Decorative shelves made of wood with their own hands. DIY wooden shelves: step by step description, diagrams and recommendations

Plywood is an amazing building material that is actively used in interior decoration of premises for various purposes. But besides this, it has found its application in the furniture industry. But we will not talk about factory-made interior items. Let's talk about how to make plywood shelves for different needs with your own hands using a jigsaw and without extra material costs.

Can I do everything myself?

Store-bought furniture can be quite expensive. However, if you make plywood shelves yourself, you can save a lot. In addition, such a product will contain your warmth, have exactly the parameters you would like, and will be done on time.

If you think that working with plywood is very difficult, you are in vain thinking in this way. It really takes a little effort and diligence, and an original DIY wall or corner piece of furniture will decorate your home. See how a similar product for a handmade kitchen looks like in the next photo.

Which plywood to choose

Pay attention to the fact that the thickness of the plywood for the shelves can be different, since during the production of sheet material of this type, a different number of layers of veneer can be glued together. The thicker the material, the stronger it is. Therefore, experts and experienced craftsmen recommend refusing to purchase three-layer sheets.

It is better to buy sheets consisting of five layers of veneer. They will cost more than three-layer ones, but any savings in this case are not desirable, otherwise you may encounter a lot of problems and negative consequences during the operation of the product.

What shelf can be made

Yes, whatever. The main thing is to find already suitable drawings on the Internet or create them yourself.

If you want, you can make an original shelf for shoes with a jigsaw and install it in the corridor, at the entrance to the house.

You can make hinged corner shelves for icons in the corner of the room, open to the kitchen or carved to look like flowers. You can build a wall-mounted bookcase for various decorative accessories or for icons, or you can create a bookshelf, as in the next photo.

List of required tools and fixtures

What do you need to have in your arsenal to create a do-it-yourself plywood shoe rack? For this you will need to have:

• the sheet material itself;
• cardboard or paper;
• stationery scissors or a knife;
• ordinary thin tape;
• a jigsaw for cutting out parts, and in the case of a complex design, a milling machine;
• a simple pencil or crayon;
• roulette;
• a hammer and nails of small caliber or a drill with screws;
• water-based paint or wood varnish;
• drawings of the future product (you can create it yourself or find a ready-made version on the Internet);
• if it provides for a sketch and various decorative embellishments.

If you have stocked up with a standard set for working with plywood sheets. Then you need to pay attention to the following picture. Before you are drawings of a plywood shelf in the photo. They will be needed in the process.

Preparatory work

A do-it-yourself plywood bookshelf is an exciting adventure and an interesting activity.

To begin with, determine exactly what size the finished corner or wall structure should have. That is, answer yourself the question of what its width, length and depth will be.

Another important parameter is the main purpose of the product. It will have a direct impact on the design features of the piece of furniture. Think about what kind of shelf you want to make: a bookshelf, for shoes and a different look. It will be angular or standard, wall-mounted or floor-mounted. The following photo shows several options for similar pieces of plywood furniture.

Next, decide how the future plywood flower shelf should be decorated. It can be painted, glued with sticky wallpaper, varnished and the like. Maybe you want to purchase not simple plywood sheets, but laminated ones. Such material looks as if it has already been varnished. However, you do not have to complete this step of the work. The assembled product will already have a finished look.

So, if the main parameters are determined, you can proceed to the direct execution of the work.

Main stages of work

Here is an example of making a plywood bookshelf with closed side walls. This is a very functional piece of furniture that can be found in almost every home.

We carry out the following work:

1. We cut out the shelves from plywood according to the drawings. To do this, transfer the drawings to cardboard, cut out the resulting parts with scissors and fix them on plywood. With the help of a jigsaw, accurate sawing of parts is carried out, taking into account centimeter allowances;
2. When the main parts of the shelves are cut out of plywood, you need to build a wooden frame: for this, you should measure the height of the ceilings and cut off four pieces of timber of the resulting length. These bars are fixed vertically on the wall with a horizontal step equal to the length of future shelves;
3. Now you need to determine the depth of the rack and put two marks on the ceiling surface. These points will display the outer corners of the future product. Using a plumb line, transfer the marks to the floor;
4. Next, install the outer racks of the structure: fix the bar vertically between the ceiling and floor surfaces. At the same time, the marked points should remain the main reference point;
5. Step back from the ceiling by half a meter and put a point on one bar, and transfer to the rest of such points using the level rule. This is necessary to mark the corners of the top shelf. Also determine the level of the remaining shelves, and then screw the metal corners to the racks;
6. Place and securely fix plywood shelves on the corners. Sew up the sides of the structure with plywood.

