A floating shelf with secret storage space
- Difficultyhard
- Cost45-100 €
- Duration1-3 h
A project for DIYers who love a challenge. Do you like clean, minimalist walls? Or you simply don't have rooms for large brackets? A floating shelf is a great a solution. This shelf even has built-in, hidden storage for things you want to keep out of sight and mind.
Make sure you carry out all the steps carefully and take precautions to keep yourself safe. You can find the proper protective clothing for any situation in our overview.
View the technical drawing and collect all your materials
Making this shelf certainly isn't the simplest DIY, so it can be handy to have the work drawing printed out and on hand while you're working.
The project is made up of two separate parts. Firstly, making the skeleton or frame of the shelf, and then a wooden ‘glove’ or box that slides over it.
If you have a saw bench, then you can also use a hand-held circular saw.
Making the four interior bars to size
We cut the four beams to our desired size. These form the frame of the shelf. The beams should be 20 cm long. Measure carefully and then cut them to size using a NanoBlade or a jigsaw.
Cutting the plywood to size
The plywood plank will become the bottom of the hidden storage compartment. We're cutting the plywood to size, so you could skip this if you don't want a hidden storage compartment.
Carefully measure the length and width of the plywood and always wear safety goggles while drilling. These two pieces of plywood will be the upper and lower surface of the shelf. Now measure and saw the sides in advance.
Don't wear protective gloves for this. If the sawblade gets stuck in the gloves, this could hurt your hand more.
Making the slats for the front and back
Once the two beams are the right size, they can be fixed to the four shorter beams to create a rectangular structure. Pre-drill the screw holes. We're still working on the frame at this stage.
Fixing the beams together using brace corners
Use seat angles (or brace corners) to connect the pre-cut beams together.
Fixing the bottom of the storage compartment
Now that the frame is finished, we can fix the bottom.
Gluing the unit together
Don't use too much wood glue between the parts, a small blob is plenty for a few centimetres. Keep checking that the unit fits well around the frame.
Nailing down the unit
Creating holes with a punch helps neatly conceal the nails in the wood. If the wood is a bit uneven or the holes for the nails end up a little big, you can smooth all of this out with filler.
Nailing down the unit
If it fits well, sand down the unit and apply a layer of primer. Now, very lightly sand the whole thing again and apply your topcoat.
Fixing the frame to the wall
All you need to do now is fix the frame to the wall. The type of wall you are fixing your shelf to will determine the type of screws and dowels you need. Now, slide the 'cover' or shelf-exterior over the secret compartment and your floating shelf is complete.