DIY Floating Shelves with Iron Brackets - ORC Week 4

Wood floating shelves are one of those magical projects that make any room look instantly more custom and pulled together. They add so much visual interest while giving you a perfect spot to show off your favorite decor, store all those art supplies you keep collecting, or finally display that cute vase you impulsively bought on a late-night online scroll.

When I decided to add floating shelves to our playroom, I wanted them to feel clean and modern but still warm and full of character. The best part is you can totally customize the size, wood type, and finish to match your style and needs.

Whether you are a maximalist who wants to layer all the plants and jars or someone who prefers a simple, minimalist look, these shelves are the perfect backdrop.

If you have been debating adding floating shelves to your home, consider this your gentle nudge (or loud cheer) to just go for it. They are practical, pretty, and surprisingly fun to build, even if you have little helpers running around asking for snacks every five minutes. Let’s dive in and get those beautiful shelves up on the wall.

How to Build Wood Floating Shelves

It’s already Week 4, and I haven’t made much progress 😐 So, welcome to Week four of the One Room Challenge – a week with not much progress. This blog post is a tutorial for the DIY Floating shleves I installed last week.

If you haven’t caught up with the previous ORC posts, go check out last week’s post and see what went down!

This week was all about cutting, staining, and sealing the DIY floating shelves to go on the board and batten wall. I wanted three long floating shelves to go above the board and batten so I could store art supplies, books, display some decor, and maybe some display-worthy toys 😉 I’m thinking apothecary jars with crafting supplies, glass containers with tubes of paint – it sounds so yummy in my head!

I had a very clear visual of what I wanted the shelves to look like, and it involved iron brackets! Cascade Iron Co generously provided their 2′ Heavy Duty J brackets for this project and they are absolutely stunning!

To make my shelves, I purchased 3 boards of 2x10x8′ yellow pine and cut it down to 7′ to get the length I wanted according to my wall.

Material & Tools:

DIY Wood Floating Shelves with Iron Brackets

Lighting can be so deceptive – the wood looks very yellow here but in person it’s much more muted

2x10x8′ 3 Boards
Wood Conditioner
Weathered Oak and Golden Oak Stain (you can use any other stains you like)
Polycrylic
2″ Heavy Duty Brackets
Orbital Sander

DIY Wood Floating Shelves How-To:

Step 1: Cut wood boards down to size. I used my Miter Saw to make the cut; however, Home Depot or Lowe’s will also make a simple cut for you. My shelves are 7′ long

Step 2: Sand the boards with a coarse sandpaper first, 120 grit for example, and then with a finishing paper like 220 or 320 grit to smooth the wood

Step 3: Prep the wood for staining by applying a layer of wood conditioner – I used a regular paint brush ,but foam brushes work just as well! Wipe off excess with a rag

Step 4: Mix your stain of choice and apply with a rag – I applied a heavy layer of Golden Oak, wiped it off immediately, and then applied a heavy layer of Weathered Oak on top. Wipe it down and wait 24 hours to dry

Step 5: Once your stain is dry, sand it gently with your sander or by hand to remove any scuffs or dust particles. I used a 600-grit sandpaper for this

Step 6: Seal your wood with two coats of Polycrylic, wait an hour or two between coats. And now you’re ready to put them up!

Step 7: Install floating shelves on the wall with your brackets of choice. I used two heavy-duty brackets (linked above) and drilled them into studs.

At this point, all my shelves are ready to be installed, but I was only able to put one up – it’s a two-person job, and I’m hoping hubby and I can take care of it this week! I also got started on staining the wood for my DIY indoor swing. Hopefully next week I’ll have that up and running!

Pro Tips for Building Your DIY Wood Floating Shelves

After going through this project, I picked up a few extra tips that might help you if you decide to take on your own DIY wood floating shelves. I did a lot of trial and error (and maybe a few too many trips back to the hardware store), so here’s what worked for me.

Find Your Studs First

I made sure to find all my wall studs using a stud finder before installing any brackets. This is the best way to make sure your floating shelves hold as much weight as possible without sagging. I wanted to display books and art supplies, so they had to be sturdy and reliable.

Pick the Right Wood Type

I used solid wood boards for my shelves, but if you want that premium look, you could also try solid hardwood like white oak. It has such a beautiful, rustic appeal and holds up really well over time.

Choose Your Bracket System

I went with heavy-duty shelf brackets because I love the look of them, but if you want an even more seamless finish, you could try a hidden bracket system or a French cleat. Just make sure to double-check how much weight your floating shelf bracket can actually hold, especially if you plan on loading it up with decor or books.

Don’t Skip the Finishing Details

When finishing the boards, don’t forget to seal the back of the shelf, the bottom of the shelf, and even the side of the shelf. I did this so everything looks polished from every angle, even if you are crawling around picking up legos from under the shelf (ask me how I know).

Clean Up Your Edges

If you want a really clean edge, you can run a block plane along the end of each shelf. I did this to soften the edges, and it made them look so much more finished and professional.

Use the Right Tools

Make sure you have all your tools ready before you start. I used a good drill guide and the right drill bits to make my pocket holes clean and prevent splitting. If your shelves are longer or extra deep, you might also want to add a steel rod or set screw for extra support.

Good luck with your build. I promise, the extra effort is worth it when you see those gorgeous shelves finally up on the wall. And when you’re done, treat yourself to a snack (or easy dinners all week), because you definitely earned it.

Don’t forget to check out what other participants are up to for the One Room Challenge!

P.S. I recently gave our entire playroom a full refresh: new wallpaper (from my Chasing Paper collection!), fresh paint, updated furniture… the whole thing. You can check out the reveal here, along with a few more playroom DIYs you might love: