How to Build Hanging Shelves

If you need an elegant alternative to a heavy bulky book shelf, consider building hanging shelving. Hanging shelves can free up floor space, extend the eye to the ceiling and can add a nice architectural element to a room. While not ideal for holding hundreds of pounds of books, they are perfects for holding a few art pieces or photos.

Instructions

1

Decide where you will hang the shelves. To avoid accidents, avoid areas of heavy traffic and areas close to doors or walkways. Clear the area and put down a drop cloth.

2

Cut a 45-degree bevel on the edges of each shelf so they are slightly slanted.

3

Stack and clamp the shelves, and drill 3/8-inch holes for the threaded rods. The holes should form a square with 16-inch sides center to center. Sand the shelves smooth and apply two coats of polyurethane.

4

Use a stud finder or nail to locate ceiling joists where the shelf unit will hang. Drill 1/2-inch pilot holes and drive the hanger bolts into the joists by spinning a nut onto the machine-thread end and turning the nut with a wrench. Put a fender washer over each hanger bolt and install coupling nuts.

5

Assemble the shelves and rods loosely with fender washers and nuts above and below each shelf. The rods should turn freely.

6

Position the shelf unit beneath the coupling nuts and thread each rod into a coupling nut until tight. Adjust each shelf until it is level by raising or lowering the nuts below the shelf, and then tighten the nuts with a wrench.