I am a firm believer in taking advantage of vertical space
for storage. I decided I wanted to add shelves to our small bathroom above the
toilet, because no one has ever said "I have too much storage". Am I right? Lol. The bathroom layout made
this space the perfect area to add shelves without it looking bulky. Adding
shelves to a bare wall can open up storage possibilities in a space that doesn’t
allow for multiple storage units on the floor.
Of course, I could’ve gone and bought one of those shelf
stands that are made to fit over the toilet, but I wanted a clean look. And for
the cost of one of those units (a good quality one) I didn’t want the hassle of
having to replace it in a year due to rust from the bathroom humidity. There
was also the option of purchasing shelving from the hardware store, but for the
look I wanted, the selections available were priced at about $20 per shelf. My
diy shelves only cost around $35 total!
I started with a 2x8 piece of wood that was in my basement. This
was also left over from renovations. It was the perfect sized depth for my wall
space.
Step 1:
used a circular saw to cut the shelves to size.
-my shelves measure 22 ¼ inches long
Step 2:
sanded the wood, first with a 60 grit (course) and then with 150 grit (fine) sandpaper
-Yes, I sanded these by hand…I don’t have an electric sander. Not yet, anyway!
Step 3:
stained the shelves on each side and all edges
-I used Minwax penetrating stain in Ebony. It is a very dark stain, almost black to match the vanity cabinet.
Step 4:
sealed the stain with polycrylic in a satin finish
-I used the sealant on all surfaces as well. I did 2 coats, sanding in between each coat.
Step 5:
attached the shelves to the wall using shelf brackets, using drywall anchors in the wall.
- I did not have a second person around to hold the shelf while I attached it to the wall. So, I attached the brackets to the shelf first, then held it up to the wall to level and measure for the wall screws.
The last step was the most tedious because I was doing this
on my own. I would recommend having a second person to help when attaching the
shelves to the wall.
And here is the finished product!
I love that these diy shelves are custom fit to my space!
If you're in the mood for a weekend project, this is a good one to tackle. And if you don't have wood laying around the house you can easily get a long wood board in any size you want at the hardware store. Some stores will even cut it for you!
Let me know what you think and if you would do this on your own. What would you have done differently? Thanks, and God bless!
Let me know what you think and if you would do this on your own. What would you have done differently? Thanks, and God bless!
Living Simply,
Mindy✿