Today we are going to talk about how to build a rustic-industrial style shelf just like the one we have in our foyer. It’s a quick way to create additional hanging space and a place to display pictures, flowers, books and other accessories for cheap and easy. So, let’s get started, shall we?!
Materials that you will need:
- 3/4 x 12 solid pine wood (cut to desired measurement)
- 3/4in EMT pipes (cut to desired measurement) and fittings.
- (4) flanges, (2) 3 inch nipples, (2) 8in nipples, (2) 1 inch nipples, (2) Tees, (2) elbows
- Drywall screws and anchors
- Kreg pocket hole jig and screws
- Stain of choice
- Drill
- Wood glue
- Sandpaper 220 and 320 grit
How to do it:
Safety first! Make sure you have the right protective gear and know-how to properly operate the necessary tools before you start any project.
Step 1
Measure the length and depth of the shelf you desire and cut accordingly, keeping in mind the kerf (material eaten away by the blade). In our case, we wanted enough space to be able to use hangers so my husband added 3 inches of extra depth, for a total of 15 inches. (If this is not your case, no hangers will be used, skip to step 3).
Step 2
We used the Kreg pocket hole jig to drill 6 holes and join the two sections with screws and wood glue. Wipe up excess glue, and when it’s dried you can start sanding to eliminate any remaining drippage.
Step 3
Once you have finished sanding (make sure you wipe off the dust) you can proceed to staining with your choice of color; we used Minwax Dark Walnut and gave 1 coat (the more coats you do the darker it gets). After it dried, we applied a clear coat of varnish. Wait for it to dry before going to the next step.
Step 4
Measure from the floor to the bottom of where you want the rack to be, keeping in mind the length of what you will be hanging, and whether or not you want to place anything underneath. For us, we measured 5’10” (my husband is 5″9′ and he didn’t want to hit his head when getting up from the bench). Determine where the flanges are going to be located. In our case because we wanted symmetry and we didn’t find a stud within these locations, we had to use drywall anchors.
Step 5
Build the rack. We used threaded pipe and we ended up screwing each portion in. After that, we painted with an oil rubbed bronze spray paint, and left it to dry. Then we proceeded to fasten to the drywall anchors we had previously installed (make sure its level).
Step 6
Place the shelf on the rack and fasten with screws. We also installed L brackets on the top of the shelf against the wall and screwed into the wall and onto the shelf to make it sturdier.
Step 7
Add some hangers, and a few nick knacks to decorate it and you’re done!
And that is how we made our industrial-farmhouse style closet shelve!
If you try this little DIY project, we hope you enjoy and have fun with it. Please share or comment below if you tried this or feel like you want any more tips, or want to share a picture of your own project!