DIY Shelving Solutions
- 1). Place three planks of 10- by 32-inch, 1-inch-thick MDF on a 1-inch edge, spaced 14 inches apart. These will be the shelves.
- 2). Abut two pieces of 10- by 28-inch, 1-inch-thick MDF on either end of all three shelf planks, so that the two outer shelf planks line up with the edges of the two abutting planks and the middle shelf plank is perfectly centered between them.
- 3). Clamp the shelves and side planks together. Drill three evenly spaced pilot holes through the side planks into the ends of each shelf plank. Screw the shelves into the sides with 2-inch screws.
- 4). Attach a strip of veneer edging to the front of the shelves as well as the front of the sides. Follow the veneer manufacturer's application instructions; some require gluing, others can be ironed on. Pop a screw cap over all the screw holes on the sides.
- 5). Place the metal plate of a keyhole hanger an inch below the top of each side. Trace around their outline. The keyhole hanger is a small metal plate that sits into the back of the shelf, with a sideways-oriented keyhole shape which you slide the head of a screw into to suspend the shelf on the wall.
- 6). Chisel out inside the trace lines as deep as the metal plate is thick, so that it will sit flush in the back. Secure the keyhole plates in the back with the screws that come with the keyhole hanger hardware.
- 7). Locate two wall studs spaced 32 inches apart (studs are typically 16 inches apart) using a stud finder.
- 8). Make a mark on each stud at the height you want the shelf to hang. Around 35 to 40 inches high is good for a child's room; for toddlers it may need to be lower. Use a level to ensure both marks are on an even plane.
- 9). Screw the wall screws of the keyhole hanger hardware into the wall studs on the marks. Leave the head of the screw slightly out from the wall so that it can fit into the keyhole hanger.
- 10
Slide the keyholes onto the wall screws. Push the shelves gently to one side to push the screws into the narrow part of the keyhole plate, which will hold the shelves snugly against the wall.