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Floating Nightstand Shelf[8/4 Wide · 2ft · 5-Pack]
One pack. One build. All 5 boards used. • Makes 2 nightstand shelves
Shop Black Walnut 8/4 Wide · 2ft Pack Shop All Speciesselect 2' Lengths / 6-8"
How it goes together
Black Walnut
Hard Maple
Cherry
White Oak
Red Oak
Ash
Hickory
Ambrosia Maple
Sapele*
Padauk*
Purpleheart*
*Exotic — not available for shipment to US customers.
A solid hardwood nightstand that floats beside the bed — no legs to vacuum around, room for a lamp, phone and book. Two wide 8/4 boards edge-glue into each 11"-deep shelf, and a hidden cleat underneath screws into the studs. One pack makes a pair, one for each side of the bed.
Quick Build — for experienced woodworkers
| Part | Qty | From | S2S size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelf boards | 4 | Boards 1–4 (2 per shelf) | 22" × 5½" × 1¾" |
| Wall cleats | 2 | Board 5, ripped in half | 20" × 2 11/16" × 1¾" |
Shelf: two 5½" boards edge-glued to 22" × 11" × 1¾", long grain to long grain.
Cleat: board 5 ripped in half → two 20" cleats on edge, 2 × 4" structural screws per stud.
Shelf to cleat: 3 × #10 × 2½" screws down through counterbores, wood plugs, no glue.
Finished size: Each shelf 22" W × 11" D × 1¾" thick, with a 20" cleat 2 11/16" tall hidden underneath at the back.
Before You Start
Shopping List
- 1 lumber pack — 8/4 Wide · 2ft (6–8" wide, S2S)
- Wood glue (Titebond II or III)
- 8 × 4" structural wood screws (2 per stud)
- 6 × #10 × 2½" flat-head wood screws
- 6 × ⅜" wood plugs (or cut your own with a plug cutter)
- Sandpaper 120 / 180 / 220
- Finish: wipe-on oil, hardwax oil or water-based poly
Tools
- Saw for crosscuts (mitre saw or circular saw with a speed square)
- Saw for rips (table saw, or circular/track saw with a guide)
- Jointer, straight-line rip jig or hand plane
- 4 bar clamps, 18" or longer
- Drill/driver, countersink bit, pilot bits, ⅜" counterbore or Forstner bit
- Stud finder, 24" level
- Flush-cut saw
- Random-orbit sander or sanding block
Why S2S only? The 6–8" wide 8/4 boards come S2S: both faces planed, edges rough. Plan on losing about ¼" per edge when you straighten them.
Our sizing assumptions: ⅛" per saw cut · 6–8" wide 8/4 S2S boards trimmed ½" each end and ¼" off each rough edge (5½" clean at the narrowest), planned at 1¾" thick · sizes drawn for the narrowest board in the pack. Wider boards give you a bigger offcut or a wider part — never a shortage.
Step-by-Step
S2S Lumber Pack (6–8" wide)
Surfaced 2 sides — straighten edges first
- 1 Prep the boards. Trim ½" off each end to remove any end checks. Joint one edge straight, then rip the other edge parallel (¼" off each rough edge is our planning allowance).
- 2 Pair the boards. Boards 1 + 2 make Shelf A and boards 3 + 4 make Shelf B. Match colour and grain, and put the best faces up. Board 5 becomes the two wall cleats.
- 3 Cut to length. Square one end of boards 1–4 and crosscut them at 22". Joint the two edges that meet in each shelf until no light shows along the seam.
- 4 Glue up the shelves. Edge-glue each pair into a 22" × 11" panel, long grain to long grain. Clamp every 6", alternating over and under, with cauls at the ends to keep the faces level. Leave overnight.
- 5 Rip the cleats. Rip board 5 down the middle into two strips, 2 11/16" × 1¾", and crosscut both at 20". Ease the front edges.
- 6 Flatten and sand. Scrape off the dried glue and sand or plane the seam flush. Round or chamfer the front edges and corners. Sand 120 → 180 → 220.
- 7 Drill the shelf. Mark 3 screw holes ⅞" in from the back edge, over where the cleat will sit: 2" in from each end and one in the centre. Counterbore ⅜" × ½" deep, then drill a clearance hole through. Pre-drill the cleat's top edge to match later.
- 8 Finish. Wipe-on oil or water-based poly. Finish the top, bottom and back of the shelf equally so it stays flat. Finish the cleat too.
- 9 Mount the cleat. Find the studs. Hold the cleat on edge at your shelf height (about 1" above the mattress top), level it, and pre-drill. Drive two 4" structural screws into each stud through the 1¾" cleat. A 20" cleat reaches two studs at 16" centres — plan the shelf position around them.
- 10 Fit the shelf. Set the shelf on the cleat, back edge tight to the wall and ends centred. Drive #10 × 2½" screws through the counterbores into the pre-drilled cleat. Glue in wood plugs, flush-cut and sand. No glue on the shelf — it stays removable.
Why a cleat and not brackets? The cleat hides under the back of the shelf, so the shelf seems to float. Screwed into studs, it carries a lamp, a phone and a stack of books with ease.
Why no glue on the shelf? Screws alone hold it, and you can unscrew the shelf to move it or refinish it. The cleat and shelf grain both run left to right, so they move together.
Why pre-drill? Maple, oak and hickory split if you drive a screw without a pilot hole. Pre-drill every screw and countersink so the heads sit flush.
Make It Yours
- Charging slot: drill a 1" hole near the back corner to drop a phone cable through.
- Drawer look: glue a strip of offcut flat under the front edge for a thicker front.
- Lower shelf: mount the second shelf 10" below the first on the same side for a two-tier nightstand.
Safety and Care
- Wear eye and hearing protection. Use a push stick for every rip under 4" wide.
- Mount into wall studs (or rated anchors sized for the load). Check for wires and pipes before drilling.
- Pre-drill every screw — hardwoods split without a pilot hole.
- Rated for about 20 lb per shelf when screwed into studs — a lamp, phone, books and a glass of water. Don't sit or lean on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 6–8" wide 8/4 pack comes S2S (faces planed, edges rough). Straighten the edges with a jointer, a table saw and a straight-line jig, a track saw, or a hand plane.
About 1" above the top of your mattress, or level with it. That puts it at an easy reach when you're lying down. Measure each side — beds and mattresses vary.
Move the shelf a few inches to catch two studs — the 20" cleat spans a full 16" stud bay. If you can't, use heavy-duty toggle bolts rated for the load in the second hole, and keep the load light.
Yes. Drill a 1" hole through the shelf near the back corner. A grommet cap makes it look tidy.
Planned offcuts only: about 1" off the end of boards 1–4 and about 3" off each cleat strip. Any extra board width stays on the shelf as extra depth. All 5 boards go into the shelves.
Yes. Crosscut every board of a 4ft wide pack in half first and follow this plan twice — four nightstand shelves. For long shelves, see our Floating Mantel Shelf plan.
