How to Build Floating Shelves
The strongest floating shelf you can build from sheet goods is a hollow box that slides over a wooden cleat screwed into the wall studs. The cleat carries the load, the box hides it, and screws down through the top of the shelf into the cleat stop it from sliding off. No brackets show, and a shelf 8–10 in deep holds books when the cleat reaches the studs. Here is how to build a floating shelf that way, step by step, and how to hang it. For heavy shelves and cabinets, a French cleat is the other hidden fixing.
Three ways to make a floating shelf
| Method | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Hollow box over a cleat | A torsion box slides over a wall cleat with ribs | Sheet goods, long shelves, books |
| Hidden steel brackets | Steel rods screwed to the wall go into holes drilled in a solid shelf | Solid wood shelves, short spans |
| French cleat | Two 45° bevelled strips lock together | Cabinets and very heavy loads |
What you need
- 3/4 in (18 mm) plywood or MDF for the box, 1/2 in plywood if you want a thinner shelf
- A strip of plywood or solid wood for the wall cleat and its ribs
- 3 in (75 mm) structural screws or lag screws for studs, masonry anchors for brick and concrete
- A stud finder, a level, a drill and a saw
Step by step
- Choose the size. Length, 8–10 in depth and 1 1/2–2 1/2 in thickness. The inside height of the box sets the thickness of the cleat.
- Cut the box: a top and a bottom, a front strip and two end pieces. Leave the back open.
- Glue and nail the box together and edge band or fill the front edges.
- Make the cleat: a strip as long as the inside of the box, with short ribs every 12–16 in that fit inside the box with about 1/32 in (1 mm) of play.
- Find the studs and mark a level line for the cleat.
- Screw the cleat to every stud it crosses with two screws per stud, or into masonry anchors every 16 in.
- Slide the box on, check it is level, and drive a few screws down through the top into the ribs. Fill and paint the screw heads.
Our floating shelf plan sizes the box, the cleat and every rib from the length, depth and thickness you type:
Installing store-bought floating shelves
Most store-bought floating shelves come with a steel bracket or a cleat. Mark a level line, find the studs, screw the bracket into at least two studs, and slide the shelf on. On drywall alone, use metal toggle bolts rated for the load and keep to light objects. Check the bracket with a level again before tightening the last screws: a shelf that tilts forward 1° looks crooked.
How much weight can a floating shelf hold?
It depends on the wall far more than the shelf. Screwed into studs or masonry, an 8–10 in deep, 36 in long box-shelf holds a row of books. The deeper the shelf, the harder it pulls the top screws out of the wall, so keep heavy shelves shallow. For long, heavily loaded shelves, check the sag too:
Frequently asked questions
How do you make floating shelves hold weight?
Fix the hidden cleat into wall studs or solid masonry every 16–24 in (40–60 cm), keep the shelf 8–10 in (20–25 cm) deep, and make the cleat and ribs fill the shelf snugly so it cannot rock.
How do you install floating shelves without brackets?
Build the shelf as a hollow box that slides over a wooden cleat screwed to the wall, then screw down through the top of the shelf into the cleat ribs.
Can floating shelves go into drywall without studs?
Only for light things. Use heavy-duty toggle bolts every 12 in; for books or dishes, the cleat must reach at least two studs.
How deep should floating shelves be?
8–10 in (20–25 cm) for books and dishes, 5–6 in for photos and decor. Deeper shelves lever much harder on the wall.
How thick should a floating shelf be?
1 1/2–2 1/2 in (38–64 mm) for the hidden-cleat type: thick enough to hide a 3/4 in or 1 1/4 in cleat inside.