How to Make a Wooden Wall Shelf

Using your own handmade shelves is a satisfying way to store and organize household goods. You can build custom shelves to fit a particular area of your home or to hold items of a particular size. Shelf construction is simple. The addition of a narrow plank beneath the shelf provides support for heavy items and facilitates secure installation. This project requires no special tools or advanced knowledge of cabinetry and can be completed in an hour or two by the novice handyman.

• 1

  Measure and cut the shelf plank to the desired length. Lay the plank on a flat surface, top side up. Measure and mark the plank for bracket installation, 1/4 of the length of the plank, from each end. Use a carpenter's square and a pencil to draw a line across the plank at each mark. Temporarily position the brackets on the plank so the surface of the bracket with keyholes is flush with one edge of the plank, and the brackets are centered on the lines. Mark the plank, indicating the positions of the brackets.

• 2

  Remove the brackets. Measure and mark positions for three screw-installation holes on the lines, evenly spaced. Drill perpendicular pilot holes through each mark. Turn the plank over and use a carpenter's square to draw a line through the pilot holes across the bottom side of the shelf plank. Turn the shelf plank on its edge with the back of the shelf on the flat surface. Position one shelf bracket against the bottom side of the shelf plank, centered on the line. Make sure the side of the bracket with the keyhole is not against the shelf plank.

• 3

  Hold the bracket securely against the plank. Using a drill and driving bit, screw the shelf to the bracket through the pilot holes. Repeat to install the second bracket. Using a pencil and yardstick, draw a line 3/8 inch from and parallel to the back edge of the top side of the shelf, between the screws that hold the brackets in place. Mark the line about every 5 inches. Drill perpendicular pilot holes through the marks.

• 4

  Measure and note the distance between the inside surfaces of the brackets. Cut a 1-by-4 plank to that dimension. Lay the shelf on a flat surface so the keyholes lay on the surface and the top of the shelf is facing you. Place the 1-by-4 between the brackets with its top edge against the back of the shelf. Put the tip of a screw in each pilot hole on the top of the shelf and hand-turn just enough to temporarily hold the screws in place. Holding the 1-by-4 securely against the shelf plank, install the screws.