DIY Ikea Hack Distressed Wooden Shelves to Elevate your Home

For those of you that have been regular readers of Sugar & Cloth, you may recognize this DIY. This was one of the projects I created for the Ikea Houston, which no longer exists (only Ikea USA), so I’m bringing this distressed wooden shelf DIY over here to live permanently. So let’s just all act surprised and really excited as if we’ve never seen this project until now. Here we go —

I’m really, really into the distressed wood look that’s been floating around lately, but the hefty price tag goes along with reclaimed wood isn’t exactly do-able. Luckily, a similar look can be achieved with a little elbow grease and a few key supplies for DIY reclaimed wood style shelving.

Materials:

Wood stain in preferred colors (a medium brown works best)
Paint brush
Ekby shelving brackets
Untreated wooden shelves
Hand towel

Using random tools and utensils, like screws, a hammer, sand paper, or punches, begin marking and scraping the unfinished wood pieces. Use the sandpaper to round out the edges a bit and smooth out any major bumps caused from distressing the wood.

Once the wood is distressed as much as you’d like for it to be, brush stain onto the wood, allowing it to dry to the touch in between coats. The second coat only apply in certain areas, and use the hand towel to blend the edges of the second coat into the first. This will make certain spots a bit darker than others giving a reclaimed wood effect by having a variety of colors and will give interest to the distressed areas. You can also use the Ikea clear glaze finish to seal the wood from water as well.

Once the stain has dried completely, install the EKBY shelving ends according to the instructions on the package. You’ll definitely want an extra set of hands for this part!

Now that your shelves are installed, decorate them with as many pretties as you’d like, and you’ve got yourself custom distressed wooden shelves for a fraction of the cost!

Check out these other awesome posts!

Materials:

Wood stain in preferred colors (a medium brown works best)
Paint brush
Ekby shelving brackets
Untreated wooden shelves
Hand towel

Once the stain has dried completely, install the EKBY shelving ends according to the instructions on the package. You’ll definitely want an extra set of hands for this part!

Now that your shelves are installed, decorate them with as many pretties as you’d like, and you’ve got yourself custom distressed wooden shelves for a fraction of the cost!

Check out these other awesome posts!

Comments

tokyohamster

09.05.13

This was new to me! :) Love the idea!

jewel7013

09.05.13

haha, itsnt hard for me to be excited again because I have slowly faced short term memory moments and thought this was one great DIY…

Allison

09.05.13

The shelves turned out beautifully. All of your white accessories look so pretty on the wood. I might have to try this project!

Katie E

09.05.13

I would like to point out that not only is this DIY pretty awesome, but I am even more in love with how you styled your shelves. I want every single thing you have on there. :D

buttons + tweed

09.07.13

I’ve been looking at putting shelves up in my new place. Think I’m going to try this. Thanks!

heidi

10.13.13

Thanks so much for posting this, this is exactly what I have been wanting to do! Do you mind me asking where you bought your actual shelves?

Julia

12.20.13

Hi. Just found your blog and its fantastic. Could you tell me where the dinosaur print is from? I love it.

Jules

01.03.14

This is exactly what I was looking for in my kitchen. Inexpensive & so stylish! Beats the ones from West Elm–thank you =)

Dana

03.26.14

Love this! Where is the letter A from?

toinfinityandbiond

08.11.14

I’ve been wanting to do this ever since I saw these brackets and just happened to stumble on to this post!

I think I’ll spray paint the brackets oil rubbed bronze or copper though… haven’t decided yet!

Miles

08.27.14

Are those the 7 1/2in or 11in brackets?

Nicole

02.08.15

I bought the 11inch brackets and am having a difficult time finding wood to fit! Any recommendations on where to go? Everything at Lowes is 12″

Bill said:

You’ll need to buy 12 inch boards then rip them to the right width, one nice thing about that is you can get whatever length you want. Plus you can get a thickness that is closer to what the brackets take than the boards that are too thin from ikea, they also make really cool stainless steel planks FYI.