Carefully watch the video presented at the end of the article to understand how to make a shelf out of plywood on your own.

In a new review, the author has collected examples of shelving and shelves that you can concoct with your own hands. They must be used, of course, for their intended purpose. Having looked at the photographs collected here, you can easily make sure that there is nothing fundamentally complicated in the proposed version.

1. In the shape of a circle

The original round shelf, the edging of which is made of thin fiberboard, and the shelves themselves are made of an ordinary board, painted white. Of course, this design is not suitable for storing the entire home library, but it can accommodate a few educational books, a small houseplant and a couple of framed pictures.

2. Hanging shelf

An adorable hanging shelf that can be made from a few used books or notebooks of the same size. Such a shelf is not only suitable for storing cosmetics and small decor items, but in itself will be a wonderful decoration for any wall.

3. Arrow

Stylish bookshelf in the form of an illuminated arrow, made from the remnants of metal water pipes, will perfectly fit into the interior of a teenage boy's room or a bachelor's apartment.

4. Practical and unusual

An original and practical shelf that can be made from a small tray from an old cart and a few wooden bars. Such a shelf is reliable and spacious and is suitable for storing a variety of things.

5. Charming shelving

Stylish and original rack, made from a slightly modified and white-painted door. Filled with favorite books, candles, family photos, and small decor items, this shelving unit will be a real highlight of any space.

6. Narrow slats

Old skis that have been gathering dust in the pantry for many years can be used to create unusual shelves. Such shelves will perfectly fit into the interior of the nursery and are suitable for storing toys and books.

7. Stylish copper

Massive shelves made of wood, pasted over with a stylish copper-colored film, are perfect for placing house plants.

8. Old pallet

An old wooden pallet is easy enough to turn into an original shelf for storing magazines and family pictures.

9. Industrial style

Stylish storage system in the current industrial style, which can be made of wood or MDF boards, painted in gray and interconnected by a structure of metal water pipes.

10. Bright honeycombs

Original shelves made of bright gift hexagonal boxes attached to mirrors of the same shape. Of course, this design is not suitable for storing large heavy items, but it is suitable for storing small things and decor items dear to the heart, and will also become a unique wall decoration.

11. Stylish transformation

The drawers of an old discarded table can be used to create original shelves. Neatly painted and customized, the boxes can be mounted to the wall, both vertically and horizontally, and used to store a variety of things.

12. Rough design

Rough shelves made of untreated wood, opened with varnish or paint, will perfectly fit into the interior of a room decorated in a rustic or country style.

13. Abundance of cells

A huge wall-to-wall shelving unit made from many brightly colored wooden crates can be a stylish and budget-friendly alternative to a massive store-bought wardrobe.

14. Wicker basket

MDF shelves.

Compact MDF shelves with fruit slices painted under them will become a bright and functional decoration of the kitchen wall.

17. Rustic style

A solid piece of bark or unfinished wood can be turned into a fantastic hanging shelf that is an ingenious alternative to a standard bedside table.

Unusual plywood shelf design. No glue, nails or other fixing materials are needed to assemble it. The assembly of the shelf into working condition is carried out only due to the grooves made in the design of the shelf itself. Therefore, it is perfect for those who like to move often, or simply as a seasonal shelf that can be quickly obtained, assembled and used, and then just as easy to disassemble and store in the pantry.

Materials and tools:
- plywood sheet 6 mm thick
-laser machine
-file
-lacquer and paint
- a few bolts and nuts.
- metal fasteners

Description of the manufacture of easily collapsible plywood shelves:

Step one. Design choice.
The author needed shelves for use in the place of his temporary residence. Therefore, the shelves had to be fairly cheap and easy to assemble and disassemble. Therefore, 6 mm plywood was chosen as the main material.
After defining the material, a small sketch was made in the CorelDraw program.

