Dark Walnut Floating Shelves

This project taught me a valuable lesson: sometimes you have to fail before you can succeed.

Attempt #1: The French Cleat Disaster

My first attempt was using 3/4" plywood with a French cleat system. It was my first time ever making a French cleat, and I made all kinds of mistakes.

I did eventually get them up on the wall, but they were too flimsy and didn't hold anything. The French cleat wasn't long enough to provide proper support. And to make things worse, when I tried to adjust them, I ended up ripping a bit of drywall off.

Time to rethink this whole thing.

Finding DIY Creators

Back to YouTube I went. I found a video from DIY Creators where he built beautiful floating shelves for his bathroom. His design was solid and well-explained.

I modified his design to fit my needs:

• Made them about half the size of his

• Built six instead of three (twice as many)

• Positioned them to flank the TV in our living room

First Time Staining

This was my first time ever staining anything. I went with a dark walnut stain to match our living room decor. The process was nerve-wracking – you only get one shot to get it right on the visible surfaces.

After staining, I applied a few coats of polyurethane for protection and shine. Another first! I was learning so much on this one project.

The Result

They ended up coming out pretty good! The six shelves flanking the TV look intentional and designed, like they belong there. They're solid, they hold things, and Clarissa approved.

The failed first attempt was frustrating, but it pushed me to find a better solution. Sometimes you have to rip some drywall off before you figure out how to do it right.