Picture frame shelves are an easy beginner DIY woodworking project and cost less than the factory-made versions from the store. They provide the perfect place to display photos, artwork, and decor and can be designed to fit in with the style of your home.
CREATE | Updated February 18, 2025
I love the idea of being able to switch out photographs and meaningful decor often without having to add another nail into the wall.
Narrow picture ledges are the best way to do that. They can hold a collection of pictures, art, architectural salvage, and even small plants, amongst other things.
I've even seen them used in children's bedrooms to display their collection of picture books. Short shelves would also make an ideal place to store spices in pretty glass jars in the kitchen (complete with a custom spice jar label, of course!)
The possibilities are endless and while they can be purchased already made (links to those appear at the end of the post if you aren't ready to DIY), making these basic shelves is an easy DIY project for practically any homeowner looking to change up their decor.
In this tutorial, you'll find out what supplies you'll need to buy and exactly how to build this useful display space.
What Is a Picture Ledge Wall Shelf?
A picture ledgeis a shelf created with three boards attached in an L shape with a little lip in the front to keep your pictures and framed items from sliding off. They are also referred to as a floating ledge because they don't have any brackets showing.
They can be made of any type of wood and come painted or stained from a variety of retailers at different price points.
Making these shelves is actually a very basic building project that anyone can try, though. You don’t even need power tools to construct them, although they do make the job easier.
The Benefits of Building Your Own Narrow Picture Shelves
- Affordable: While they can be pricey to purchase from retailers like Pottery Barn, floating ledges are actually a budget-friendly DIY project using just a few pieces of narrow stock lumber and some screws and wood glue.
- No Saw Required: The lumber you’ll use for the shelves come in even numbered lengths ranging from 2 to 12 foot, so you most likely won’t need to cut the boards depending on the shelf size you want.
- Customized: You can build different lengths of shelves depending on what you’ll do with them. They can be staggered or hung in a row or add one long one behind the sofa. Use paint or stain depending on your style preferences.
- Works for Any Style: The basic design works well with almost any home design based on how you style the shelfs and the stain or paint treatment you choose. From modern to farmhouse and everything in between, these shelves can be built to add character to your home.
- Space Saving: These shelves don’t stick out far from the wall making them convenient for decorating hallways or small spaces.
- Decorate a Hard to Style Space: These shelves are the ideal way to hide the unsightly thermostat that many of us have hanging on the living room wall. Center it over the sofa or other furniture and layer pieces that are easy to move aside for access. They also easily fill long streches of wall that you may be unsure of how to treat.
What You'll Need
You likely already have most of the basic supplies that you need and may even have some scrap boards that will work perfectly for this project! A full supply list and tutorial appear at the end of this post for your convenience.
- Wood Boards: You’ll need 1”x3” boards for the shelf and backside and a 3/8”x2” board for the front lip in whatever length you’d like. I bought premium pine boards from Lowe’s that are smooth and ready for easy staining, but you can use the less pricey options in any wood type. You may even have scrap pieces lying around that will work.
- Screws: 1 1/2” wood screws are needed for building the shelves and 2” screws are best for attaching the ledge to the wall.
- Wood Glue: Even though you are screwing the boards together, adding glue strengthens the bond of the shelf.
- Nails: To attach the front lip onto the shelf. I used a finish nailer, but a hammer and nails will work if that is what you have.
- Sandpaper
- Stain or Paint: I used a half and half mix of Cappuccino and Natural Stain and Finishing Oil from Fusion.
- Stainable Wood Putty: For hiding the nail holes in the front.
- Small Level: To make sure your shelves are installed straight.
Tools You May Find Useful:
This project can be completed without power tools, but they do help for a smoother build if you have them.
- Finish Nailer: (Optional)This is used to attach the front lip onto the shelf. I also nailed the back boards together before I screwed them because it was easier than holding them into place.
- Drill with a screwdriver attachment: (Optional) Use to predrill holes where you’ll be placing screws to keep the wood from splitting and to screw your boards together.
- Miter Saw: (Optional) For cutting raw ends off your boards and cutting the boards to length if necessary. You can use a hand saw for this or buy the boards in the right dimension.
How to Build Gallery Shelves for Your Wall
STEP 1: The cut edges of purchased boards are often rough, and if that is the case, you may want to slice off the end before you begin measuring for your shelves.
Otherwise, measure and cut sections of your boards to the length you desire.
STEP 2: Sand the edges and any rough spots on your boards with a fine grit sandpaper.
STEP 3: You can either stain/paint your individual boards before you attach them together or do the shelf as a whole after it is constructed.
While it is a matter of personal preference, I chose to stain each of my boards individually before screwing and nailing the shelf together because I think it is easier to remove the stain after brushing it on. I used a half and half mix of Cappuccino and Natural Stain and Finishing Oil to coordinate with the feet I stained on my sofa.
Allow your finish of choice to dry thoroughly.
STEP 4: Predrill holes that are slightly smaller than the width of your screws wherever you plan on placing a screw. This keeps your boards from splitting and will make it easier to get the screw into your wood.
STEP 5: Using 1 1/2 inch wood screws, attach the two lengths of you 1x3 boards together to form an L shape with the vertical back board sitting behind the horizontal shelf board. The number of screws you'll use will vary by the length of your board. For my 2 1/2 foot shelf, I used three screws spaced evenly.