(downloads: 175)

Step two. Cutting details.
After creating a circuit for a laser machine. Plywood was laid in it and parts were cut. In principle, the design of the shelf is quite simple and can be cut just as well with a conventional saw or electric jigsaw, so the presence of a laser cutting machine is not at all necessary when assembling a shelf of a similar design.

Step three. External processing of the product.
After the necessary details were received, the author began to process them. To give a more pleasant look to the product, its parts were varnished. After that, the grooves for joining the shelves were additionally processed with a file, as there were problems with the assembly.

Step four. Shelf assembly.
After the file solved the problems of joining the grooves, the author proceeded to assemble the shelf. It did not require any glue or nails. The whole structure is assembled and held by its own weight through the grooves made, while being quite reliable and stable.

The only fasteners that the author needed were a few metal corners and bolts with nuts in order to secure the shelf to the wall.

As a result, we got such shelves. Simplicity of construction, lack of fasteners, resulting in easy assembly and disassembly, and all this for a minimum price equal to several sheets of plywood.

Wall shelves are a great way to organize space and decorate your home. Of course, in stores the choice of furniture is now great, and you can simply buy them. However, if you make a shelf on the wall with your own hands, you will receive not only a useful, but also an exclusive piece of furniture that will perfectly match your needs.

Don't know where to start? Our article will reveal to you the basics of creating beautiful and practical shelves for every taste with minimal effort.

Choosing materials for manufacturing

To create a structure, you can use almost any sufficiently strong material. Consider the most popular of them.

Wood

Wood is a classic material for shelves

Wooden shelves are the most familiar, classic option. Most people choose it for its practicality, solid appearance and ease of care. In addition, wood, in comparison with other materials, is easy to process. It can be easily given various shapes and colors, and even a person who does not have special skills can handle the creation of a simple wooden shelf.

The costs for them, depending on the type of wood, may be different. From the most modest, for example, for the manufacture of pine products, to quite impressive for oak or maple.

Plastic

Plastic shelves are a practical and inexpensive solution. Plastic washes well, is not susceptible to mold and has a wide color palette, but it may not organically fit into any room. Such shelves will look most appropriate in the bathroom, in the hallway, in the kitchen or on the balcony, but for the bedroom and, especially those decorated in a classic style, plastic is hardly suitable.

Homemade design made of plastic pipes

More often, such products are purchased in a store, but with some skills and desire, you can make plastic wall shelves with your own hands. At the same time, cuttings of plastic pipes or bottles and similar materials are taken as the basis for them.

Metal

Metal is not the most common material for this type of furniture, but sometimes it is quite appropriate. For example, a metal shelf or rack may look good in an interior decorated, and forged products will successfully fit into an Empire or Baroque room. Disadvantages of metal shelves: their heavy weight and complexity for self-realization, because in this case one cannot do without the experience of welding, and even blacksmithing.

Exquisite wrought iron shelf

MDF or chipboard

Under these abbreviations, cheaper analogues of wood are hidden. Since a real tree, especially when it comes to noble varieties, is not affordable for everyone, substitutes can come to the rescue to imitate its structure.

Chipboard is a material with a laminated top layer, inside of which there is a compressed chip and a binder. It is very easy to process, although it will require additional decoration of saw cuts. Usually melamine film is used for this.

Laminated chipboards

MDF is an abbreviation for the English version, which in translation stands for medium hardness fibreboard. For their manufacture, an adhesive and finely ground wood fibers are used, which are pressed together under pressure and high temperatures. The material has excellent strength, lends itself well to processing and subsequent finishing (painting, varnishing).

Substitutes in appearance are practically not inferior to natural wood

In general, chipboard and MDF are suitable raw materials for making shelves on a limited budget. This is confirmed by the experience of many furniture factories that regularly use these materials to create their products.

Design choice. What to pay attention to?

