DIY Barn Wood Shelves On A Budget

Working in smaller areas, whether a home office or a garage, can become cramped quickly as files and other items start to pile up.

This can quickly make the room feel unorganized, which can have a drastic impact on your productivity.

If you also enjoy a room that is more organized, but you feel that adding in another cupboard would take up too much space, then you should consider some DIY barn wood shelves.

These floating shelves are easier to set up and make yourself than you might think, they won’t take up a lot of space, and they will give you the ability to make your room organized.

When it comes to learning how to make barn wood shelves, there are a few things that need to be considered.

For one, there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all approach to making these shelves, as each person would have their own preferences.

The space available in a room also needs to be taken into consideration.

These are all factors that will ultimately have an effect on the specific steps that need to be followed when you choose to install some of these shelves in your office, in the garage, or perhaps even in your kitchen.

In this guide, I will take you through the steps that you need to do in order to plan out your new DIY barn wood shelves, tell you exactly what you will need to build them, and I’ll guide you through the process of building a basic set of floating shelves that will most certainly come in handy.

From there, you can use some creativity to take things a step or two further, such as add a few drawers or create a unique layout for the shelves that you will be installing.

Preparing For Your DIY Barn Wood Shelves Project

A great thing about deciding to set up some wooden shelves in a room is the fact that you can really get creative with these projects.

While there are basic options for installing these shelves on the wall, with some creativity, you can come up with ideas that will be specifically tailored to the environment and the specific items that you might want to keep on the shelves.

You can go the simple route and decide to get a couple of wall brackets and then simply attach some barn wood to it, or you can take a more advanced route. We have seen a lot of creative ideas in the past.

Many people decide to build these shelves in such a way that they can add additional storage space inside the shelf itself, either through a small door, an open space, or perhaps even a small drawer.

This is a great way to store extra items like files, cables, and other smaller products that may be cluttering your workspace.

For the purpose of this DIY barn wood shelves guide, we will be taking a look at how to build a basic option that consists of a barn wood bar, along with some wall brackets that are used to keep the bar in place.

I have made these especially for my study room, where I often find my files laying around on my desk. It causes cluttering and reduces my productivity, which is a problem when I am trying to get more done during the day.

I installed two of these floating shelves on each side of my desk so that they are nearby.

For the project, I also decided to go with a more authentic and antique look, by opting for a couple of vintage brackets, but more on that later on in this guide.

What You Need To Build Your Shelves

After you have decided what type of barn wood shelf you want to put up on your wall, the next step of the process is to determine what you will need in order to craft barn wood shelves yourself.

The specific items and materials that will be needed for the project will essentially depend on the preferences and your planning, but there are many tools and items that are shared among these projects, no matter how you decide to build your shelves.

The first item I want to mention here is barn wood, of course, since we are making barn wood shelves.

That rustic look really provides an authentic décor to any room, and it blends well with really any type of existing interior décor that your room may feature.

Authentic barn wood can sometimes be quite expensive, and since this guide is for those looking to build their own barn wood shelves on a budget, I’d like to share a quick tip with you.

If the budget for your project does not allow for real barn wood, then make your own.

All you need is some:

You can easily mimic the look of real barn wood at a much more affordable price.

Once you have stained your wood you’ll need a few more items like wall brackets that will hold the barn wood.

If you choose, you can make your own wall brackets by using a galvanized cap, along with a galvanized floor flange and nipple or you can decide to buy pre-made ones.

If you already have your wood bars in the right shape and size, then you won’t need an additional saw. If not, then you will have to get a saw and cut your wooden bars into the current size and shape.

Make sure you have a drill point that is small enough for the screws that you will use to mount the wood shelves to the wall, you don;t want to go over or under drilling as this causes stress to the wall.

Additional tools may be needed, depending on whether you are going to be adding extra features to your project, or just go with a more simplistic look.

How To Make Barn Wood Shelves

When you have everything ready, the final step is to put everything together and mount the DIY barn wood shelves that you made yourself.

There is really no need to worry if you have not worked with many DIY projects in the past, as the process is really quick and easy, and you don’t need to be an expert at anything to use the few tools needed to make holes in the wall and to screw your wooden flowing shelves to the wall.

1. Bracket to Wall or Shelf to Bracket?

Some people may prefer to attach the wall mounts to the wood first, before mounting to the wall. This is perfectly fine.

For others, it might be easier to first attach the wall brackets to the wall where the shelves will go, and then attach the wooden bars to these brackets.

You should decide what option will be easier for you and go with that particular option.

2. Marking and Drilling

Be sure to accurately mark the locations where you need to drill into the wall so that you do not create unnecessary holes in your wall.

Make sure that you keep the drill straight while drilling. Use a leveler while marking and afterward to ensure that your holes are perfectly aligned with each other.

After the holes have been drilled into the wall, you need to attach the brackets to the wall with appropriate screws. Make sure to tightly attach the brackets to ensure they will not fall out of the wall.

If you did not previously attach the barn wood to the brackets, then now is the time to do so.

3. Check That It’s Stable

Once done, be sure to test the shelves for sturdiness before placing anything on it. If it feels sturdy, then you can congratulate yourself and move on to the next ones, if there are any left, and then start packing your files and other items on them to organize your space.

That’s It! You’re Done!

Once items start piling up in an already-crowded room, you may find that everything goes into chaos, but with just a few materials and some effort, you can create your own DIY barn wood shelves.

They look great and provide your room with an authentic feel, while still blending in perfectly with more modern interior décor.

Simply follow the steps that I have outlined in this guide to build your own and start creating a more organized environment, while also adding an attractive addition to your décor.

Now you’re done with your shelves why not check out our review about Teds Woodworking book it has over 16,000 blueprints for all your woodworking needs.