DIY Industrial Bike Rim Shelf : 7 Steps (with Pictures)

It's amazing the things you can make out of an old bicycle tire and some wood! This industrial style shelf was pretty easy to make and super inexpensive. This was such a fun project to make and to film, and I can't wait to walk you through it!

Supplies

bike

pine

1" steel

spray paint

Step 1: Get Bike

I found a bike on the buy & sell for $10

Step 2: Take Bike Apart

Once we’ve got ourselves a bicycle tire, the first thing were going to do is deflate it and take the tire off.Then we can cut off the spokes using wire cutters so that all we’re left with are the rims.

Step 3: Make Shelves

Next I’m going to cut the wood for the shelves. I used a 1x12 and cut it in half using the table saw.Then I used the miter saw to cut the pieces to length. I measured from one end of the rim to the other exactly where I wanted my shelves and then subtracted 1/8” to accommodate the pieces of steel. Mine were 20”. Then I cut the ends on a 25 degree angle, flipping the board between cuts, so that the cuts are angled in towards each other, so they fit nicely into the rim.

Step 4:

This next part is not necessary, but I thought it gave the piece a nicer finish. You could just screw through the rim, right into the shelf, but I chose to add a steel strip at each end of the shelf.

I got a strip of 1” steel from Home Depot and cut it into 5 1/2” pieces (or whatever the width of your shelf is) and then cut it using a grinder. You could also use a hack saw for this part.

Make sure you file down the edges when you’re done.

Then screw holes in your bicycle rim (if the holes that are already there don’t line up with where you want the shelf), and then screw a coordinating hole in the piece of steel.

Step 5: Paint & Stain

Once I got all the holes where I needed them, I spray painted all of the steel, including the small pieces I cut.

I used rust oleum spray paint in flat black.

While I waited for the steel to dry I stained my shelves using Golden Pecan by Minwax.

Step 6: Assemble

Once everything was dry, I assembled my shelf. I lined up the hole in my rim with the hole on my 1” steel piece and drilled a hole slightly smaller than the width of my screw.

Then I used 1” pocket screws to hold it all together!

I recommend painting the screw heads the same colour as your rim.

To hang it I riveted two d-hooks in the back.