Narrow Wall Shelf | DIY Corbels

I have a really great project today, and can you believe I got three projects out of one vintage desk? Today’s project is a narrow wall shelf made from part of a desk top.

Here is the original desk I picked up at Vendors’ Village.

This is the first project I made out of the desk using the two drawer sections side by side to make a highboy chest or dressing table.

I got two projects out of the desk top by ripping it on my table saw.

Using the desk top “as is” was way too deep for this singer sewing machine table top that I sold at Glendale 2016. But ripping off the curvy part made a perfect “not so deep” top that is perfect for a hallway, entryway or as a sofa table.

So, now I’m going to tell you how I made this narrow wall shelf by making my own brackets!

*this post contains affiliate links for your convenience*

I still have quite a few of the leftover pieces (laying on the driveway) from when Rodney cut the pergola for my fabulous diy picket fence. I’ve already used 2 of the scrap pieces as brackets on this easy gray window shelf.  But for this project, I wanted to take it up a notch. 

Scrap 1×4’s were routed on the router table to give them some character.

In this picture, I was trying to figure out how I wanted the back boards to fit the scrap bracket before I worked too hard on sanding them

I used my Ryobi Airstrike to fasten the two pieces together so I could sand them “as one”.

After sanding them, and doing some more dry fit testing, I decided that the pieces needed to be trimmed a little on the right side (bottom of the bracket).

You can see they are sanded and trimmed up in this picture as I figure out where the brackets would actually fit on the narrow shelf that use to be a desk top.

I used the brad nailer for a temporary hold to attach the top of the bracket board to the shelf, and the back bracket board to the top one.

Not shown, but I used my favorite Gorilla Wood Glue on all of these pieces for extra security.

A wood screw was used to attach the shelf from the top into the top of the diy shelf bracket.

One last screw through the back board into the bracket. You can see where I did the brad nails to give that temporary hold until I got it all together. I love using my Ryobi Airstrike this way. Of course if I had an extra pair of hands, this wouldn’t be necessary.

I took it for a test drive on the fence. (just resting on nails at this point)

While I was doing a second coat on another project with my Homeright Finish Max, I did a couple of light coats of Polished Pearl DIY chalky paint primer.

Time for some black wax from Heirloom Traditions (use the code MYREPURPOSEDLIFE) to get this month’s special deal. I like to use a chunk of a carwash sponge for quick and easy application.

I love how “chippy” it looks, the black wax really ages it perfectly!

This shelf has been taken to my booth at Vendors’ Village. If you like the idea of making your own corbels, won’t you PIN IT?  Thanks!

gail