How to make chunky floating alcove shelves
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 มี.ค. 2018
- We tried many methods and settled on this one for making fitted chunky shelving with concealed supports. The video is a summary of how to build this style of floating shelves, showing you the internal component parts and outer skins, with a detailed description of how we manufacture and install them. For more details subscribe or search for other videos on my channel showing projects in which we have built more of these shelves, also in oak. They are strong, tight fitting and they look great. These white ones are made from moisture resistant MDF (Medite brand) spray painted in a white eggshell finish but we also use a similar method for solid woods, birch plywood, or oak veneered MDF with solid oak lipping.
If this video helps you please support future content by donating at www.buymeacoffee.com/freebird thanks!
I just followed this video to make my first floating shelves and they've worked out great. Many thanks for giving me the confidence (and information) to get it done.
That’s great! I’m glad it helped
Alastair, many thanks for this. I made a shelf based on this. It worked well and has a very solid feel to it. It's quite thick at 54mm, though I think that'll be seen as a feature. I made a slight mistake in that I made the strengthening piece 20mm shorter than the overall shelf length from either end, but after scribing to the wall and cutting to the scribe I found the strengthening piece was too long and sat on the wall batten. Lets hope I don't make that mistake again.
Just used this method to do mine. They're spot on. Thanks for the vid. Although I forgot to turn the top one upside-down 🤦
Love how it looks and simple to make!
This is exactly what I was looking for. Beautiful
Good, thanks for letting me know!
Great video as a cabinet maker I wouldn't use glue to put them in if you ever need to get them out cutting the cork will do it but with glue that are stuck solid
Excellent video. Thank you this has given me many ideas!
I’m glad to hear it! What are you thinking?
That was really useful thank you
Great video. Always wondered about the production process
Steven Murphy my most off the cuff video and my most popular!
nice tip, turning the top shelf upside down to show the shop-finished lip joint. ty for making vid.
great method I've made quite a few here in London using 32mm batons and 9mm skin but your way achieves the same result with less effort.
michael burton thanks for commenting! I’m always questioning methods and thinking there’s a better way. My friend Jamie Jackson does them a similar way to this except he 45degree bevel cuts the meeting edges of the top slab and the lip and glues them together to create the lipped assembly without any edge grain to be sanded.
YEEESSSSSSSS, METRIC!
As much as I appreciate the content people create on here, I cannot get along with Americans and their 4/16ths, ounces and the like.
Thank you.
Nate Svensson you might like my SketchUp training series aimed at Metric users! th-cam.com/play/PL8WrSzZHZZN9DSOso0ezrfNwzHt0WHStG.html
TOTALLY AGREE!!!
not to mention stealing our language - and thinkin we wouldnt notice coz they threw a few extra z's in there...they probably thought that we'd think they were speaking German....eh....hello....we know its English! (it is, isnt it?)
Top notch !
Rewatched this video again :)
Hello my friend. Great video. 4 steps for you. 🔔 +++
R.Q 47 alyô glad you liked it, thanks for commenting, check out my more recent content it’s much better 😁
Great video as always, you making to look this so easy!
Does this method will be strong enough for lots of books to store it?
Many thanks for your time
Very strong yes!
Hi can I ask which is better to hold the weight of books. Solid wood or MDF?
Great work Alastair. Do you find you need to scribe the shelves sometimes or do you always pre-make them at the workshop?
Terry Towelling ALWAYS scribe! Shelves are made 20mm oversize in the workshop. I’m planning a detailed start to finish video on making, painting and fitting these shelves.
Thanks. I did wonder how you got it so tight! Would like to see your process when it’s done.
Sorry, please excuse my ignorance, but what exactly do you mean by "scribing to the wall"? Thanks.
Made some like this- they look good - my comments for anyone else trying it: Dont use MDF for the battens - too weak. You need to be able to cut the lip accurately - difficult unless you have a panel saw. Get builders merchant to do it. I tried using pocket screws for the first time - found it tricky to get the lip aligned just right and avoid the screw going right through. It was a cheap jig though. I ended up countersinking holes on the lip face and just putting in screws at right angles and then using woodfiller. I also think you could easily get away with thinner MDF at least on the bottom.
