DIY farmhouse shelf in just 5 easy steps

DIY farmhouse shelf in just 5 easy steps 

Spring has (almost) sprung, and if you are like me, then you may be itching for a project. Nothing crazy difficult, super time consuming, or necessarily expensive at all, but something pin worthy- for sure.

As if you couldn't tell already, I love anything and everything that falls under the umbrella of "farmhouse" style.

My husband and I decided that this would be the year we dismantle and rebuild our kitchen- exciting! When we first moved in, we gave it a much needed facelift and that DIY remodel has sufficed for 3 years now. 

Our open concept floor plan gives the illusion of a much larger kitchen then we actually have. This is a great trick of the eye, but not so great when it comes to functionality. Since we are pressed for counter space, and don't plan on expanding the existing foot print, we decided to use wall space instead!

We searched for "floating shelves" on sites like Amazon and Etsy and did find what we were looking for, but at a much higher price point than we wished to pay. We were confident that we could build the same type of shelf- if not better- for half the cost...and we did.

The retail value of a floating shelf with pipe detail will run you upwards of $65, depending on the size. This DIY version will only set you back about $40- and you have enough material to build multiple!

Materials
We watched a few tutorials that required fancy tools and actual wood working skills- yeah no. We are DIYers by definition and were able to build our shelves using (mostly) items that we had around the house:

• drill 
• tape measure 
• pencil 
• stud finder- we have this one 
• lighter fluid 
• Razor blade
• a level 

A few items we had to buy were: 

• 1 piece of 2x8x8 pine lumber cut into 3 ft sections like this
• 2 1/2 x 8" black steel pipes found here 
• 2 1/2" black steel pipe flanges like these
• 2 1/2" black steel pipe caps here 
• 1 8 oz can of dark walnut wood stain like this 
• 1 staining brush
• A wood finish of your choice and brush 
• 8 screws 
• An assortment of jars like these
• some fun decor like these succulents 

Step 1- do you even stud? 

Scope out your space. We opted for a wall nearby our kitchen that would help tie our cooking and dining spaces together. This is where our stud finder came in handy. This shelf would work perfectly in a kitchen, bathroom, entry, bedroom, etc.  

Step 2- prep the pipe 

The pipes we purchased had these really fun price labels seemingly cemented onto them. If yours feature the same sticky little buddies, begin peeling them off with a razor blade- this took longer than making the actual shelf! 

You might find some residue on the pipe after a majority of the sticker is peeled off- that is ok. Just dampen a paper towel with some lighter fluid, and it'll rub right off!

Step 3: furnish with flanges

Prior to screwing your flange to the wall, be sure to wipe it off with a paper towel- home depot can be a dirty place! You don't want too much black residue on your walls. 

Once dusted, use your tape measure, pencil, and level to mark out your ideal spot on the wall. You can then begin screwing your flanges about 3 ft apart from one another. 

Once secured in the wall, screw in your pipe, and cap it.

your piping bracket should now look like this: 

Step 4: prep your pine

Congratulations, you have now reached the halfway point of this DIY project! Once you conquer leveling and securing your pipe, test out the 3ft wood plank. It should rest perfectly on top of the pipe brackets. Double check once more that you are level before moving on. 

Once you are satisfied with the positioning, start sanding down your pine plank to make for an even staining surface.

The stain we chose is pretty dark and only required 1 coat plus a few hours of drying time. 

Honestly though, how serious does this piece of wood look?! We purposely chose a piece that had a lot of natural character. I'd say it looks reclaimed enough to keep myself, and our wallet happy. 

Once dry, apply a thin layer of wood finish of your choosing. I usually use a satin finish.

Step 5: let's build you up

Rest assured, the hard parts are officially over! Once the stain and finish are dry to the touch, you can place the plank right on top of the steel pipes. That is it, just set it and forget it!

Since we are using our shelves for space saving purposes in our kitchen, we decided to decorate ours with fun glass canisters and succulents- I am sure you have neverrr seen this on Pinterest before. 

We plan to build a few more this weekend- that is how you know this project is totally doable- we are willing to do it again! 

I will post more photos once we complete the rest of this set (we plan to put another shelf on top) but for now, I will let your mind wander down the rabbit hole of how many perfect places you have in your home for a DIY shelf such as this.