Remodeling and repair expert Chris DeJulio explains how to a build a Shaker-style shelf to add a decorative and functional display area to a little girl's room. The shelves support pretty collectibles, and the pegs are handy for hanging baskets and heirloom dresses. Materials:
Pine lumber: 1" x 4" board for the peg rack, 1" x 6" board for the shelf
Shaker pegs
Wood plugs
Tape measure
Level
Straightedge
Stud finder
Saw
Pencil
Wood glue
Sandpaper
Emery board
Drill and drill bits
Hammer
Clamps
Cotton swabs
Small finishing nails or brads
Paint or stain to finish shelf as desired
Scrap of wood
Drywall screws
Screwdriver
This Shaker-style shelf can be made as long or short as you'd like. Chris made her shelves the entire length of the wall. - Determine the length and placement of the shelf. Use a level, straightedge and pencil to draw a line on the wall where the top of the shelf will be. Use a stud finder to locate studs along the line, and mark them with a pencil.
- Two pieces of pine lumber will form the peg rack and shelf. A 1" by 6" shelf balances nicely with a 1" by 4" peg rack. Cut the lumber to length, and sand any rough edges smooth.
- Mark the peg placement on the 1" by 4" board, spacing the pegs evenly at the desired distance. Clamp the board to your workbench, and drill the peg holes, using a bit that matches the pegs' diameter. Sand the holes smooth. An emery board works well for this task, fitting easily into the small hole.
- Use wood glue to attach the pegs to the board. Use a cotton swab to apply glue around the end of the peg and inside each peg hole (figure A).
- Insert each peg into a peg hole, using a hammer if necessary to tap it into place. Use a scrap of wood between the peg and the hammer as protection.
- Glued wood pieces should always be clamped together while they dry. Use small finishing nails or brads toenailed from the back of the peg rack to hold the peg firmly to the rack as the glue cures. Hammer the nail in at an angle so it goes through the peg and the shelf (figure B).
- When all the pegs are attached, the shelf may be attached to the peg rack. Align the end of the shelf with the end of the peg rack, and clamp them together to the corner of your workbench (figure C). If the shelf is very long, use a couple of pieces of scrap wood the same width as the rack to help support the shelf while you attach it.
- Drill pilot holes along the length of the shelf, lining up the edge of the shelf with the edge of the rack as you proceed along the length of the piece. Screw the shelf to the rack.
- Drill mounting holes in the peg-rack portion of the shelf. Determine the placement of the mounting holes by referring to the stud spacing along the mounting line.
- Finish the shelf as desired with paint or stain, and let it dry thoroughly overnight.
- Hold the finished shelf in place along the mounting line on the wall, and attach it to the wall with dry-wall screws. Cover the screw heads with matching painted or stained wood plugs.
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