In addition to choosing the material of manufacture, in order to make a shelf with your own hands, you will also need to decide on its shape, design features and type of fastening. According to the type of fastening, the shelves are divided into wall-mounted and suspended. The former are attached directly to the wall using nails, screws, brackets, and the like, while the latter are fixed with various cords, hummocks or chains.

Suspended two-tier structure

The shape of the shelves is the most diverse, while they can have several tiers or consist of one element, be closed or open. Corner structures look original when the shelf is placed at the junction formed by the walls.

It is important to consider the intended purpose of the shelf. Whether it will be only decorative or designed to store a significant amount of things affects its size, design features and often determines the most suitable material for its manufacture.

Do you want to decorate a beautiful flower arrangement in a room or on a balcony, but do not know how to make a flower shelf with your own hands? In this case, you will need a moisture-resistant material that can withstand significant weight, and the structure itself should be well fixed. If you plan to store books on it, then it is better to opt for fairly wide varieties of shelves and take care of the reliability of fasteners, because they will have a considerable load.

original pallet kitchen shelf

For a kitchen shelf on which it is planned to store all the necessary little things (spices, various utensils, etc.), it would be useful to take care of the doors or some kind of partition that can prevent fragile things from falling. But as for the decorative shelves designed to decorate the home, here the fantasy is practically not limited to anything. Below are a few examples of how you can diversify the interior with an original homemade shelf.

Making a decorative shelf: examples of interesting models

So, option one. Convenient, but at the same time unusual can be a corner shelf made of wood or its substitutes. To make such a design, you will need:

• boards of sufficient width;
• hacksaw or jigsaw;
• Sander;
• drill;
• wood glue;
• ruler and pencil for marking on the wall;
• level;
• varnish or stain to give a shade (optional);
• fasteners (self-tapping screws, dowels, brackets).

corner bookshelf

First, you should draw a plan for the future shelf, transfer the parameters to the materials and cut out the details of the desired size. For cutting, it is better to use an electric jigsaw - it gives the most even cut. For a simple single-tier shelf, 6 parts are cut out, while the upper and lower ones should have ends with an angle that repeats the bend of the wall.

Further, the parts are ground and connected with glue. After drying, the structure is opened with varnish or other selected coating, for reliability, the side walls are fixed with self-tapping screws. Places for fasteners are marked on the wall and shelf according to the level. Then brackets are attached to the shelf, and holes are drilled in the wall into which dowels are inserted. Now it remains only to hang the structure on the wall - and the shelf is ready.

Method two. Consider how to make a shelf on the wall with your own hands at minimal cost, using materials that are in almost any home, namely, a few belts and a plank. For this you will need:

• edged board 20-30 cm wide, 75 cm long and about 3 cm thick (you can take several boards if the shelf is multi-tiered);
• leather belts (2 pcs. for a single shelf);
• the required number of dowels - one for each fastener;
• self-tapping screws (long and short);
• ruler and level;
• stationery knife;
• drill.

Belt shelf

First you need to prepare the belts. They should be the same and perfectly even, so they may need to be trimmed. Further, the belts are bent in half and holes are drilled 2 cm to the edges - this will be a place for fasteners.

Holes are marked and drilled on the wall at a distance of 60 cm, then dowels are inserted into them. After that, belts are applied to them with prepared holes and fixed with long self-tapping screws.

The board should be sanded, treated with compounds (lacquer, stain or paint) and inserted into the resulting loops. Then the base of the shelf is leveled, and for greater stability, parts of the belts near the board are additionally screwed with short self-tapping screws. A beautiful and quite budgetary shelf is ready!

And, finally, we will talk about how to make a glass shelf with your own hands. Such shelves look neat and fit well into any interior. However, their independent production will require some effort and skill. Necessary materials for glass construction:

• tempered glass;
• drill;
• level;
• Ruler and pencil;
• transparent adhesive tape;
• special aluminum profile;
• dowels and screws.

Glass shelves in the interior

For safety reasons, as well as to obtain a high-quality cut, it is not recommended to cut glass at home without experience in such work. It is better to order this service with simultaneous grinding of sharp edges in a special workshop.

