Tutorial: Easy Corbel Shelves
- Melissa Meares
- Apr 26
- 2 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
I’ve never been particularly drawn to architectural minimalism, I find myself far more charmed by the character and craftsmanship of shelves adorned with ornate corbels than the minimalist floating shelves that are so trendy. I ordered these corbels for the pantry, only to then look up at my music studio and realized I had the exact same corbels in my house already! I love the reminder that I know my own aesthetic!
These are a really simple way to install shelves that are much less complex than floating shelves. In fact, you could get away with just a hand miter box for these cuts and not have to use any power saws!
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Supply List
12-inch deep pine boards (you can also use plywood - which is what I did)
Paint of choice (I like to use enamel for shelves and cabinets)
Laser level (a regular level works too!)
Drill with a countersink bit
Tutorial
First, determine your shelf spacing and length.
Plywood comes in a 4x8 size, so if you make your shelves 8 ft long and 11 7/8, you will be able to get 4 8 ft shelves out of each piece of plywood, accounting for the 1/8 you will lose on each cut from the blade (called a kerf)
Decide on your corbel spacing. Using the stud finder, mark the studs.
Make sure to check where your studs are and mark those to determine where your corbels can go. We did 3 corbels on our 8 ft shelves, spaced on every other stud
Using the laser level, mark where the corbels will go.
Predrill the holes in each of your corbels. Make sure the drill bit you use is smaller than the size of the screw. I used a counter sink bit to make sure the screws were able to sit flush.
*note: if you use the same corbels as us, we added a second screw in the middle of the design. since it was difficult to reach with the impact driver, we hand screwed them in.
Once all the corbels are installed, lay the shelf on top of the corbels. Predrill, then screw the shelves into the corbels from above.
Use a bit of wood filler or spackle to fill the holes. Sand, then paint.
DIY tip: If the spacing of your corbels is more than 2 ' apart, it is recommended to add a brace to the shelves (a small 2 " strip of wood running along the back of the wall). This will prevent the shelves from sagging over time.
To see my full pantry makeover, click here!
Let me know if you try these!
xoxo,
Melissa
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