Hanging Shelves with Faux Live Edges

Hi all! I’ve got another office project today. I finished this project last year and originally posted it over on Sawdust 2 Stitches, but today I’m sharing the tutorial with you here. Hanging shelves are great if you want the space to be airy and light and you don’t have a ton to store. Closed cabinets tend to get things shoved into them and they get cluttered and messy fast, especially if you are my husband. I did these shelves with a sports theme and minimal decor.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Please see my full disclosure policy HERE.

I decided to go with galvanized wire to use. I’ve built hanging shelves with rope before, which you can check out HERE. Galvanized wire is a bit more modern and masculine and perfect for this space.

Materials Needed

Dried Lumber in Desired Sizes

Galvanized Wire

Rope Clamps

*Make sure the clamps are the right size for the wire

Stain

Drywall Anchors

D-Ring Hangers

PlexiGlass (optional)

Tutorial

The only thing my husband wanted for this space was a white board. I changed it up a bit and used plexiglass instead of a whiteboard. It can still be written on and wiped off, and it still lets that planked wall show through.

I started by laying the boards out and using some random cords to try and figure out where I would be drilling the holes. The overall length of the boards is just a touch shorter than the desk. I cut smaller boards for the ends.

After I had the boards cut, I lined them up and clamped them together, making sure the ends were lined up. I drilled four holed on each side of the long boards and four holes – one in each corner – of the shorter boards.

I love love love the look of live edge furniture, but alas, I don’t have the tools or equipment to cut trees down like that. However, I found THIS post by Bee over at Windgate Lane and I immediately knew that I wanted to try it. Her technique was so simple and easy, anyone could do it!

The only thing I did differently that Bee was I used two different colors of stain to make the live edge stand out a little more. I used Minwax Polyshades in both Golden Oak and Espresso. First, I put on the golden oak on both the top and bottom. I didn’t’ worry about it bleeding over at all, you will get a better, more natural look if you don’t worry about the stain bleed. Then, I used the espresso on the beat up sides. That’s it. Two coats and since I used Polyshades, I didn’t feel the need to use any more Polycrylic.

Now it’s time to hang. First, I installed drywall anchors and then installed d-rings to loop the wire through.

I hung them and used the little wire clamps underneath the boards. I got them all in the area I wanted them, and then worked on leveling them all off starting with the top board.

That was pretty much it! Use some bolt cutters to trim the excess off and you are done. Easy, fast, cheap and looks great – my kind of project!

You can get details on all the other office projects, from installing tile to the concrete wall HERE.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

April