Sunday, April 10, 2011

DIY Picture Ledges

Remember that sneak peek I gave you a couple of days ago?

Well, they're up!

Let's rewind a bit.  I started a gallery wall when we first moved into this house 10 years ago.  I added to it as family members were added on, and new memories were made. 

Not only was it time for a change because 10 years is a long time to have any decor item stay the same, but also because we acquired a piano.  Ideally upright pianos should sit on an interior wall of a home.  This was really one of the only appropriate walls for it, and it covered up the bottom row of pictures.  So I took the gallery wall down, patched, sanded, primed, and painted.  I drew up some picture ledges, and Computer Genius built them.

These floating shelves are made with 1x2s and 1/4 inch plywood.  CG cut the 1x2s to length.

And butt jointed the returns(the sides).  He glued & nailed them.

He ripped 1x2s in half to create the wall cleat and the internal spacer.

He glued the spacer into place,

using a scrap piece of plywood to keep it properly spaced, and nailed it.

He glued & nailed spacers to the sides also.

CG cut the plywood to fit, and glued & nailed it to the bottom

& top.  Notice the lip that is formed at the top.  This'll keep my pictures from tumbling off the shelves.

He used a nail set to set the nails below the surface of the wood.  I love that my hubs is a Computer Genius, a woodworker, and still can wear Hello Kitty bandaids.

He filled the set nail holes with wood putty,

and sanded them smooth.

The mercury finally hit 50, so I took these outside and spray primed and painted them.  Ignore the snow.  I painted these last week, it's all melted away now.

The cleats were mounted to the wall first.

Then the ledges just slipped right over them.  Obviously I still need to work on what's going on them.  But that's for another day.  Today is for saying hurrah for this guy.

Thanks for popping in and DIYing with CG & painting with me.  I'm linking up to Between Naps on the Porch's Metamorphosis Monday, and Just a Girl's Show and Share Day.  Plus Just Between Friends is hosting a Point of View linky party.
The DIY Show Off Keeping It SimpleDomestically SpeakingTransformation ThursdayFunky Junk's Saturday Nite Special

15 comments:

  1. These shelves-ledges are great! I need to make a few for myself! Thanks for the great idea and for linking up "Amaze Me Monday". Have a great week :D

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  2. These are great! So simple and modern- I want to make some!

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  3. Impressive skills, CG!!!! Very nice!! Can't wait to see them with the photos, too! :o)
    ~Terry
    ww.mossandclover.blogspot.com

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  4. Great idea! I think we need to try making some of these.

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  5. Great minds to have the same ideas. I think wall shelves are the greatest and it's so great to know how to make them. Hope you'll stop by and tell me where you think our birdhouse should go. My yard needs help. Jane F.

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  6. Big Project, Great Result! loving it!!

    i'm your newest follower from the Bloggers Party and Hop at TypeA and would love it if you could follow me back :)

    Susan at http://tea-diary.blogspot.com

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  7. What a lot of work, but it will be so worth it, you will be anble to rearrange pictures anytime you like. I am anxiously awaiting for the finish!

    Carol

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  8. Great idea. Thanks for showing all the great pictures. Sheila @Raggedykingdom.blogspot.com

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  9. They turned out great! Thanks for the tutorial!

    http://lucyluvinyl.blogspot.com/

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  10. What a good Idea...I so want a table saw! Your newest follower...hope you can visit me sometime.

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  11. Wow! They look great! Great job by you and CG! Nice job on the tutorial too.

    Pam

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  12. Great job on the ledges! Really appreciate you linking this up at the Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop.

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  13. WOW, when you mentioned it in your comment...I had to come see!!! I love them!!!

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  14. They look great! Lot's of fun shelf space to decorate... can't wait to see what you decide to display on them!

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  15. Those look great. Nice job, CG!

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