DIY Floating Bookshelf Upcycle

When you see this finished project on the wall you may think “that’s probably really hard to make”, but seriously all it takes is strong glue and a little patience. Check out how we made this simple, awesome floating bookshelf that’s perfect for any space in the house!

Make the Shelf:

Step 1: Place your brackets on the inside of the book’s back cover. You want them to pretty much divide the back of the book into thirds for even weight distribution.

Step 2: Cover the bottom of the brackets with a generous helping of industrial glue. It’s okay if it squishes out a bit, but you don’t want to be so heavy handed with your glue the bracket slips and slides everywhere.

Step 3: Use another book to line the brackets up and make sure they’re even! This is super important to ensure the bracket will be flush to the wall in the end.

Step 4: Spread the rest of the interior back cover with industrial glue. Avoid the sides- you don’t want glue squishing out of the pages. Not cute.

Step 5: Place a bunch of books on top of the still-wet book/shelf and let the glue set overnight.

Hang the Shelf:

Step 1: Use a level to make sure your bookshelf is even. Then take a pencil and mark the wall through the holes in the L-bracket. This gives you a perfect roadmap for drilling into the wall. Easy peasy.

Step 2: Drill holes into the wall where you’re going to mount your shelf. If possible, find a wall stud so that your shelf is super secure, or use drywall screws.

Step 3: Line the L-brackets up with the holes in the wall and screw in your shelf! Onto the final touch…

Step 4: Arrange some books on top of your new shelf for a pop of color and style. So cute!

How magical is that? We love that it just looks like the books are floating on the wall. Such a unique way to show off your cool covers and spines. Side note: This is also a great addition to a gallery wall!