How to Make Wooden Hanging Shelves

Hanging wooden shelves are a cool, rustic decor item for any home, office, or work space, and they’re really easy to put together. Plus, they have the added benefit of being budget-friendly. You only need a few simple materials. Here’s how to make these easy DIY hanging shelves

Tools You’ll Need

• 8 foot-long board (see below)

• Leather or suede laces (buy strong laces and avoid any that are brittle or stretchy)
• Wood stain (such as ebony by Minwax)

• Paint brush

• Hand saw or table saw

• Drill
• Wall hooks and drywall anchor if not hanging in a stud

Look out for boards with a groove down the middle. This isn’t essential, but such a groove creates a perfect “ledge” for propping up pictures. 

DIY Hanging Shelves Step-By-Step

Step 1: Measure and Cut the Boards

Measure and mark the boards into thirds and cut along the lines using a hand saw or table saw (be careful!).  Once cut, the finished boards should measure 32 inches long each.

Step 2 : Stain the Boards

Stain the boards using your preferred stain color and let dry. The best way to do this is to brush the stain on then wipe it off with an old rag (one you won’t mind throwing away). You may also want to use plastic gloves to keep your hands from getting stained!

Step 3: Drill Holes

Using a pencil, mark a dot in each corner about 1 inch in on both sides. Use a drill bit to drill a small hole in each corner.

Step 4: Cut the Hanging Straps

Cut to equal pieces of leather or suede to hang each shelf. Thread each end through the holes on each side and make a knot in the end. You may need to make a double knot to ensure it won’t slip through.

Step 5: Mark Where the Shelves Will Go on the Wall

Use a level to to mark where to place the hooks on the wall. They should be placed 2 inches or less apart than the length of your board. For example, if your board is 32 inches long, the hooks should be 30 inches apart.  

Step 6: Hang Away! 

Tie a knot in the end of the loop to create a second, smaller loop. Hang the shelf and adjust any of the other knots to make sure the shelf is level.

What to Use DIY Hanging Shelves For

Keep these shelves for lighter objects so you don’t risk them crashing down! These shelves are ideal for:

• Smaller plants

• Picture frames
• Colorful glass bottles
• Notebooks and stationery
• Candles and figurines
• Rolled up scarves or other clothing