooves, I take a few more passes through the table saw to widen the gap. I use a chisel if needed to help clear out any additional material that the saw didn’t remove.
STEP 6: Mark the Locations for the Holes
NOTE: Since I make a lot of these shelves and I ship them all over the country, I wanted to make sure I could ship them disassembled and allow the customer to put it together on their own. For this reason, I use threaded wood inserts that accept a 1/4-20 x 1-1/2 machine screw. If you do not intend to ship this anywhere, you can simply screw the back board into the shelf for quick assembly!
To secure the shelves to the back board, I need to drill identical holes through each shelf and the back board. I can accomplish this in several ways.
I made a template guide to ensure that the holes I drill in the shelves and the holes I drill in the back board are exactly the same distance apart. If they are off by even 1/8th of an inch, the holes will not align and I will not be able to get the screw to go through.
TEMPLATE:
Using a scrap piece of 1x4 (the same size as the back board) I used a digital caliper to mark the midpoint of the shelf board on the end of the template board. This distance is half the thickness of the board (.75” / 2 = .375”). Trace this line all the way around the template board.
I measure from each end of that line in 1/2 inch and make a mark. I used a drill press to drill a hole through each mark. This creates a template guide for where the holes need to be drilled on each board.
MARKS:
Using the template, I align the template board to the slot cut out on each shelf. I clamp the template and the board to my workspace to ensure the template doesn’t shift. I use a 1/16 in drill bit to make a mark on each board for where I need to drill the holes. Repeat this for each shelf board.
For the back board. I first measure in 5” from each end and score a line. Using the line I drew on the template guide, I align it to the line I just made on the back board. Holding the template in place, I use the drill bit to make a mark on the back board for where the holes need to be drilled.
Using a ruler, make a mark midway on the top and bottom of the backboard. This indicates where the holes need to be for anchoring the shelf to the wall.
STEP 7: Drill the Holes
To ensure that the holes are drilled as straight as possible, I use my drill press. Using a forstner bit, I align each shelf to the backing I attached to my drill press and ensure that the bit is in line with the holes I marked from the template. I drill down 1 ½ inches for each hole.
I switch out the bit to a ¼ in forstner bit to drill the holes in the back board. Again, I use the marks made from the template to align the bit and the board.
Moving to a power drill, complete the remaining holes that will be used to anchor the shelf to the wall. I use a countersink bit to allow for the screws to fall flush with the board.
STEP 8: Attach Threaded Wood Inserts
Add a small dab of wood glue into each hole on the shelves. Using a hex bit with a power drill, slowly screw in each threaded wood insert into the shelf boards.
STEP 9: Sand the Boards and Stain / Paint if Desired
Sand down each board. Remove any dust from the boards and if desired, apply a wood stain or paint each board. Allow time to fully dry.
STEP 10: Assemble
Stand up each shelf board on a flat surface. Align the back board to the holes in each shelf. Secure the backboard to the shelf boards with the machine screws and there you have it! A beautiful floating plant shelf. You can add hooks to the bottom of each shelf to hang plants from if desired.
