Alcove floating shelves

[MichaelW2]

In a wonkey Victorian terrace.
What is best way to make thinnest floating shelves with no visible bracket.
I have looked on the Tube and seen those thin wooden frameworks screwed to the masonry then sandwich mdf or plywood with a facing finish. Some can get a bit chunky.
The metal bracket style needs accurate deep drilling to align the long rods inside the wooden shelf.

Any of you lot done this?

 

[presta]

In a wonkey Victorian terrace.
What is best way to make thinnest floating shelves with no visible bracket.
I have looked on the Tube and seen those thin wooden frameworks screwed to the masonry then sandwich mdf or plywood with a facing finish. Some can get a bit chunky.
The metal bracket style needs accurate deep drilling to align the long rods inside the wooden shelf.

Any of you lot done this?

If you have an alcove, you don't need any fixings in the wall at all. Put some boards with battens on against the sides of the alcove, then put the shelves on the battens. Cut the shelves so they're a tight fit, and the boards will grip the walls.

 

[MontyVeda]

Floating shelves are a terrible idea unless you want to put nothing heavier than polystyrene ornaments on them.

There's a reason we invented shelf brackets

 

[CXRAndy]

Strong shelves have 3 supporting sides and a beefed up front lip. Nothing worse than sagging shelf.

 

[MontyVeda]

If you have an alcove, you don't need any fixings in the wall at all. Put some boards with battens on against the sides of the alcove, then put the shelves on the battens. Cut the shelves so they're a tight fit, and the boards will grip the walls.
View attachment 620713

I like this a lot

 

[Gunk]

I did some about 15 years ago

Built a frame first and then top, bottom and front in MDF

 

[Gunk]

Painted them with the same paint as the walls and they look structural

 

[Cycleops]

Nothing worse than sagging shelf.

Or a sagging anything else come to that

 

[MichaelW2]

If you have an alcove, you don't need any fixings in the wall at all. Put some boards with battens on against the sides of the alcove, then put the shelves on the battens. Cut the shelves so they're a tight fit, and the boards will grip the walls.
View attachment 620713

Most DIY floating shelf designes use these batons but conceal them with an underside and front trim.

 

[Teamfixed]

These shelves have grooves in their ends and so push onto aluminium tee sections that are screws to the walls. Along the back I put a bead of "no nails" type thing and push tight to the wall. Works a treat.

 

[slowmotion]

Big holes in the brickwork, M12 steel studding, and two part polyester resin. You have to work quickly (5 minutes) to get the whole caboodle aligned before the resin starts to set rock solid. Use the shelf itself as a jig when poking the studding into the wall. It's all a bit stressful but very satisfying when you get it right.

 

[FrankCrank]

I did some about 15 years ago

View attachment 620721


Built a frame first and then top, bottom and front in MDF

View attachment 620722

Hey Gunky, I'm liking that glitter ball - can almost hear some Bee Gees music playing