How do I make floating shelves?

Question

I want to fill an alcove (1.8m wide) with wooden shelves (I'm thinking oak or pine, at least 3cm thick, but perhaps they'd need to be thicker?) It's an old house - the side wall and fireplace on either side of the alcove aren't straight, so I can't do the baton thing that DIY sites seem to favour. I'm assuming I'll have to drill into the wall and the shelves, put metal bolts into the wall and slide the shelves on. But how do you stop the shelves sliding off the metal bolts? For a gap this wide, how many bolts per shelf would I need? Also, how far into the wall would I need to drill to make the shelf sturdy enough to take a large number of books (the wall is stone). And where can you buy the metal bolts? Any tips / advice welcome

Answer 1

I'm sitting right under the exact thing you want to to..
I used a scaffold plank and planed it down. I used 4 bolts, one each side and two at the back. After preparing the shelves i "offered" them up to the position i wanted and marked off the 4 places for the bolts.
I drilled in 3ins deep and set the bolts in with no nails.
I cut out the recess in the shelves with a chisel to the thickness of the chisel itself.
Then filled recesses with no nails and set the shelves on the bolts.
Then filled all gaps with filler to hide bolts and any slight gaps around the walls.
Painted same colour as fireplace wall and they look fantastic..
Cost nothing because got scaffold plank and had 10mm screwed bar which i cut into bolts.
I could actually sit on the shelves if i could get up that high.. lol
OH, they sell 10mm bar (threaded or not) at all B&Qs, just cut with a hack saw.. ( 2 x 4 bolts at 5 ins for two shelves)
My gap is 40 ins ( 3ft 4 ins) Also the side bolts stop any sliding

Answer 2

You need to measure properly and put a screw under the shelve in line with the two metal bolts for each shelve in the wood. Best to file a gap on the metal bolts so the screws can be lodged into the gap to prevent sliding off.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Two bolts and these bolt will slot into the holes in the shelves and not fall off because the ends of the bolts grip.

Answer 5

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Answer 7

floating shelves

Answer 8

Put them in a bath full of a water?

Answer 9

Sky hooks work for me !!

Answer 10

DIY.com