Hey guys!

Wanted to share a quick and easy project I tackled this past weekend… DIY Shelving! I am using them for plants (because #therearemany), but you could use these anywhere. Granted, we had most of the supplies needed on hand from finishing the stairs; however, a quick trip to your local hardware store would provide you with everything you need. You can customize everything from the thickness of the shelving to the stain color to the brackets. The shelf world is your proverbial oyster, friends.

What I used:

• Pine lumber (2 inches thick x 10 wide) cut into two 24 inch pieces
• Palm sander
• 4 Quatrefoil style brackets with mounting hardware
• Minwax Wood Conditioner
• Duraseal Walnut Wood Stain
• Lots of paper towels
• Commercial grade polyurethane in a satin finish — you can use any of the brands found at your local store; gloss finish is another option that would give you a less rustic look.
• One paintbrush for oil-based products — get the cheap one because you’ll want to throw this away when you’re done.
• One paintbrush for sealants and adhesives — again, think cheap.
• Drill
• Measuring tape

Sand down your boards and wipe away excess dust with a damp papertowel.

Lowe’s 

I used some wood conditioner prior to staining to prevent blotchiness of the stain; the pine had been in our garage for awhile and was dry. This will add about 45 minutes of application and dry time to your project.

Grab your oil paintbrush and put the stain on. This is where the art comes in… Depending on how dark you want the stain to be and how grainy or marbled you want the wood to look will determine how long you leave it on before wiping and how hard you wipe with your paper towels. Follow the instructions on the product you choose. Whatever you decide, you want to keep moving and be consistent so that your final products are uniform. (ie- this is not the time to contribute to a group text or chat with your curious neighbor.)

After the stain dries, it’s time to seal it with polyurethane. Keep in mind, once you seal it you are done. You can’t go back and add stain or remove stain after the poly dries without re-sanding and starting from scratch. Make sure you’re happy before you seal!

I wanted a more rustic finish on my shelving, so I used satin finish poly. I applied it with a short hair sealant brush (about $3) and propped it up to dry overnight.

Then comes the fun part – deciding where to hang these bad boys!

I ultimately decided to hang one in the foyer. I had toyed with the idea of putting two in the piano room and then decided it would look too crowded. My second idea was to put them over the toilet in our master bathroom, but we then realized there are no studs in the right place! Third time’s a charm, they say. This extra space in the foyer will be a great place for decorations and plants! Who knows where the other one will end up!