DIY Hanging Wood Shelf Tutorial

Hi Classy readers! I’m Olivia from DIY Mother and today I’m super excited to share one of my favorite frugal projects to date, a hanging plant shelf. I was originally inspired by this accent shelf I found on Etsy. I figured I could do it on my own for much cheaper.

I love the simplicity of using a single board of wood and some rope as a shelf.

Even though I used it as a plant shelf, you can use it for anything from candles to spices. You can even hang it in your backyard. And the best part? The whole project cost under $10.

Materials:
Wood
Wood stain (I used Minwax in Dark Walnut to make it super dark)
Drill
Rope (I used polypropylene cord)

1. Sand the board so that it’s smooth to the touch, and then drill your holes. I drilled 4 holes; two on the ends, and two in the middle so that it would be as stable as possible.

2. Using a paint or foam brush, apply the wood conditioner and stain. To be honest, you probably don’t NEED wood conditioner, but my wood was really old, so I figured it would be best.

Don’t use too much of the stain-it’s thin, so it will spread easily and evenly. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes so that the wood soaks up the stain color. The longer you let the stain sit, the deeper the color will be.

3. When it’s dry, wipe off any excess. Pull the rope through the holes and tie it in a knot at the top. The board should be balanced when you hang it up.

Have You Ever Made Hanging Wood Shelves Before?

Dawn McAlexander: Dawn is a full time writer and content creator. Besides Cheap Is The New Classy, she also owns and writes for EatPlayRock.com, an entertainment site. Her interests include traveling, attending music events, DIY projects and reading. Dawn has a B.S. in Psychology and currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, Kenny, their dog, Marley, and their cat, TJ.

View Comments (29)

  • That's the same brand of stain that we used to make our DIY 2-person desk in my home office. It worked great. Just a thought, you could run a small hole in the center too and drop down a string of crystals or chimes from that!

    • Never thought about that! What a good idea! I went for the minimal, simplistic style, but it would probably look pretty fab with some crystals.

  • That's a good idea. It adds some country charm to the room. I've never made anything like this. We could use a couple of shelves like this in the kitchen.

  • That's SUPER adorable and very rustic/whimsical! I'm going to have to bookmark this and keep it in mind for when I have my own house :)

  • That is a really neat idea. Now I want to go walk around my house and see where I can hang one for myself :)

  • Great job on this project! I am loving how it turned out and think I have just the spot in mind for one of my own.

  • That is so cute. I have never tried to make a shelf before but now I want to!

  • That is such an adorable little hanging shelf! It would look so cute in my new kitchen!