A Buyer’s Guide to Floating Shelves
Many people have taken recent interest in floating shelves for the modern and minimalistic charm they convey. These types of shelves are able to effortlessly blend into and grace any room’s décor. If you’re interested in such items and wish to learn about their potential in your home, read on: as this article may be of interest to you.
As the name implies, these shelves are specially designed and crafted to appear as simple slabs holding themselves upright and rigid in their arrangement without the use of buttresses or supporting brackets. Despite consisting of relatively light material, the shelves are able to hold many times their own weight (up to 100 pounds in floating shelves made of glass) – providing a unique look without taking away from the function of an ordinary shelf.
These shelves are made up of two parts: the shelf itself as it will appear from the outside and the interior cleat that supports the shelf from the wall. The shelf itself is hollow to allow room for the cleat to enter and support what will be the actual shelf. First the cleat is measured and carefully nailed horizontally to the wall where the new shelf will be installed. After the cleat is sturdily secured, the hollow shelf, the inside of which is coated with strong glue will slide over the cleat and secure the shelf. 
The final step is to nail thin nails along the imaginary line in the center of the wood where the shelf and the cleat meet. Because the shelf is supported from the interior in this way, no additional brackets or buttresses are needed. Floating glass shelves are made in a similar way, only with a single sturdy sheet of glass set into the wall to act as the shelf. As you can probably infer from the way the shelves are made, do-it-yourself assembly is possible, with the glass shelf being the easiest to install and the wooden shelf requiring a bit more ingenuity and assembly. For those not used to working with their hands, it is best to call for a specialist, or a friend who has experience with home improvement.
Before installing any floating shelving, it is important to know what kind of shelves will fit best in which environment. Black floating shelves are often chosen because of how they would stand out against bright walls. They work exceptionally well when set up in a lightly colored room to show off whatever items will be placed on the shelf; the contrasting colors making your shelf and its contents the center of attention. In a similar way, white floating shelves will work in darker rooms. Perhaps you’d like to show off your son’s soccer trophy or set up family photos in an eye-catching way – working skillfully with contrasting colors is a great way to attract attention in your home.
Shelves made of wood are also a common choice, able blend into most surroundings with no trouble at all. Many people choose wooden shelves (or laminated/plywood imitations) that are easily identified for their specific type of wood. Oak floating shelves are amongst the most widely used kinds of wooden shelves and work very well as an addition to hardwood or laminate floors of the same color. Wooden shelving in general is chosen for their rustic and quaint feel, fitting best in a rugged home décor that emphasizes browns and dark colors.
Glass shelves work well in minimalistic and new age homes that put emphasis on simplistic design and décor. They add a modern feel to the home and deliver different feels to different setups. In offices these shelves work to convey an aura of professional charm, while in a home set these glass shelves could easily express vibrant warmth or soft coolness depending on the ornamentation.
There are many furniture websites available on the internet that have a wide selection of shelves and other furniture for sale. Homedepot.com is one of the largest and most popular online distributers of home accessories. Originally founded in 1978, it quickly grew into a massive vendor of home improvement and assembly services, with many stores spread all over the United States and all provinces of Canada. The website features a handy shop-online tab with separate tabs available to narrow down your selection. To find their catalog of shelves click on the décor tab, and then the wall décor tab, and then finally the shelves and ledges tab. Immediately you are given dozens of shelves to choose from, with a handy “compare” feature that allows you to compare the different shelves’ pricing, dimensions, materials, even manufacturer. The website is a great place to start searching for shelves that would interest you.
Floating shelves make an excellent addition to your home furnishing set. If you’re interested in shelving that will complement your interior with both space and utility, contact your local hardware store today and see which floating shelf will best work for you.