I do prefer birch ply or other materials for the battens but can make it work with mdf! As long as you fix into the face not through the edge layers which will split. The reason I standardised 18mm top and bottom is to allow me to fix the battens then decide later which way up to fit the shelves (whether the seam should be top or bottom) without it messing with the shelf spacings. Also I’ve since improved the method by fixing the lower piece to the battens using modesty blocks and the 18mm thickness allows me to screw down into the base piece from above so the whole things is secured invisibly with no pinning and filling
@@Alastair_Freebird ah, good tip about using mdf face of the battens. I was using them the other way so that I knew they were exactly 18mm thick
Firstly thanks for all your great and instructional videos. I noticed that you only paint one side of the MDF - I assume you never get any problems with the MDF bowing?
Never never ever been an issue 😀 I understand what you mean though, but when the part is restrained as part of a rigid assembly it can’t bow. I over engineer any cabinet with mdf - posts in base cabinets, 18mm backs, 22 mm shelves in bookcases and screws through the back edge too, I can’t stand a sagging or bowing mdf shelf and won’t build in a way that might risk that. The Finsa Fibrapan Hidrofugo mdf we use now is also a lot more rigid even than the Medite stuff we were using at the time of this video
@@Alastair_Freebird thanks for that and for the recommendation for the MDF. I’ll be trying your method & construction for floating shelves. They will have to be hand painted though 😕
Hi, I came across your video while researching how to make my own alcove shelves. A quick question if I may... my alcoves are roundabout 1800mm. Do you think this width with your method will be ok without sagging, or should I put additional centre batons to provide reinforcement?
Hi Nick they may be ok considering they are supported all along the back but I prefer to be on the safe side and to avoid any slight sagging on the lip I would be recommending to a customer that we add some dividers between shelves to tie things together.
Hi Alistair! I watched your video and it’s super helfpful. My selves are 1.8m long by 0.3m deep. I read in one of your responses and you mentioned you would recommend dividers in that case. What do you mean by dividers?
Amazing video! You mention that the top shelf is upside down, how do you you fix it to the supporting rails? Thanks!!!
Barbara Giardelli since this old video we have developed our methods and we now support the lower part using white plastic ‘modesty blocks’ screwed first into the wall battens, the screwed down into the lower part using 25mm screws.
See this video from about 8:50 onwards: th-cam.com/video/Un4_RV0Ic74/w-d-xo.html
I am following your step by step guide it's my first ever project, due to being let down by a joiner. I was wondering what you use to secure the lip onto the top piece thanks in advance
Kirsty Garratt hi that’s very ambitious, it will be a challenge to get a good fit and finish without the right tools and experience but I wish you luck! 32mm coarse thread Kreg pocket hole screws in pocket holes drilled using a Kreg jig: www.amazon.co.uk/R3-Promo-Kreg-Pocket-Classic-Clamp/dp/B01G3VP3N8/ref=asc_df_B01G3VP3N8/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=375505879622&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2272789152692927705&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046355&hvtargid=pla-571578792158&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=76297946385&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=375505879622&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2272789152692927705&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046355&hvtargid=pla-571578792158
@@Alastair_Freebird Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly and for sharing the link. Yes it is very challenging I have built the cupboards, doors and used concealed hinges. I have the shelves left to do and to paint the final piece.
It may be worth trying the templating method shown here, I’ve taken to doing this more often lately: instagram.com/p/B8g3pBAgQfS/?igshid=lk3rb1rhmwg3
@@kirstygarratt2397 about to start this at home. What materials did you use?
Can you make a shelf and place it on thicker batten without securing further as I need a removable shelf I can lift up as the cupboard it will be in is near a access point to a stack pipe that I may need quick access to?
Great method.quick question what would you charge for doing this for a customer?
