Are you always looking for more storage space? These customizable shelves are cute, practical and super easy to put together.
What you’ll need:
Here's what you'll need to build your own wood and rope display shelves. (Photo by Sarah Walor)
• 3 wood boards (mine were 28-inches long, 5 ½-inches wide, and ½-inch thick)
• 1 3/8-inch-wide wooden dowel, cut into eight, 2-inch long pieces
• Saw
• Sandpaper
• Paint or wood stain
• Drill
• Rope (I used a natural fiber Manila rope that was 3/8-inch wide)
• Wall hook
Instructions:
1. Choose wood boards for your shelves Decide how many shelves you would like and what length you would like them to be —the hardware store can cut the wood to size for you. The thicker the wood is, the heavier the shelf will be.
2. Drill a hole into the four corners of each board Measure to ensure all the holes are the same distance from the edge of the board. Drill the holes slightly larger than the width of your rope.
3. Sand the boards and paint them Sand your boards lightly, especially around the edges and the holes. Then paint or stain the boards with a color of your choice.
4. Cut the rope and thread it through the boards Cut the rope into two equal lengths (the length will depend on the number of shelves and their spacing.) Wrap tape around one end of the rope to make it easier to push it through the holes you have drilled. Starting with the bottom board, thread one length of rope up through the holes in the lower right side of each board. Leave a 1- to 2-foot loop of rope at the top before threading it back down through the lower left hole of each board. Repeat the process with the second length of rope and the remaining holes.
5. Knot each end of the rope underneath the bottom shelf Fray the rope if you like that look.
To fray or not to fray? The best part about these shelves are how easy they are to customize to your taste. (Photo by Sarah Walor)
6. Cut the dowel into pieces Use a hand saw to cut the dowel into 2-inch long pieces. You will need a dowel to support each corner of each shelf, except for the bottom shelf, which will be held in place by the knots.
7. Evenly space out the shelves Insert a dowel into the twist of the rope horizontally at each corner, under every shelf, to hold the shelf in place. You can scoot the dowel up or down if you need to adjust the spacing, once the shelf is hanging up.
8. Hang your shelf Mount a strong metal hook onto the wall and hang the shelf by placing the rope loops over the hook.
The finished product. Display small books and mementos on your custom-made shelves. (Photo by Sarah Walor)
