So you need a shelf in the house but you are looking for something more permanent and probably more eye catching than an Ikea box set. Here is how to build your own free floating shelves.
1. Get the Equipment Before you start the project make sure you have a stud finder, a four foot level, a square, a few 2x4s and slab doors (depending on the number of shelves you want), a band or table saw, glue, nails (use a nailgun), chisel, and lag bolts.
2. Disconnect the Drain. Directly beneath the sink you will find a drain pipe that goes down from the sink into a u or s bend pipe called the trap. Slide your bowl underneath the trap and take your adjustable plyers and loosen the bold holding the drain pipe to the trap. Now that the pipe is loose you will be able to move the vanity of the bathroom up off the trap pipe and out away from the wall. Check for any screws that may be holding the vanity to the wall. If your vanity does not move hopefully you can completely remove the trap pipe from the pipe flowing into the wall to give yourself some room to maneuver the old sink upwards. Be aware that some water and probably a good amount of filth will come out of the trap pipe as you remove it.
3. Create Your Shelves An easy way to build your shelves is to purchase an unfinished slab door. Slab doors are made of thin wood strips that are separated by cardboard, however, the majority of the door is mostly empty space. You will take the door and then use a band saw or a table top saw to saw lengthways down the door to the chosen width for your shelf. Each door will make two shelves which you can adjust to the appropriate width.
4. Connect and Sweat the Pipes Slide both pipe ends into the fitting and make sure that it is nice and tight. Now that the pipes are connected take your blow torch and adjust it to a low blue flame. Move the flame back and forth along the joints where the pipe and connector meet. If you need to touch the pipe make sure to use plyers as the heat will conduct very quickly along the metal. This heating of the pipes is referred to as 'sweating.'
5. Place the Sink Back Now that the faucet, drain, and wire lines are attached to the sink place the sink back on the vanity base and dry fit it to make sure that everything lines up. If it looks good remove the sink and then add adhesive to the top of the vanity base and place the sink along with top vanity back onto the vanity base. Let the glue or other adhesive dry.
5. Mount the Shelf Once your cleats are mounted and your shelves glue are dried (you can obviously paint or finish your shelf before this last step) apply glue to your shelf. You want to apply your wood glue to the top of the cleat on the wall and the bottom of the insert on your shelf. Take your shelf and slide it onto the cleat making sure it fits smoothly against the wall. Use a square to make sure that the shelf is ninety degrees to the wall and then use a mount to let the shelf dry straight; you can also nail the end of the shelf down into the cleat if you wish to make sure it stay firm.
Now you have a beautiful free-floating shelf on your wall that you can enjoy and your spouse will find attractive. When it comes to small projects like these they are easily manageable and can be done in a weekend but when it comes to large jobs to save you time and money I would suggest hiring a general contractor to take of the work for you.
1. Get the Equipment Before you start the project make sure you have a stud finder, a four foot level, a square, a few 2x4s and slab doors (depending on the number of shelves you want), a band or table saw, glue, nails (use a nailgun), chisel, and lag bolts.
2. Disconnect the Drain. Directly beneath the sink you will find a drain pipe that goes down from the sink into a u or s bend pipe called the trap. Slide your bowl underneath the trap and take your adjustable plyers and loosen the bold holding the drain pipe to the trap. Now that the pipe is loose you will be able to move the vanity of the bathroom up off the trap pipe and out away from the wall. Check for any screws that may be holding the vanity to the wall. If your vanity does not move hopefully you can completely remove the trap pipe from the pipe flowing into the wall to give yourself some room to maneuver the old sink upwards. Be aware that some water and probably a good amount of filth will come out of the trap pipe as you remove it.
3. Create Your Shelves An easy way to build your shelves is to purchase an unfinished slab door. Slab doors are made of thin wood strips that are separated by cardboard, however, the majority of the door is mostly empty space. You will take the door and then use a band saw or a table top saw to saw lengthways down the door to the chosen width for your shelf. Each door will make two shelves which you can adjust to the appropriate width.
4. Connect and Sweat the Pipes Slide both pipe ends into the fitting and make sure that it is nice and tight. Now that the pipes are connected take your blow torch and adjust it to a low blue flame. Move the flame back and forth along the joints where the pipe and connector meet. If you need to touch the pipe make sure to use plyers as the heat will conduct very quickly along the metal. This heating of the pipes is referred to as 'sweating.'
5. Place the Sink Back Now that the faucet, drain, and wire lines are attached to the sink place the sink back on the vanity base and dry fit it to make sure that everything lines up. If it looks good remove the sink and then add adhesive to the top of the vanity base and place the sink along with top vanity back onto the vanity base. Let the glue or other adhesive dry.
5. Mount the Shelf Once your cleats are mounted and your shelves glue are dried (you can obviously paint or finish your shelf before this last step) apply glue to your shelf. You want to apply your wood glue to the top of the cleat on the wall and the bottom of the insert on your shelf. Take your shelf and slide it onto the cleat making sure it fits smoothly against the wall. Use a square to make sure that the shelf is ninety degrees to the wall and then use a mount to let the shelf dry straight; you can also nail the end of the shelf down into the cleat if you wish to make sure it stay firm.
Now you have a beautiful free-floating shelf on your wall that you can enjoy and your spouse will find attractive. When it comes to small projects like these they are easily manageable and can be done in a weekend but when it comes to large jobs to save you time and money I would suggest hiring a general contractor to take of the work for you.
About the Author:
MBA Construction is a general contractor in Williston ND. We specialize in design-build, build-to-print and construction management in the energy, industrial & medical industries.