Start the Job with this Supply List
It’s a fairly simple build, and honestly, an inexpensive project. You might be initially confused when you first read that you need painters tape and tie down straps, but stay with me. I promise it will all make sense by the end.
HEXAGON FLOATING SHELVES Supplies
- Safety Supplies (Safety goggles, ear plugs and mask)
- 1x4s
- Miter saw
- Sander
- 220 grit sandpaper
- Wood glue
- Painters tape
- Tie straps (sounds odd, but it’s a great tool to hold it all together while wood dries)
- Fusion Mineral Paint stain & finishing oil – I used Driftwood and Ebony
- Brad nailer (optional but adds additional support)
- Router with key hole bit
Design Inspiration Tailored to Your Style
Now, I would suggest hopping on Pinterest or Instagram and finding design inspiration that fits the needs of the space you wish to decorate. As I mentioned early, there are no rules for how many you can place on a wall. You can allow the shelf sizes to vary, bringing intrigue to the honeycomb pattern, or you can keep things standard with one or two shelves with similar measurements. I love a more natural look for my floating shelves, so I used a Fusion Mineral Paint stain and finishing oil. I used Driftwood for my first stain coating and Ebony for the second coat.
1 – Let’s Build Together-Safely
Safety first! Always use correct and fitted protective eyewear, a mask and hearing protection when using a miter saw and other power tools.
2 – Make Your Cuts
Once you’re all set with your protective gear, set your miter saw to a 30 degree angle as pictured here.
When you’re happy with the positioning, cut your first angle to give you a starting edge.
To continue the cuts, turn the board over, measure out 6” (or smaller/larger depending on how big you want your shelf to be) from the edge, and cut again. I like to use a square to draw the line all the way across the board.
Be sure to flip the board so that the angles are identical on each side. You can use this photo for reference.
Repeat these steps until you have six identical boards. It’s important that your cuts are precise so that your hexagon edges line up perfectly. If you make a slight mistake, it can be masked with putty later, but it’s best to make the most precise initial cuts on the first go-around. Take the time to prep your work. You’ll be very happy that you did!
3 – Sand Your Boards
Once all six boards are cut, you are ready to sand. Be sure to avoid sanding down the angled edges as this can impact how your pieces fit together. Your goal is to sand the tops, sides and any frayed edges from the miter saw.
4 – Let’s Stain!
Once the sanding is complete, you are ready to stain your work! You can also stain at the end of the project if you prefer, but I found it easier to stain first and then assemble. For this project, I selected my first coat in Fusions Stain & Finishing Oil in Driftwood and then I followed it up with a coat in Ebony. I love layering stains to create a truly custom color.
To begin, open the can, stir well and brush on. It doesn’t matter how it’s brushed on. The Stain and Finishing Oil is really forgiving. After it’s brushed on, wipe away the excess with a clean cloth. Pro tip: The longer you let the stain sit, the darker it will be. You can also add additional coats for darker coverage. My project includes one coat of Driftwood and one coat of Ebony.
Side note: No matter how careful I am, I always end up with stain somewhere on my body. Anyone else experience this too? It’s a DIY rite of passage!
5 – Line Up Using Your Painter’s Tape
When your stain is dry, you are ready to assemble! Start by laying out each piece edge to edge with the long side facing up. Take your painters tape, and tape two strips across the line of six boards as pictured here. This keeps everything perfectly in place and ready to be glued. Don’t skip this step!
6 – Glue Time
Once your pieces are held together in a consecutive line, flip the boards over. Now add a professional strength wood glue to all of the edges. Use your finger to push the glue into the wood. Think of the wood edges like a straw. We want to “plug the straw” with glue before gluing. So for now, simply put glue on your angled edges and push it into the wood fibers with your finger. Then let it dry completely. You’re not piecing anything together here, you’re just putting glue on the wood. This will make your bond stronger when it’s time to assemble.
Once the glue is dry (15-20 min), add another layer of wood but this time just smear it across the edge to ensure the glue is fully covering the edge.
7 – Assemble Your Boards
While this 2nd layer of clue is still wet, lift the “board line” up on its edge, and begin to align the edges to form your hexagon. Isn’t it incredible how the painter’s tape made this process so easy?!
Once you have your loosely formed hexagon shape you can now bring out the straps. If you don’t have tie straps, you could use a string or something similar to aid in the process of applying pressure while the glue dries.
8 – Add the Middle Shelf
While the glue dries let’s get the middle shelf ready! Measure the space across the middle of your hexagon (from middle seam to middle seam). Since we will be cutting the shelf at the same 30 degree angle as we did for the sides, this will tell us how long the LONG side of your shelf needs to be cut.
You want it to be a tight fit!
Once the cuts are made, sand and stain to match the existing hexagon finish.
When the stain is dried, add your “straw filling layer of glue,” let it dry, and then add more glue to hold your floating shelf in place!
We decided to use our brad nailer to nail in a few spots for added security since we knew we would be using the floating shelf to hold essential oils in glass bottles (hello functional storage that’s actually cute!). When nailing, be careful to hold it at the correct angle so the nail doesn’t puncture the side.
We kept the tie strap on overnight while the glue dried. The next day, remove the tie straps and add your key hole or a preferred hanging method of choice. Drumroll please…
TA-DA! YOUR HEXAGON FLOATING SHELVES ARE STUNNING
I hope you love your hexagon floating shelves! Please feel free to leave a comment on this blog post if you have any questions. You can also reach out on our contact page or DM me on Facebook or Instagram. I’m here to help any way that I can! Remember to shop our selection of Fusion Mineral Paint wood stains and paints as you prep your wood before assembly. Make sure to take photos of your finished product, and tag me. I love to see our Goggins Creations community’s crafts, projects and home stylings. Wishing you the best of luck as you take on this project and transform your wall space—you can do it!
Follow us on Instagram at @gogginscreations for more painting tips and DIY ideas!
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