We love floating shelves in kitchens: they’re practical, stylish, and open up the space around cabinetry. We’ve installed variations of them in nearly every kitchen renovation we’ve done, and our favorites are the DIY floating shelves in the duplex kitchens. This guide explains how to build similar shelves tailored to your space and finish preferences.
Building your own floating shelves lets you size them precisely for your wall and choose the exact finish you want. Store-bought floating shelves can be convenient, but they rarely feel as custom as a DIY build. Below we outline tools, materials, and step-by-step instructions so you can make sturdy, attractive kitchen floating shelves.
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Tools & Materials for Floating Kitchen Shelves
This build is adapted from a slimmer floating shelf project. The kitchen shelves are chunkier and stained to match wood tones, but the construction principles are the same. Typical materials and tools you’ll need:
- 1×2″ pine boards (support bracket)
- 1×3″ pine boards (facing/trim)
- 1/2″ plywood (top of shelf)
- 1/4″ plywood (underside of shelf)
- Miter saw
- Table saw or circular saw
- Power drill/driver
- Nail gun
- Long level
- Measuring tape
- Stud finder
- Clamps
- 2 1/2″ structural screws
- Wood glue
- Pocket hole jig (optional)
- Tile hole drill bit (if you have a backsplash)
Quantities depend on how many shelves you build and their dimensions.
Step 1: Build Your Support Bracket
The shelves are supported by a wooden bracket fastened into wall studs. Plywood covers the bracket on top and bottom, and 1×3 trim hides the edges for a clean floating look.
Make the bracket from 1×2 pine: a long back piece mounted to the wall and shorter spokes that extend outward to support the shelf. Place spokes at each end and roughly every 8″ between, avoiding locations where you’ll screw into studs. Cut spokes to the desired shelf depth minus 1.5″—this accounts for the back board and the future front trim. Fasten spokes to the back piece with pocket holes or screws from the back. Doing all cuts and pocket holes at once speeds the process.
If you prefer thicker shelves, use wider pine boards for the bracket. Our 1×2 bracket resulted in about a 2.75″ finished shelf; using 1×3 would yield approximately 3.75″.
Step 2: Find Your Studs
Secure the bracket into studs for maximum strength. While some anchors can work, they limit load capacity and aren’t ideal for holding plates, glasses, and heavier items.
Use a stud finder, check outlet placements (often mounted to studs), inspect cabinet mounting screws, or review renovation photos that show drywall screw locations. If you installed tile after locating studs, keep a record of those locations for future work—tile can interfere with stud-finder accuracy.
You can also drill small pilot holes until you hit wood, but that’s more challenging through tile, so plan carefully if you have a backsplash.
Step 3: Mark Your Drilling Locations
Drilling through tile is slow, so take time to mark exact hole locations. Confirm shelf height (we used 18″ above the counter), level placement, and stud alignment before drilling. Make temporary marks with painter’s tape and hold the bracket in place. Slowly drill through the bracket with a small bit until you just touch the tile—this transfers accurate marks onto the tape for your final holes.
If you don’t have tile, you can skip the extra marking steps and proceed to securing the bracket after confirming stud positions and level alignment.
Step 4: Drill Through Your Tile
Drilling tile safely requires patience. Use a proper tile drill bit such as a diamond or carbide bit and keep the bit cooled with water to prevent damage. Go slowly and follow safe drilling techniques to avoid cracking tiles. Taking time up front to mark studs and hole locations reduces the chance of extra holes.
Once your tile pilot holes are drilled, you’re ready to secure the bracket.
Step 5: Secure Your Support Bracket
Use heavy-duty structural screws to fasten the bracket into studs. Pre-drill screw holes in the bracket to help align the screws with your pilot holes. Check with a level as you fasten the bracket so the final shelf will be perfectly level.
Step 6: Nail In Your Shelf Top & Bottom
After the bracket is secured, add the shelf surfaces. Cut a 1/2″ plywood piece to the full shelf width and depth for the top, and attach it with wood glue and finish nails. Then add a 1/4″ plywood piece on the bottom; it doesn’t bear load, so thinner material is fine. Use clamps to hold pieces in place while nailing if needed. This plywood sandwich helps create a uniform thickness similar to a 1×3 board.
Step 7: Nail On Face Pieces
Finish the exposed edges with 1×3 pine boards glued and nailed to the front and sides. Miter the corners where front and side pieces meet for a clean look. If you have a table saw you can rip the 1×3 pieces to precisely match shelf depth; otherwise a small lip may remain underneath, which is purely aesthetic and won’t affect function.
Step 8: Add Paint, Stain, or Sealer
Finally, finish the shelves to suit your kitchen. We stained some shelves a medium oak to match floors and sealed others with a clear water-based sealer to protect from moisture and stains. You can also prime and paint; if so, consider pre-primed trim boards and MDF for smoother painted surfaces.
More DIY Shelf Ideas
If you’d like more shelving inspiration, consider trying different materials, finishes, or mounting styles to fit your space. Below is a collection of favorite DIY shelf ideas to spark creativity.
Note: this post originally referenced other projects and contained affiliate links. Use caution when drilling through tile and always follow safety guidelines for tools and fasteners.