Having glass blanks on hand, further work can be done on your own. First you need to outline, referring to the level, places for fasteners, drill holes and insert dowels into them. Then a metal profile is attached to them on the screws, while it is important not to forget to level it before final fixing.

Next, the edge of the glass that will be in contact with the metal must be pasted over with adhesive tape, insert the glass part into the aluminum profile and close its edges with protective caps. Instead of a profile, special holders for glass shelves can also be used. You can buy all the necessary accessories in the store. This completes the assembly of the shelf.

Photo of shelves on the wall. New life for old things

If you have the opportunity and desire to experiment, it is not necessary to be limited to standard materials and designs. The role of non-standard wall shelves can be pipe cuttings, old suitcases, bedside tables, etc. Think that this will not look good? Perhaps the photos below will convince you. Watch and be inspired!

Shelves made from vintage suitcases are a great addition to the interior of an avid traveler. On them you can arrange all the souvenirs brought from your trips and other trinkets dear to your heart.

If after the repair you have an unnecessary door left - do not rush to throw it away. One has only to make a little effort and imagination, and it will again become appropriate in your home, but already in the role of a pretty wall shelf.

And here is an example of how old boxes can decorate your hallway. Such shelves, painted in bright colors, will not only enliven the interior, but also solve the problem of storing shoes in a large family.

Drawers from a chest of drawers that have already served their purpose can also find a second life, becoming both photo frames and coasters for various little things.

Have an unnecessary ladder? So you have an almost finished bookshelf! You just need to hang it in the corner and decorate it to your taste or leave it in its original form.

To organize the space in the room and give the interior a complete look, you can use wall shelves. Along with clocks, paintings, embroideries and other decorative elements, storage spaces on the walls really refresh the room, make it more habitable, residential, as you can place things on the shelves that will tell a lot about the owners of the interior: about their book preferences, about travel - and will also become a branch of the family album.

In furniture and interior stores, the choice of shelves is great, and often choosing the right item for you is not difficult. But a self-made shelf will make the interior unique, special, and besides, making it will bring a lot of positive emotions.

We will tell in this article about the main stages of making wooden shelves with your own hands, about their types and options for interior solutions.

Choosing the material for the shelf

In modern interiors, there are no longer restrictions on the use of one or another material, and everything is used: glass, plastic, iron, wood and other options.

The glass in the room looks fresh, visually expands the space, but among the disadvantages of such shelves is the difficulty of caring for them and the risk of injury, which is extremely important if there are small children in the house.

Tempered glass or triplex is used as a material for such shelves.

Plastic shelves are practical, inexpensive, but collect a lot of dust, and their main drawback is that, even considering their rich color palette, they may not fit well into every interior. In addition, such shelves are more suitable for a bathroom or bedroom, and they are not suitable for creating a single ensemble with living room furniture.

Metal shelves are so original that they will emphasize any room design, and you can choose such shelves for any style. But not every wall will cope with their fastening. Also, metal products are subject to transformation over time, corrosion may occur, and they will lose their original elegant appearance.

Wood remains a versatile choice for creating a shelf. Due to its texture, wood gives the living room a warm and very cozy atmosphere.

Pros and cons of wooden shelves

Wood is the leader in environmental friendliness among all materials. Of course, the wooden details in the interior refresh it and bring it closer to nature.

The main advantages of wooden shelves:

Using texture, color, decor and individual layout, you can create a magnificent interior space.

• Natural wood, even treated with varnishes and special products, collects dust much less than a product made from any other material.
• Wood is a breathable material that does not emit harmful substances into the atmosphere.
• Wooden parts are easily processed using tools that can be found in any, even a small workshop.
• Wood is a classic material, familiar to the human eye and relatively inexpensive (unless, of course, you use the most expensive and rare types of wood).
• The availability of wood still surpasses all other materials for the manufacture of shelves.

But with all its advantages, the tree also has a number of disadvantages:

• Noble varieties of wood are quite expensive.
• During production, a lot of waste is generated: shavings, sawdust, bark, and so on.
• With poor processing or its special absence, the tree can leave splinters on the human skin when using the shelf.

