Oh my goodness I cant believe I am back here on Remodelaholic! Hi there! I am Sara and I blog at , where I focus on inspiring others to create the home you want, today. Creating a beautiful space does not have to cost a ton of money or time. And today I have a pretty fun project to show you. A few months ago, I took on a large, gigantic challenge to remodel my entirein under 6 weeks. It. Was. Insane. I found myself using many different re-purposing techniques to create the space I truly desired.
One of my most favorite projects was my easy DIY rustic farmhouse shelves. I have built a few different type of shelving in my home. I created some shelves in my dining room from salvaged wood, as well as in my . I have a thing for salvaging items and giving them a new life.
These DIY rustic farmhouse shelves were really an easy project. I will give you a bit of a disclaimer now thought, its recommended that you have experience using a miter saw, or know someone that does. If some of these steps seem too far above your skill level, or find your self lacking materials, I have some other alternatives that will give you the same look.
How to Build Rustic Farmhouse Shelves
These are the tools and materials I needed for this project:
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- 1 by 6 inch pine boards. I got mine in 8 ft lengths.
- 4×4 (or larger) posts. Mine was an old scrap post that was actually 4×4, but you could use larger or smaller depending on the shelf size.
- Miter Saw
- Cordless drill
- Drill Bits
- 3 inch long screws
- Stud Finder
For the corbels:
There are many options to creating these brackets, but being creative and using what I had, I found an old post that was about 6 ft long and was approximately 4 inches by 4 inches. I used this wood to cut my corbels out of.
I set my miter saw to the sharpest angle which was about 51 degrees. I cut the pieces of the post down to 4 2/3 inch lengths for the toilet room shelves. I then measured down 3/4 inch and marked it. I then cut the wood piece on that line with the miter saw set at 51 degrees.
The plan was to make some for my toilet room and one for above my bathtub. I decided to make the one above my tub slightly larger, this I made a larger corbel. I cut them at 7 1/2 inches long and cut the angle 3 inches down the post. It was still done exactly the same way, I just made it taller.
Once I had all the brackets cut, I gave them all a good sanding. I then used a hammer to beat them up a bit. I wanted the shelves to look more rustic, even if I was using new wood to build them.
*Now, if you feel like cutting these corbels/brackets seems to daunting, you can find some pretty great options at your local hardware store. You can still create awesome rustic farmhouse shelving with less work.*
After I had the corbels all ready to go, I drilled to holes all the way through them. This is how I secured them to the wall. The reason I decided to use this method, is that it gives them a more raw, rustic/industrial vibe. I even left the screws visible and did not putty the holes. Its all character, you know?
I then stained/washed the wood with my favorite barn wood stain. I use approximately 1/4 cup of a dark brown water based stain. You can use any type really, as long as its not reddish, and more an espresso finish. and about 3 tbsp light grey water based paint. I then add about double the amount of water. This isn’t an exact science. You can add layers of this wash to the wood without it getting too dark.
Once you have everything ready to hang on the wall, it is important to find the studs in the wall, or use drywall anchors. I found the studs and marked them. There may be a little adjusting here or there to make sure they are centered.
If you cannot find studs in the place you are hanging them, use drywall anchors. You can mark the spot on the wall by pushing a smaller drill bit through the holes that you pre-drilled and making a mark on the wall.
Use a level to make sure that the corbels are level before securing them in.
After the corbels are secured into the wall, its time to add the shelf.
I screwed the shelf into the corbels from the top of the shelf. This will make the shelf more secure.
You can finish the shelves with a coat of poly acrylic sealer or you can leave them raw. Its really up to you.
These shelves are very secure in the wall, and I have no worries of them coming loose. That said, I made these with the purpose in mind of being for decorative purposes, not to hold heavy equipment, etc.
I am obsessed with these shelves. I love the touch of rustic decor they added to my master bathroom.
Here is a view of the ones I put in my toilet room. I love using them to store toilet paper, a basket to hold lady articles, and a few decor pieces.
Are you ready to make some? I am so happy with these, I may make some for my , which I am in the midst of doing a quick remodel. I’d love to have you follow along with the progress.
I hope to see you again soon! Have a great day!
More easy farmhouse style ideas:
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