We love floating shelves in kitchens. They’re practical, attractive, and help open up the space around cabinetry. We’ve installed versions of them in nearly every kitchen we’ve remodeled; our favorites are the DIY floating shelves from the kitchens of our duplex. This tutorial explains how to build similar shelves to fit your own kitchen and achieve the exact look and finish you want.
Building your own floating shelves lets you size them precisely and choose the finish that complements your kitchen. Store-bought floating units can be useful—chunky Ikea shelves or rustic Pottery Barn styles, for example—but a custom-built shelf almost always looks more tailored.
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Tools & Materials for Floating Kitchen Shelves
This kitchen project is adapted from the white floating shelves we built for a bonus room. These versions are a bit chunkier and finished in a wood tone rather than painted. Review both approaches to decide which details suit your space. Below is a practical materials and tools list to complete the build.
- 1×2 pine boards (for the support bracket)
- 1×3 pine boards (for facing and trim)
- 1/2″ plywood (for the shelf top)
- 1/4″ plywood (for the shelf bottom)
- Miter saw
- Table saw or circular saw
- Power drill/driver
- Nail gun or finish nails
- Long level
- Measuring tape
- Stud finder
- Clamps
- 2 1/2″ structural screws
- Wood glue
- Pocket hole jig (optional)
- Diamond tile drill bit (if you’re drilling through a tiled backsplash)
The total quantity of materials depends on how many shelves you plan to install and their dimensions.
Step 1: Build Your Support Bracket
The shelves are supported by a wooden bracket that screws into wall studs. That bracket is then concealed by plywood on the top and bottom and finished with 1×3 pine trim around the edges. The basic build is a long back piece with shorter spokes extending outward to carry the shelf surface.
Place a spoke at each end of the shelf and roughly every 8″ between them. Avoid placing a spoke where it will conflict with a screw into your stud. Cut the spokes to the desired shelf depth minus 1.5″—this leaves room for the back board and the front trim. Fasten spokes to the back piece using pocket holes, screws from the back, or another strong joinery method. Making all cuts and pocket holes at once speeds the process.
If you want a chunkier finished shelf, use thicker pine for the bracket. Our 1×2 bracket resulted in a finished thickness around 2.75″ once plywood layers were added; using 1×3 boards for the bracket would produce a roughly 3.75″ thick shelf.
Step 2: Find Your Studs
Secure mounting to studs gives your shelves the greatest strength. While some wall anchors work, they reduce the safe load capacity—important to consider when storing heavy items like plates or glassware.
If you have tile, note that many basic stud finders are less accurate over tile. If you located and marked studs before tiling, that’s ideal. Otherwise, use a heavier-duty stud finder or look for visual clues: outlet boxes are usually attached to studs, cabinet screw locations reveal stud placement, and renovation photos can show drywall screw lines.
As a last resort, you can drill pilot holes until you hit a stud, but this approach is more daunting when working through tile.
Step 3: Mark Your Drilling Locations
Drilling through tile is tedious, so double-check placement before you drill. Confirm stud locations, choose the shelf height (we used 18″ above the counter, a common choice), and level the bracket carefully. Mark stud positions on painter’s tape, hold the bracket in place, and slowly drill a small pilot hole through the bracket so it barely touches the tile—this leaves a clear mark for where to drill through tile later.
Once marked, set the bracket aside while you prepare to drill the tile, if you have a tiled backsplash.
Step 4: Drill Through Your Tile
Drilling tile safely takes patience and the right tools. Use a diamond tile bit and keep the bit cool with water as you drill. Go slowly and steadily; rushing can crack tiles. If you haven’t drilled tile before, practice on a spare tile first or consult a dedicated guide to the technique.
Taking time at the marking stage reduces the risk of unnecessary holes or mistakes during this step.
Step 5: Secure Your Support Bracket
With pilot holes in place, fasten the support bracket to the wall using heavy-duty structural screws for a strong, reliable hold. Pre-drilling screw holes in the bracket can help line everything up with the pilot holes in the wall. Use a level as you tighten the screws to ensure the bracket remains perfectly horizontal.
A secure, level bracket is the foundation of a successful floating shelf installation.
Step 6: Nail In Your Shelf Top & Bottom
Attach a 1/2″ plywood top to the bracket, cut to the full width and depth of the shelf. Apply wood glue generously and secure it with finish nails. The top carries the weight, so make sure it’s well-adhered.
Add a 1/4″ plywood layer to the bottom to enclose the bracket. The thinner bottom board doesn’t need to bear weight, so clamps can help hold it while you secure it with nails or glue. Together, these plywood layers give a consistent thickness that matches the 1×3 trim you’ll add next.
Step 7: Nail On Face Pieces
Finish the exposed edges with 1×3 pine boards. Glue and nail these boards to the front and sides of the shelf. Mitering the corners produces a clean, professional look where the front and side pieces meet. If you have a table saw you can rip the 1×3s to exact depth; otherwise, a small lip on the bottom is normal and acceptable.
Step 8: Add Paint, Stain, or Sealer
Choose a finish that complements your kitchen. We stained one set of shelves a medium oak to match the floors and sealed the other set with a clear, water-based sealer to protect against moisture and stains. If you prefer painted shelves, consider pre-primed 1×3 boards and using MDF for the shelf surfaces for an ultra-smooth painted finish.
A proper finish not only completes the look but protects the shelf from daily wear and moisture common in kitchens.
More DIY Shelf Ideas
If you’d like more shelving inspiration, explore collections of DIY shelf projects for different styles and storage needs. From simple wall-mounted ledges to built-in shelving, there are many ways to add functional, attractive storage throughout the home.
P.S. For more context on these kitchens, we previously shared a full reveal, a project describing the horizontal planking on the stove wall, and a budget breakdown for the duplex kitchens. These details are useful if you want to see how the shelves fit into a broader renovation.
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