Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

DIY

How to Build a Simple, Built-in, Sturdy Shelf For Your Kitchen (or anywhere, really)

August 21, 2019


We encourage all DIYers to know their own limits when they take on projects. This tutorial uses power tools that could cause serious harm if operated incorrectly, so please be safe, be smart, and hire a professional if needed. 

After posting our kitchen phase 1 update, we've had so many requests to share how we built the shelves we added to the kitchen. Remember these ones?:

With minimal tools, materials and 30 minutes you can build your own shelf and have it hung in your own home. Here's your shopping list:

Tools
• Saw (miter saw preferably, but you could get by with a circular saw or jigsaw and steady hand)
Impact driver
Clamps (if working with crooked or warped lumber)

Materials
• One 1x4 board (I used pine in an 8ft length - choose a length that is long enough for your shelf, plus some extra to make the support brackets
• One 1x8 board (or 1x12 if you prefer a deeper shelf - also make sure you choose a length long enough for the shelf, but you won't need extra)
1 5/8in trim screws
2 1/2in cabinet screws

Building a Kitchen Shelf

To show how simple building these shelves really is, we filmed a quick video you can watch below.

Pine works great on a project like this if you will paint the wood (good idea to prime raw wood before painting!), whereas a hard wood like oak would be better if you plan to stain. But either way, these shelves are sturdy, easy to make and are a quick project that can be tackled in less than an hour.

Building a Kitchen Shelf

— Hide Comments
+ ShowComments
What do you think?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Did you find out where your studs were in the wall prior to building the shelves? I ask because I’m thinking that my studs would likely be right behind one of my shelf supports.

  2. Looks lovely, and also practical! I asked my contractor to do something similar and was told that building code did not allow a wooden shelf over a stove top. I ended up going with a commercial grade stainless -additionally, we could not put stove in front of a window for similar code issues!!!!! I seem to live in a town with stricter codes than most !

    1. I think you misunderstood your contractor. IRC M1901.1 “Freestanding or built-in ranges shall have a vertical clearance above the cooking top of not less than 30 inches (762 mm) to unprotected combustible material. Reduced clearances are permitted in accordance with the listing and labeling of the range hoods or appliances.”

What We're

Loving

Right Now

What We're

Loving

Right Now

Looking for our favorite things? A place to shop our home room by room, or just catch up on what Julia's wearing / loving right now? Browse the CLJ shop
Shop All

Love Stories

Love Where You Live

In an industry that often feels designed to make you discontent, we want this to be place you come for inspiration, ideas, and encouragement to make the space you're already in feel like home.
Read All Posts
let's break this thing up

BROWSE BY CATEGORY

01

Portfolio

Befores, afters, mood boards, plans, failures, wins. We’ve done a lot of projects, and they’re all here.
read more
02

Projects

We have a long-standing relationship with DIY, and love rolling our sleeves up and making it happen.
read more
03

Design

Even when you don’t want to rip down a wall, you can make that space in your home better. Right now.
read more
hello world!

looking for inspiration?

A traditional Christmas tree with ribbon bows in the bonus room
Decor

The 5 Holiday Trends That I'm Loving for 2024

This is such a fun time of year to see what's out there for holiday trends. For one thing, bows have been everywhere lately, and they’re here to stay. I mean, bows are made for the holidays—you can put a bow on anything to make it feel festive! However, while I've had a flocked tree […]
Beautifully wrapped traditional presents stacked in a doorway
Gift Guides!

Holiday Gift Guides for Everyone in Your Life {2024}

Remember the thrill of unwrapping a gift that felt just right? Let's bring that magic back this holiday season!! Our curated gift guides for 2024 are filled with thoughtful picks that will make your loved ones feel special. That's what it's all about, after all! Whether you're shopping for your main guy, your clutch coworker, […]
Chris Cooks Candied Ham Skewers
Chris Cooks

Candied Ham Skewers - Your New Favorite Holiday Appetizer

As a home cook, this is my favorite time of year: the time leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas. But this year, I want to focus on low-effort, high-impact dishes. Something that can serve a crowd but is not too hard to make. And these spicy candied ham bites are just the ticket. Shop The […]
Lifestyle

Your Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

This post is sponsored by Neighborly, Your Hub for Home Services The beginning of the year we're always thinking "spring cleaning." But in fall, I like to cover our bases on home maintenance before we have guests or face colder weather. I usually like to split the tasks between things we tackle ourselves and things we […]
Learn With Us
Want to do what we do? Get the tools, mentorship, and training to be a Good Influencer professionally.
Learn More
Looking for Something?

SEARCH THE BLOG

We've been doing this since 2009 and we've posted a whopping 24145+ blog posts and counting. You might need a little help searching, huh?

Can We Send You Our Love Letter?

Another way for us to stay in touch! Joining our weekly newsletter gives you access to exclusive content, never-before-seen photos, your questions answered, and our favorite DIYs. Sign up below!

hello world!
Follow Along on Instagram
Welcome to our online community where we've posted home, DIY, style, renovations, and family since '09. Renovating our #cljmoderncottage in Idaho and headed for new adventures in Raleigh, NC. #cljfam #cljtransformations
© 2024 Chris Loves Julia, LLC
PRIVACY POLICYTERMS & CONDITIONSAFFILIATE DISCLAIMERSITE CREDITCOMMUNITY GUIDELINES