DIY: Set of Three Hexagon Shelves

Tired of your traditional shelf? Build a unique set of hexagon shelves. These shelves are very easy to make and affordable. They can be time-consuming, but they are good for beginners. You can customize the size of these shelves depending on your wall size or the area you are wanting to cover. If you follow these instructions, you will end up with three individual hexagons. There are so many different layouts you can use with these. You can separate them as I did above, or you can add more and connect them to form a honeycomb shape. They are so easy to put your own spin on.

• 1x6 wood (non-treated) - Depending on the size of the shelf you are making and how many will determine how much wood is necessary. I used two 1x6x8 pieces of pine and this made 3 hexagons measuring 17 1/8” W x 14 7/8” H x 5 1/2” D.
• Tape measure
• Painter’s tape
• Wood glue
• Small paintbrush
• Wood filler
• Gloves
• Level
• Palm Sander
• Sandpaper (120 and 220 grit)
• Stain -You can choose to stain your shelves or leave them natural. I used the stain “Minwax Wood Finish Penetrating Stain” in Honey.
• Sponge brush
• Damp microfiber cloth
• 1.25" Brad Nails
• Brad Nailer
• Miter Saw
• Plastic or Carboard to lay the shelves on for drying
• 3M Command Strips

Cut eighteen 9” pieces of wood. This will make three shelves, each consisting of six 9” pieces. Make sure to measure and cut each piece of wood individually. The reason for doing so is to eliminate as much error as possible. Keep in mind the width of the blade, as the saw will take off more than the line drawn to mark the spot. It also makes a difference whether you cut from the right, left, or center of the line drawn. Choose one, and make sure to put the blade in the same spot on each cut.

Set the miter saw to 30 degrees. Make an angled cut on each side of the 9” piece of wood. Do this for all 18 pieces of wood. Make sure to line the blade up with the point on the end of the piece of wood. The piece that is cut off will look like a tiny triangle.

Apply tape to six 9” pieces of wood on the outside of each piece. So that all six are in a straight line from edge to edge. For example, lay down each piece from angle to angle, inside facing down. Apply two pieces of tape connecting all six pieces together. Make sure there are no gaps between pieces and leave six inches of tape on one side to make the final connection. Then flip boards over onto taped side. The purpose of the tap is to hold the hexagon’s shape in place while nailing.

Apply wood glue to every angled edge. Smooth glue out with finger or small paintbrush. Avoid using your finger unless you have gloves on

Start to fold boards up so that two angles meet. Stop when it resembles a half-circle. Nail three nails into the angle on each board. Two nails need to be a ½” from either side and one in the middle. Make sure the nails are parallel with the board that is being nailed into. Do not worry about removing the tape before nailing. The nails will go right through and the tape will be able to be removed once all sides have been nailed together.

Continue until all sides are glued and nailed together.

Remove tape and wipe off any excess glue on the hexagon.

Apply wood filler to all nail holes and seams. It takes about 2 hours for the wood filler to dry enough to sand.

Sand down all the spots where the wood filler was used and edges with 120 grit sandpaper on a palm sander. Then do a quick sanding over the entire hexagon with 220 grit sandpaper. Wipe off all dust with a damp microfiber cloth.

Apply one coat of Minwax Wood Finish Penetrating Stain in the color of choice with the sponge brush. Apply as many coats as needed to attain the desired color. Wipe off excess with a paper towel or an old cotton t-shirt. Allow this to dry according to the instructions on the back of the can.

Attach four 3M strips to the back of each hexagon.

Begin hanging shelves onto the wall in the desired layout. Make sure to check the placement of the shelves with a level.

Decorate! Make sure to wait the instructed time that the 3M strips require.