When we first moved into our home, I noticed right away that we were lacking some entryway storage. We have a tiny coat closet that actually leads to our attic (it’s like our own little Narnia), but it hardly holds much. I knew we needed some extra hooks and a proper place for us (and company) to hang up our coats and take off our shoes. I will do a post in the future of a full entryway makeover, but for now I am going to share how I built the two cottage style shaker peg shelves that we have in our entryway!
Here’s a list of what you will need!
Materials:
1 - 1”x8’ pine board
5 shaker pegs with hanger bolts installed (I used these)
2 corbels with keyhole mount on back (here are the ones I used)
Antiques stain wax or your stain/paint of choice (I love using this one)
Brush or roller (I ended up using a brush)
Rag
Pencil
Wood glue
Tools:
Miter saw or hand saw
Speed square or anything with a straight edge
Tape measure
Drill
Small drill bit (a little smaller than the thickness of your hanger bolts on the pegs)
Pocket hole screws
Keg Jig
A couple of clamps
Protective eyewear and ear muffs if using the miter saw
First, cut the pine board down to 42” for the top of the shelf and 37 13/16” for the back where the shaker pegs will be going. I used a speed square to draw a straight line to make my cuts neat and square, but any straight edge will do. I’m also working with an existing shelf that I made for our previous house entryway and those were the measurements I had. You can adjust these measurements to fit your desired length.
Next, drill five pocket holes (spaced evenly) on the back of your smaller board. Make sure you aren’t drilling on the nicer side so you have your best side showing for the final product. I think you can use wood glue and glue the back board to the shelf part if you wanted, but I find that with pine boards they are more misshapen and will mold better to the shelf if you use pocket hole screws. After drilling your holes, center your smaller board with the pocket holes on the shelf, making sure your holes are going towards what would be the top and flush against the edge of the shelf. Clamp on the back board to the top shelf using two to three clamps and then drill in the pocket screws.
Now let’s add the brackets. I had mine inset about 1 ½” away from the edge of the shelf. Use wood glue to glue the bracket to the bottom of the shelf and on the side of the backboard. Make sure your keyhole mount is facing towards the back so you can hang it! Once the glued brackets are in place clamp them for about an hour or so. Then take the clamps off and let the shelf sit for 23 hours before working on it again. This ensures that the glue will be very strong and won’t be compromised by any staining or hanging.
While the glue is setting, stain your pegs! I like using this antique wax stain, because it stains and protects your piece. I also find it less messy than actual stains. I should mention here that I did sort the pegs out by length of the hanger bolt. Some had longer bolts that extended past the thickness of the board, and others had the right length. You want to use ones that are the perfect length so your final piece can sit flush against your wall.
After your glue is set, start measuring where your pegs will go on the back board. I started by finding the middle lengthwise and widthwise and marking it. I then found the thirds on each side of the middle mark and marked them in the middle widthwise. Once you have measured all of your points for the shaker pegs, drill a starting hole in each point. This will help you hand screw your pegs into the board. I decided to mark how deep my drill bit would go by measuring the bit against the thickness of the board and marking it with a piece of masking tape. Once you’ve drilled your holes, use some sand paper or an eraser and erase your pencil markings away. It’s okay if there’s still a faint line on your board, the stain will cover it up.
Now it’s time to stain your piece! I used a method of painting the stain on with a brush and then using a rag to wipe away the excess. I did semi small areas and wiped away the excess quickly after painting it. While I was wiping away, I also tried to rub in the stain as well. I love using this stain because it really does give an antique look to everything I use it on. And it pairs so well with the shaker pegs and cottage feel of this shelf. After staining the shelf, you can screw in your pegs while your hands are still dirty or wait for everything to dry, whichever you prefer! Let your stain dry overnight.
Once the shelf is dry you are ready to hang it up! I just love how it came together! It’s making my cozy cottage dreams come true! I love that we have a place by the front door to hang up our coats and that our bench just goes perfectly with them! Now just imagine some shiplap wainscoting on the wall and a couple of coats of white paint! I also need to find something we can do for our shoes here, but that will come in due time and I will share that process with you all when the time comes.
I really hope you enjoyed this post and that you will try building this cottage style shelf! It will add the perfect charm to your entryway when you do! Let me know below if you decide to try it!
With love,
Brittany