Easy Baseboard Shelf

I love finding abandoned materials and turning them into something new! I recently saw some baseboards in a trash heap in front of a remodel and asked the owners if I could take them. They were happy to let me have them so I cleaned them up and turned them into super easy to make shelves!

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Materials:

• 5ft of salvaged 1”x2” molding board
• 5ft of salvaged 3¼” baseboard
• Wood Screws
• Chalked spray paint

Tools:

• Hand Drill
• Drill Bits
• Hand Saw or Miter Saw

1. Clean up the boards with a damp cloth and check for any dings or marks.
2. Cut both boards to the same length. I made mine 5ft long using a miter saw but you could use a hand saw as well (ends may look a bit rough). Hold them up against each other to double check that the lengths look even.
3. Paint the boards now before you screw them together. It will save you a headache! I really like using “chalked” spray paint since it doesn’t require any priming and gives a clean matte look. 2 coats is totally fine.

I used the M4x50 screws from this assorted pack but any thin wood screw around 2" will work.

Follow the images above to screw the boards together. You can drill a pilot hole first if you’d like but I found that the boards were soft enough to go straight into them. Screw the baseboard to the narrow edge of the molding board. 3 screws should be enough but you may want to use 5 if your shelf is over 6ft long.

I know lots of people are afraid to screw into their walls but this is a great project to start on! Normally you would need to find a stud or use wall anchors, but since this shelf is so light and narrow, you can screw it right into the wall. That being said, this shelf is intended to hold pictures and nick nacks so keep it under 20lbs.

For this step, you will need to drill pilot holes through the molding board otherwise your board won’t be able to mount all the way against the wall. Drill two holes (about a foot from the ends of the board) with the 3/16” bit if you're using the M4x50 screws.

Pick the location and height of the shelf and screw one screw through the pilot hole and into the wall. The shelf should be able to pivot on that screw so now is the time to level the shelf. After it’s level, screw the second screw through the pilot hole into the wall.

The baseboard has a convenient lip on it to hold pictures and frames from sliding off the shelf. Enjoy your new shelf!

Don’t forget to follow my other projects on Instagram @Trevor_DIY

Thanks for reading! If you liked this one, check out my other easy woodworking projects:

Easy Pallet Bench

1 Hour Coffee Table