To make a choice about the use of this or that material, of course, the owners, and in this article we will analyze several options for making wooden shelves with our own hands.

Types of shelves

If you have already decided on the material from which you will make the shelf, then it's time to choose the design that your product will represent.

If we talk about wooden shelves, then they are:

Handmade décor items grab our attention

• Traditional wall; are located on the walls, mounted on them with special devices, brackets on dowels or screws.
• Suspended; fastened by hanging on belts, chains, pieces of fabric, etc. By the way, fastening on macrame (special weaving from nylon or other similar threads) remains an old, but relevant in modern times, way of placing hanging shelves.
• floor; as the name implies, they stand on the floor, while they can occupy the entire space of the wall or only part of it, or they can be located outside the support. In the meantime, such structures can serve to zoning the space in the room, for example, to separate the working area of ​​the head of the family and the common area for guests and everyone present in the living room.

The type and even the material of the shelf also needs to be chosen based on what exactly you are going to store on it. For example, heavy books are best stored on shelves mounted on the wall or standing on the floor, due to the fact that "sources of knowledge" are very heavy. (For how to make a bookshelf on the wall with your own hands, read.

If you want to place a shelf outside of any support (hanging), then you should not put fragile travel souvenirs and other pleasant little things on it, as well as flower vases, since any accident can move such a shelf.

Fresh flowers in pots should not be placed on wooden shelves, since when watering, some of the water can fall on the surface of the tree and gradually damage it.

So, it would seem that a simple thing becomes a whole art.

Making a corner wooden shelf for books

It is easy to make such a wooden shelf for storing several books or souvenirs. For this you will need:

• ruler and pencil for marking;
• jigsaw or saw for making parts;
• glue for wood (for connecting elements);
• boards of suitable width;
• level;
• elements for mounting the shelf on the wall.

This shelf is perfect for small spaces.

Before starting work, you need to imagine the future product, it is best to make a drawing. Using a ruler and pencil, mark the wood blank and cut out the details. You need to connect them taking into account the verified vertical, using the building level.

Note: before joining, the parts must be sanded, but the structure must be varnished after the parts have fallen into place.

After the shelf is ready, you just need to attach it to the wall in the chosen place.

Shelf made of wooden planks, hung on straps

To make such a shelf, you only need a few belts of the same length and as many wooden planks as you plan to get on the shelf.

Choose leather and durable belts with metal buckles

In addition, prepare:

• knife for cutting belts;
• drill for making holes in the wall;
• dowels, screws, nails.

First of all, make sure that the straps are exactly the same length and width: this is necessary for the stability of the shelf.

If you have several tiers, then attach boards of the selected size to the belts using nails. Align the level so that the shelves are strictly horizontal.

Now you can attach the straps to the wall.

Which tree to choose

Which tree to choose depends only on your personal preferences and solvency. Redwood, rosewood, cedar, beech or ebony are certainly very expensive. But if you use varieties that grow in your area, for example, pine, birch, then you can create a completely budgetary option for interior design in the form of a shelf. Of all the above types of wood, it is pine that lends itself best to processing, so it is preferable to use it for making wooden shelves.

Larch and oak are practically resistant to decay, and are also more durable than pine.

Master's advice: it is better to keep any tree before processing for several days in the room where it is planned to use the shelf, so that it “gets used” to the microclimate, humidity and other parameters of the room. After that, you can process the wood as usual.

In the event that natural wood is too expensive for you, you can use its substitutes: chipboard and similar materials. They are made of wood shavings or sawdust with the help of an adhesive, and on top they are covered with a laminated layer imitating a wood pattern. And, although they are inferior to natural material in terms of durability, they are similar in terms of ease of use. Just like wooden products, chipboard shelves fit well into any classic interior.

So, if you put in a little effort and imagination, you will get a unique furniture option for storing books, flowers or small items, including travel souvenirs and photographs. With proper care, such a shelf will serve you for a long time, and when changing the interior it can be repainted, varnished or redesigned, because natural wood, although a renewable resource, is still much more valuable than any shelf made of plastic or other material.

From this video You will learn how to make a multi-cell shelf from solid pine with your own hands.