Whether you have many books or are a fan of modern décor, getting a floating shelf will do the trick for you. If you observe closely, floating shelves have become a style statement, considering they’re found in modern homes. So, it’s understandable if you get want to get one too.
Custom-made floating shelves will probably cost you more than you think. A smart solution is to build a floating shelf by yourself. It might be intimidating at first, but you’ll find the process pretty easy once you have all the knowledge and tools. You can always consult a carpenter along the way too.
One thing you’ll have to ensure is getting the right wood type to build a classy and strong floating shelf. Below are a few wood types that will assist you well while making a floating shelf.
Why Should You Get a Floating Shelf?
If you don’t have a floating shelf hanging on one of your walls, it’s about time you get one. You’ll get many benefits from having a floating shelf, one being storing all your books. If you keep up with modern home décor, you’ll find floating shelves everywhere. Let’s go through some of the reasons getting a floating shelf will serve you well.
Stores Your Items Easily
If you’re a reader and love collecting books, a floating shelf will help you store them. You’ll never lose any of your items if you have a strong floating shelf. Also, you won’t have to stuff your things forcefully in other spaces, making an even bigger mess.
Adds a Modern Touch
Modern floating shelves have minimal designs that support the claim “less is more.” We don’t know how you like to decorate your home, but if you like keeping up with new trends, you’ll love having a floating shelf around. Installing a floating shelf will automatically add more chicness to your home.
Improves Home Organization
Keeping them in one place can be a challenge if you have many things. If you try to keep a hold of everything but often find yourself constantly looking for your items, you need an adequate storage system such as a floating shelf to better care for them. This will also help you in organizing your home correctly.
Takes Less Space
The thing with most storage systems, such as big bookshelves, is that they consume plenty of space in the room. That may not be a problem if you have a big house; however, you’ll need something that won’t take a lot of room space if you have a smaller space. Hence, getting a floating shelf is the perfect in-between solution.
The 6 Best Woods for Floating Shelves
If you’re about to build your first-ever floating shelf, you must choose an appropriate piece of wood that guarantees excellent quality. If you don’t look into the quality of the wood before building your floating shelf, you might regret it later as the shelf might break or fall off the wall. Here are a few best wood types that aid in building your floating shelf.
Oak
Oak is a popular and demanded piece of wood that many people use in building furniture items. This wood promises excellent quality and a stunning appeal.
Oak has incredible finishing properties, allowing you to have a durable floating shelf. If looks matter plenty, using oak to make your floating shelf is the perfect thing to do. Also, oak comes in different types: red and white are a few. You can use either to build a beautiful and sturdy floating shelf.
Pine
Pinewood is one of the most used pieces of wood in the world. Many restaurants use pine in making their tables and chairs. This wood is highly commercial, considering how easy it is to work with.
If you’re a beginner at making something out of wood, using pine will help you plenty. Number one: you can find it anywhere. Number two: it’s effortless to cut through, giving you an excellent shelf-making experience. Hence, using pine to build your floating shelf will serve you well.
Poplar
Poplar is an excellent piece of wood to use in building a floating shelf. It’s pretty low-maintenance, so you don’t have to have an extensive budget to buy and maintain poplar. It comes in white tones, giving a regal yet minimal look.
Also, since you’re building a floating shelf, you won’t have to use too many wood pieces. Poplar is highly stain-resistant, so its quality will stay intact for years. Using poplar will help you have a long-lasting floating shelf.
Alder
Alder is another wood type that you should be using to make your floating shelf. It’s pretty commonly used while building many home décor items. Alder is a substantial piece of wood that offers longevity and top-notch quality.
You’ll be happy to know that it accepts stains like a champion, meaning you won’t have to worry about the shelf absorbing stains and leaving a stubborn mark. We suggest using alder if you want a sturdy and excellent-quality floating shelf.
Hickory
Using hickory will suit you well if you want your floating shelf in different colors. Hickory wood comes in different colors, from white to warm brown to tan. So, if you’re a fan of variation, you can use different-colored hickory woods while building a floating shelf.
Hickory is a heavy piece of wood, much heavier than other woods, which alone speaks volumes about its quality. Also, it’s one of the most durable pieces of wood that guarantees longevity for many years to come.
Walnut
Since you’re putting so much effort and hard work into building the perfect floating shelf, you might as well use a piece of wood that gives you something in return. Walnut is such a woodblock as it promises strength, durability, and an incredibly stunning appeal.
Walnut wood comes in a dark brown color that gives the shelf a rustic look. If you’re going for this look, using walnut to make your floating shelf will work perfectly. You’ll have to maintain your walnut-based shelf if you want it to stay intact.
