DIY Wood Panel Kitchen Shelves

If you’re looking for a fun twist on the traditional floating shelves in your kitchen, consider adding a brass gallery rail and some wood panels! This project was so easy to do and added a TON of charm and character to our kitchen! Here’s how we did it:

Watch The Full Project Recap On TikTok

Materials:

• Walnut Plywood Sheets
• Floating Shelves 
• Brass Gallery Rail
• Dark Walnut Wood Stain
• Clear Satin Polyurethane

Step 1: Wood Panels

It’s important to note that I used real walnut panels for this project to match the walnut shelves. The dark walnut stain I used only made the natural tones of the wood more rich and vibrant, and a closer color match to the shelves. *Using dark walnut stain on a different wood species may look different!* If you want a true walnut color, I recommend spending the extra money for real walnut panels, otherwise, I recommend testing different stains on the wood you plan on using until the desired color is reached.

1. Start by cutting your wood panels to size using a skill saw. Wipe the panels down with a dry cloth to remove any dust or debris.
2. Apply the Dark Walnut stain on the front and sides of your panels using a rag until its fully covered. Be sure to wipe off any excess stain. Allow the stain to dry completely.
3. Lightly sand the surface using a fine-grit sand paper until the surface is completely smooth. From here, you can add a second coat of stain if you desire (I only did one coat of stain) and repeat this process again once the second coat has dried.
4. Apply one coat of clear polyurethane to the panels using a brush and dry completely. Lightly sand the top coat using the same sandpaper, wipe down any debris, and apply one final coat of clear poly. Dry completely and it’s ready to hang.
5. Attach the wood panels to the wall and cabinets using a brad nailer and fill any gaps or edges with dark brown caulk.

Step 2: Install Shelves

1. Once the panels are secured, you can install the shelves using the instructions it came with. We installed our shelves with a 15″ space between each shelf, but spacing may vary for your own kitchen. If you’re unsure of how far apart to hang your shelves, watch this short video.

Step 3: Attach Gallery Rails

Installing a gallery rail is a very simply way to elevate the look of your shelves. Installation can vary depending on the rails that you use, but here’s a brief summary on how we installed ours.

1. Using a tape measure, mark the spots you want each post to be. We used two center posts and installed each of them 2/3 across the shelf, and the center point about 1″ from the front of the shelf.
2. Drill a small hole where your marks are and screw in the attachment piece that comes with each post and then screw in the posts.
3. Cut your brass rail to size and feed the rail through the holes on the posts.
4. If you’re using a wall mount post, feed the rail through the holes before screwing them into the wall.
5. Screw the wall mount posts into the wall.

Watch The Full Project Recap