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Hello! I’m Ana, a mother and homemaker from Alaska.
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The 5 Shelf

December 15, 2010 |
19 Comments
posted by Ana White
PDF versionPDF version

One simple shelf, five dollars, five ways . . . or more.

The 5 Shelf

Additional Photos

The 5 Shelf

Handmade from this plan >>

Projects built from this plan. Thank you for submitting brag posts, it's appreciated by all!

Materials and Tools

Shopping List: 

1 – 1×6 board, 5 feet long
2 metal angles like these – they are just used to hang the shelves on the wall – don’t need anything fancy here. Check the hardware aisle.
3/4″ screws (you will only need 4 – two for each metal brace)
2″ screws (for attaching to the wall, use a dry wall anchoring system if you can’t locate a stud or wish to place the shelf not on a stud)

Tools: 
measuring tape
square
pencil
safety glasses
hearing protection
drill
circular saw
jigsaw
sander
countersink drill bit

Cut List

Cut List: 

1 – 1×6 @ 36″
1 – 1×6 @ 15″
1 – 1×6 @ 9″

Step 1

The 5 Shelf

Notch Boards

Measure and mark the boards as shown above. Carefully cut the notches out with the jigsaw. I make the side cuts first, then go back and make a curved cut from the side to the opposite corner, and then go back and cut to the remaining corner.

Step 2

The 5 Shelf

Assemble

Now at this stage, you really want to test the fit. Make sure the boards fit together snug. Pull apart and apply glue. Reassemble and adjust for square and let the glue dry.

Step 3

The 5 Shelf

Hanging

Now use the metal angle braces to hang the shelves as you would any picture or shelf. If you cannot locate a stud in the wall, you can use a drywall anchoring system. Also, if you are planning on storing little weight (less than 16 pounds total) you can use Command strips from 3M – that’s what’s holding my shelves up!

May I Suggest a Finish?

Express Color with Minwax Stain
Medium Warm Stain
Walnut Minwax Express Color on Cedar

shelves, Bathroom, dining room, living room, office, Teens, Beginner, Under $20, Modern

19 Comments

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Very cute - though you

Very cute - though you *could* hang it five ways - on an angle to sorta resemple a check-mark and use for cd's... then you can see the labels without turning your head sidways!

posted by Hedster (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 00:40

I Love it! Perfect for my

I Love it! Perfect for my kitchen! Thanks!

posted by Loni (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 05:40

I agree!! Perfect for a

I agree!! Perfect for a kitchen----I see cookbooks on it!http://cleverlyinspired.blogspot.com/2010/12/wine-bottleschristmas-display_14.html

posted by Tracie (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 05:50

I imagine you could, but

I imagine you could, but asking just in case. Could you make both of the sides equal, so that it had a look of symmetry? Thanks for the plans! My kids are both getting beds for Christmas that my husband and I built. I will post pics when they are complete!

posted by Sarah (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 05:53

Sweet! I'm thinking display

Sweet! I'm thinking display space in the living room. Kind of like the wall of shelves in the West Elm catalog. Ana, totally off topic, but are you Filipina? Just curious :)

posted by Jehan (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 06:59

My husband built something

My husband built something similar to this for my son to put his Transformers on.

posted by Rebecca (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 07:06

Actually, you COULD hang it

Actually, you COULD hang it diagonally - particularly with the largest protrusion as the "bottom". Then, you would have 5 ways to hang it. :)

posted by aSprinkling (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 07:21

Absolutely! Can't wait to

Absolutely! Can't wait to see your beds, and I hope you make these shelves. So fun and easy!

posted by Ana White (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 09:11

Ana, very nice as always, but

Ana, very nice as always, but am a bit confused on the upright cut 2 1/2 inches deep and the shelf 3 inches deep will they line up?
jim

posted by Jim Reeves (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 09:39

Yes they should, The plans

Yes they should, The plans call for 1x6's which (usually) only measure 5.5 inches. Of course measure your boards first to make sure and make adjustments as necessary :)

posted by Loni (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 09:59

I don't have a pantry, I've

I don't have a pantry, I've been using one of my cabinets, I was thinking open pantry? :)

posted by Loni (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 10:01

Yes, yes, yes!!! I about

Yes, yes, yes!!! I about jumped up and down when I saw this shelf! I need several shelves in our daughter's bedroom for her books and had an idea very similar to this one, but was waiting on my husband to make them. (He is the one with all the measurement skills and brains to figure things out.) Now I can do it myself -- all because of you!! Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU!!! :-)

posted by Dorothy (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 10:48

Jim - The sum of the two

Jim - The sum of the two slots should equal the width a single board of the pair (if they are equal)

For the strongest joint, make them approximately equal depths.

posted by Tsu Dho Nimh (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 15:49

I have so many scraps and

I have so many scraps and have been reviewing ways of using them as opposed to not. Cool idea Ana!

posted by Ryan Bruzan (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 17:43

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G so simple but

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G so simple but sooo classy This is my kind of project.
I may have to build a bigger house any plans for that Ana?

posted by Theresa (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 19:03

How many command strips did

How many command strips did you use to hold it up? I love this, it will perfect above the changing table in my babies' room!

posted by Janelle (not verified) | on Wed, 2010-12-15 23:24

This looks like a great idea

This looks like a great idea for both of my kids rooms, but I am curious about the visibility of the metal bracket. Any suggestions for hiding it? Great plan!

posted by Jon (not verified) | on Sat, 2011-01-08 06:37

I feel silly asking this but

I feel silly asking this but I am an newbie at building... so how do you hide the metal brackets if you don't used command strips?

posted by jennifer c (not verified) | on Sat, 2011-01-08 15:05

Jennifer, what I would do is

Jennifer, what I would do is look for the teeny tiny ones and then use them on top side in plain sight where you know a frame or some other object will cover them :)

posted by Ana White (not verified) | on Sat, 2011-01-08 16:20

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