DIY Metal & Wood Shelf

My other half and I are total vinyl record junkies and we are always looking for fun ways to display our records. That being said, I’ve been wanting a shelf to hang our records that are currently playing and on deck, so I partnered with The Home Depot to create this slim and sleek wood and metal shelving unit for above our record cabinet. Also, in case you needed a reminder… holiday season is here! So, to say thank you for an awesome year I’m giving away TWO Home Depot gift cards. Keep reading to see how to enter to win!

How To Make A Metal & Wood Shelf

This project is part of The Home Depot‘s ProSpective program and includes affiliate links. For my full disclosure policy, click here.

Want to see this build in action? Check it out on my YouTube channel!

In all honesty, I was recently super inspired by a shelving unit I saw on Pinterest from Ikea recently. But, they no longer sell it, and also, it’s made from rope and wood instead of metal and wood. So, I decided to make my own version (and spoiler alert, I love it)!

Let’s get started!

What You’ll Need:

Tools
Miter Saw
Brad Nailer
Bosch Daredevil Standard Spade Bit Set (6-Piece)
Drill
Sander
Staining/Painting Accessories
Tape Measurer

Materials
(3) 1 x 2 x 6′ Boards
(3) 3/8 x 36″ Aluminum Rods
Black Metal Enamel Spray
1 1/4″ Brad Nails
Wood Putty
Wood Glue

The Steps:

1. I started by cutting my 1×2 pieces into the following lengths (you can adjust these measurements for your own build):

(2) Side Pieces: 26″ Tall
(2) Shelf Pieces: 25 3/4″
(2) Top & Bottom Pieces: 25 3/4″
(2) Small Dividers: 4 3/4″

2. Once my pieces were cut, I started to drill holes in the small divider pieces using a 3/8” Bosch spade bit from their Daredevil Standard Spade Bit Set (6-Piece). I made the center of my holes 1” up from the bottom of the piece and ¼” inward.

To help reduce tearout or breakage, I drilled halfway through one side of the piece, flipped it over, and then drilled out the other half of the piece the same way.

At first, I thought I needed tape to reduce tear out. But, the bits were awesome, provide 10x speed and hole quality in wood, and there was really minimal tearout!

3. Next, I drilled openings for the aluminum tubing in the two side pieces. I only went about 5/8” deep here so that the spade bit wouldn’t poke through the other side. I used my divider pieces as templates to measure where I wanted the holes to go and I made 6 in total – 3 for each side. (you can see this in action on my YouTube tutorial).

4. Once the holes were made, I cut my aluminum pieces on the miter saw and then ran a dry fit to make sure everything worked out.

5. Next, I sanded the aluminum pieces and spray painted them using a black enamel (it’s the same one I used for my dining table bases).

6. After they dried, I applied a paste wax to the aluminum and then threaded them through my divider pieces. I decided to make my smaller sections about 8” wide.

7. Next, I mixed up some 5-minute epoxy, added it to the end of my tubing, and began to assemble the tubing inside the openings of the shelves. I used clamps to hold everything together as the epoxy dried.

8. Once the epoxy was dry, I added the shelving pieces, checked that they were square, and attached them to the side and divider pieces using wood glue and 1” brad nails.

9. After everything dried, I filled the holes and imperfections with wood putty.

10. Once the putty dried, I sanded all of the wooden pieces from 120 grit to 20 grit sandpaper.

11. Next, I used a medium walnut Danish oil to finish the piece.

12. Before hanging, I installed hooks on the back of the shelving unit.

Then it was time to display some stuff!

I’m so excited to have another spot to display fun things that is sleek and out of the way.

The shelf is a little shallow and can fit some photos and slim items. So, if you want to build one of your own for specific items, you may want to go a bit bigger. Overall though, for what we need, it’s perfect!

Now for the fun part! I’m hosting a fun holiday giveaway to say thank you for all of your support! I’m giving away two $50 Home Depot gift cards to two lucky winners and you can enter to win on YouTube or Instagram! Winner will be chosen next week, so good luck!

In the meantime… want to save this project for later? Make sure to Pin It!

Until next time friends…

I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in the promotional program described above (the “Program”). As a part of the Program, I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.