STEP 6: Spread wood glue along the front edge of your L shelf. This is where you'll be attaching the board for the front lip.
STEP 7: Then use your nailer to securely attach the thin board to the front of the shelf.
STEP 8: Fill the tiny holes made by the nail with wood filler and then touch up the spot with your stain or paint when it is dry.
Now it is time to install your shelves!
STEP 9: You'll need to find where your wall studs are located and screw into them if possible to create a sturdy shelf, especially if you plan on resting a lot of weight on it.
Mark on your shelf the location where you'll be adding the screws and then pre-drill a pilot hole slightly smaller than your screw size.
Hold the shelf up to the wall and place your 2 inch screws into the holes. Use a small level to ensure that your shelf is hanging straight, then use the drill to screw them into the wall. The screws will not be hidden, but you'll be resting things on your shelf so they shouldn't be too noticeable, if at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to some questions you may have about building your own shelves. If you don’t see your question answered here, feel free to send me an email and I’ll be happy to help.
HOW MUCH WEIGHT CAN BE PLACED ON THE SHELF?
Since these shelves are screwed together, they are sturdy enough to hold any of your framed art and decor, but it is wise to screw the shelf into studs in the wall for the most secure hold.
CAN BOARDS BE USED IN OTHER DIMENSIONS?
Absolutely! This tutorial was written so that you could recreate the exact shelves that I built, but you are welcome to use boards that are wider or more narrow than the ones I’ve mentioned here.In addition to varying widths for the shelf, you can also install the front lip on top of the shelf board if you have already have a board that is a bit shorter.
I would suggest you not go any wider than a 1”x6” board for the shelf, though, as a board that is too wide will become unstable.
DO YOU HAVE ANY STYLING TIPS FOR HOW TO USE THESE SHELVES?
The best way to decorate your handmade shelves is through layering your favorite decor pieces. Overlap smaller prints over larger frames or a mirror. Choose pieces that are hung vertically as well as horizontally. Tuck in coordinating decor and pieces of architectural salvage.
Use this as a display space for family photos, favorite artwork, meaningful quotes, painted signs and more. Choose pieces that contrast against one another, yet coordinate as a whole.
Where to Buy Pre-Made Art Shelves
Many retailers carry picture ledge shelves in store and online. They come in a variety of lengths and finishes at prices ranging from low to high. There is even some options made of metal and acrylic.
If you love the idea of adding these floating shelves to your wall, but DIY is not your thing, here are some of my favorite finished shelves for you browse.
CLICK THE LEFT AND RIGHT ARROWS TO BROWSE THROUGH THE CHOICES
This beginner friendly DIY woodworking project is a fun way to get the Pottery Barn Look for way less. Layer some canvas prints , favorite quotes or other decor leaning on the shelf for an ever-changing display.
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Side Table Makeover - Skip the stain and try antiquing wax for a realistic aged wood finish.
DIY Farmhouse Fireplace Build - Inspired by modern farmhouse fireplaces found online, I constructed a faux fireplace surround for my living room remodel.
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HOW TO BUILD A PICTURE LEDGE SHELF
SUPPLIES
- Wood Boards - I used 1x3 boards for the shelf and back and 3/8x2 project boards for the front lip
- Screws - 1 1/2 inch for building shelves and 2 inch for attaching to wall.
- Wood glue
- Nails
- Sandpaper
- Stain or paint
- Stainable Wood putty
- Small Level: To make sure your shelves are installed straight.
- Finish Nailer (optional)
- Drill with a screwdriver attachment (optional)
- Miter Saw (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: The cut edges of purchased boards are often rough, and if that is the case, you may want to cut off the end before you begin measuring for your shelves. Otherwise, measure and cut sections of your boards to the length you desire.
STEP 2: Sand the edges and any rough spots on your boards with a fine grit sandpaper.
STEP 3: You can either stain/paint your individual boards before you attach them together or you can do the shelf as a whole piece when it is constructed. While it is a matter of preference, I chose to stain each of my boards before screwing and nailing the shelf together because I think it is easier to remove the stain after brushing it on. I used a half and half mix of Cappuccino and Natural Stain and Finishing Oil to coordinate with the feet I stained on my sofa. Allow your finish of choice to dry thoroughly.
STEP 4: Predrill holes that are slightly smaller than the width of your screws wherever you plan on placing a screw. This keeps your boards from splitting and will make it easier to get the screw into your wood.
STEP 5: Using 1 1/2 inch screws, attach two lengths of you 1x3 boards together to form an L shape where the vertical back board will be sitting behind the horizontal shelf board. The number of screws that you'll use will vary as to the length of your board. For my 2 1/2 foot shelf, I used three screws.
STEP 6: Spread wood glue along the front edge of your L shelf.
STEP 7: Then use your nailer to attach the thin board to the front of the shelf.
STEP 8: Fill the tiny holes made by the nail with wood filler and then touch up the spot with your stain or paint when it is dry.
STEP 9: Find where your wall studs are located and screw into them if possible to create a sturdy shelf, especially if you plan on resting a lot of weight on it. Mark on your shelf the location where you'll be adding the screws and then pre-drill a pilot hole slightly smaller than your screw size. Hold the shelf up to the wall and pit your 2 inch screws in the holes. Use a small level to ensure that your shelf is hanging straight, the screw into the wall. The screws will not be hidden here, but since you'll be resting things on your shelf they shouldn't be too noticeable, if at all.