Depends on quantity of shelves etc - you can download our full pricelist for this sort of work here: www.dotgo.uk/shared/images/content/bus_53023/pdf/Freebird_Alcoves_Pricelist_and_Examples_PDF.pdf
Freebird Fitted Furniture thank you
I'm a complete novice but I want to do this. I take it I just need to take my time and triple check everything?
ShaneJoshua1980 yes that’s certainly a good starting approach! Honestly though it’s not at all easy and I rely on a lot of expensive tools to do it well - especially the scribing part. There are lots of aspects of the job that will probably catch you out. Like oversizing the lipping just right so it’s not too small to cover the base part/ big enough for a bit of tolerance and to allow sanding the edge grain as smooth as possible/but not too big that you’re spending ages trying to sand it flush. If you’re taking your time I suggest loose fitting them unpainted, then numbering and removing the parts to paint them, including priming the cut edges, then refitting them when dry. Easier to paint that way, and the caulk will bond better into the primed edge. Before we started spray painting we did all our painting with Leyland acrylic premier undercoat and acrylic eggshell, applied with a mini foam roller. The thick paint takes to the mdf well without wetting it and raising the grain too much. Be sure to denib in between coats with fine sandpaper (180 grit minimum) for a better final finish.
Really helpful video, Alastair, thank you. I have alcoves 145cm wide and would like to build in floating shelves for books. Do you think that would work, given the span and potential weight of books? Or should I think about additional support?
Neil Wood yes I have decided that I am confident in this structure up to 150cm. Beyond that I prefer to add some dividers to tie shelves together.
More information here: instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3ODg0Nzc3MTk4NjgzNzUy?igshid=1gavd8ni3jegu&story_media_id=2378383905805587144
@@Alastair_Freebird Great - many thanks for confirming.
Hi Alastair,just wondering what size screws do you use for the pocket hole for the 18mm lip,I was doing this and found the 1.25inch screw would start to pierce out through the edge of the 18mm lipping,any advice on this,I even done it with the 1inch screw for joining a 12mm ply shelf to 18mm mdf lipping and I got the same problem.super video by the way,love seeing your work,some finish I must say.
Paula and Brendan Tobin Gleeson hi, when both boards are 18mm thick and the kreg jig and drill collar are both set to the 3/4” setting the 32mm screws are just right. It does help to set the drill collar a mm or 2 further forward to be on the safe side, and don’t overtighten the screw
@@Alastair_Freebird 👍 thanks
Can you use mdf for the Battons that are Screwd to the wal
I used MDF but I woudnt recommend it - i found it splits and deforms if you tighten the screws much.
How do you prevent the bottoms from falling out? Did you nail them into the battons?
Lily Dixon hi we used to use small brad nails from the nail gun but lately we fix the base first with screws using plastic ‘modesty blocks’ fitted first to the battens: instagram.com/p/B_4lx5ujAxp/?igshid=fdxbr3rpidhu
Where did u get the shelves from? I need someone to do this for me. Looks great.
Elllzzzzzz we make them from scratch www.freebirdinteriors.co.uk
Our site that has more info about these including pricing is www.sheffieldalcovestorage.com
@@Alastair_Freebird do you fit this? Do you do free quotes? I just want one alcove doing and I'm in Manchester lol
Check the pricing at that link but note that I will have to add a surcharge for travel and my prices are literally about to go up around 10% from February. If the price still looks ok for you we can discuss it, drop us an email via the website 👍
@@Alastair_Freebird I've clicked the link and it says error on page =(
How Thick are those shelf faces ? 2" ?
Hi Steve, 3 x 18mm = 54mm. We actually cut the strips at 56mm allowing a 1mm overhang top and bottom before the whole assembly is sanded flush prior to painting, and to allow for some variation in actual thickness of the parts.
Alastair, please come to Cornwall. Trying to get any trade to return a call or reply to an email seems impossible, never mind actually come out! Your shelves look amazing.
Ironic I didn’t reply until now sorry! Did you find anyone yet?
@@Alastair_Freebird Hi Alastair. I have finally found someone who lives locally. Really appreciate you took the time to ask though. Thank you.
Make it wooden with the help of the Stodoys instructions.