After a few months of working full time from home and staring at the custom fireplace I built every day, I decided it’s time to add a mantel! Talk about perfect timing for the holiday season, am I right? This DIY floating shelf mantel took me ONE WEEKEND to do and cost me under $100!
How To Build A Floating Shelf Mantel For A Fireplace
Want to see this project in action? Check it out on my YouTube channel (+ make sure to subscribe)!
One of my favorite things about floating shelves is that you can install them ANYWHERE. So, once you know how to make one, you can use them as shelving, mantels, window ledges… the possibilities are ENDLESS.
What I Used:
Tools
Table Saw or Circular Saw
Miter Saw
Drill/Driver
Pin Nailer (Optional)
Sander
Level
Materials
(2) 1 x 8 x 8′ Boards
(1) 1 x 4 x 8′ Board
(2) 2 x 3 x 8′ Board
Early American Wood Stain
Walnut Wood Toner
1 1/4″ Pin Nails
2 1/2″ Wood Screws
Painter’s Tape
Wood Glue
Sandpaper
Staining Rag
Fireplace Info
For links to the products used in my fireplace build, check out my DIY fireplace wall post here!
The Steps:
1. First, I added beveled edges to my mantel box/floating shelf pieces. I cut bevels in the front side of the top and bottom 1 x 8 pieces (making sure to cut them to their final depth of 6 1/2″) and cut bevels on each side of my 1 x 4 board (making sure to cut them so the inner dimensions match the 2 x 3 boards).
2. Next, I used my miter saw to cut my pieces to their final length. I cut my 1 x 4 board into three pieces (one front piece and two sides).
3. I then glued the pieces together to make a hollow box and drove a few pin nails into the edges to help hold them together while they dried.
4. While the box dried, I created a bracket with the 2 x 3 boards for the shelf to slide over. I made sure to cut this to match the inner dimensions of the floating shelf box.
5. Next day I sanded everything down and stained the floating shelf. I also added some wood toner to give it a rich and finished tone.
6. While the shelf dried, I installed the bracket to my fireplace, making sure to screw them directly into the studs in my fireplace (if you’re installing this on a wall, you can screw it directly into the studs in your wall). I also made sure to check for level!
7. I then slid the hollow box over the bracket and nailed it into place.
And, that’s it! I had a custom floating shelf mantel for my fireplace in ONE weekend and for under $100 in materials!
It really is so wild how much a difference it made to add this floating shelf mantel to the fireplace!
Want to save this weekend project for later? Make sure to Pin It!
#DIY #Floating #Shelf #Mantel #Fireplace
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