Lo’ and behold, DIY rustic shelves! This is the first of many projects that we’ll be showing you guys.

This is a good start on the road to crafty self-reliance (you still should rely on some materials though). We built these shelves using pallet wood, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use other sources. Please don’t expect this project to be done in a matter of minutes because it won’t be. The time to complete it is fairly reasonable and will lessen as you gain experience. You’re looking at 2-3 hours including measuring, cutting, sanding, assembling, and varnishing your creation. But this is your project, so you don’t even have to sand/varnish it if you don’t want to (beware of splinters). So long as the dimensions are similar, you have free reign. If you want an exact match, we guarantee that the final product will look super nice and rustic if you follow the instructions in this DIY tutorial

Step 1: Requirements

From pallet, 3 planks measuring 20″ x 3.5″ (thickness should be practical)

2 arched planks measuring 10"

10″ Bright finish nails measuring 3d 1-1/4″ (for precision)

Underlayment nails measuring 1-1/4″ (for stability)

A hammer

Step 2: Assembling & Nailing

Assuming that the wood is already cut, sanded and varnished (ours is), begin by mounting 2 of the 20″ planks together as shown in the picture. Be sure that both planks form a 90° angle before you hammer them (see above). You can use the bright finish nails for this (6-8).

Step 3: More Assembling & Nailing

Next, align the 10” arched planks at the sides and secure them using the underlayment nails (8).

Step 4: Attach Support Plank

Finally, attach the last 20” plank onto the back of your shelf, and you should be ready to go! Just be aware of how high or low you want it before nailing it in. Again, use the underlayment nails (6).