Floating Shelves

Shelving FAQ's

How much do your floating shelves cost? Shelf projects have a $750 minimum, average multi-shelf projects run $1500-$2500. There are several variables that will affect pricing: shelf style, wood species, number of shelves, installation surface, etc. For shelves in Knotty Alder, under 40", they start at $300-$400, each. Longer pieces and premium woods are priced accordingly. I'm happy to provide quotes by email - just fill out the Shelf Form to get started or if you don't have a set plan yet, you can just use the Contact form to get started.

What size shelves do you offer? I offer 1.75" thick, solid wood floating shelves and 2.5"-3" thick, hollow style shelves. Typically, the thinner shelves are used in kitchens and the thicker shelves in living areas. The hollow style shelves can also be scribed to fit walls that are not completely flat (very common for shelves longer than 48"). I can make the shelves from 20" to 120" long and up to about 16" deep. I make the hollow shelves with in-shop made SOLID wood panels, rather than plywood that you would normally see from a contractor or carpenter. I believe the solid wood will give a bit more longevity and value to these pieces and can even be refinished if needed.

How sturdy are the shelves? There are several variables that will affect the real world number, but my smaller shelves can hold a minimum of 60+ pounds and larger shelves can hold much more, depending on the shelf spec. These shelves are not merely for decorative purposes but engineered to hold a substantial amount of weight.

How do you mount floating shelves? Installation is part of all my shelf projects. All shelves must be anchored into at least 2 studs or blocking (shelves under 36" have the most issues with proper anchoring). If you are building or remodeling and tiling walls, it is best to contact me during the planning stage so that I can measure the existing studs and discuss any issues - sometimes, additional bracing may be needed. From my experience, floating shelves should be the last thing to get installed - over the TOP of tile. But this method does require some prep work to go smoothly - particularly for smaller shelves.

Why mount over tile?? There are a number of reasons I prefer mounting the shelf bracket on top of the tile. First off, this makes it much easier for your tile guy. If the tiler has to go around a bracket (1.5" wide and 2'-4'+ long, depending on your shelf), it will likely cause a visual issue if things do not line up perfectly. Second and most important is flexibility. Plans change. Things get moved. If you should need to adjust the shelf placement once the project is further along, it becomes impossible or very expensive, once the tile (or even drywall) is done. There is a lot of visual fine tuning of shelf placement that needs to happen at install - not during framing. This is a fairly new approach to mounting floating shelves, so many contractors and builders are not even familiar or comfortable with it. With proper planning, it will cause less problems for everyone involved.

What about installing in a niche (recessed area)? Niches are never square, making it extremely difficult to get a perfect fit with a stained product (painted shelves simply get caulked). I normally install the shelves about 1"-1.5" away from the side wall, so there is an intentional space. Another method is to build the shelves on site to fit the space, but that is not a service I provide. (this method typically nails the face board into place which is not ideal with a stain grade product, even with wood filler.)

What about shelf brackets? The most common problem with any type of (visible) bracket is that the studs don't line up with where you want to put the shelf or the brackets won't be evenly spaced. For those that really like the look of rustic brackets, I have options to add them to the floating shelves (or mantels) just for appearance.