germantown tennessee home of interior designer drywall next to fireplace prepared with inserted wall bracket single peg mounts for large 6' floating shelves project by 1 Handy Craftsman in Germantown Tennessee 5 rows with 4 mounts perfectly squared carpentry made by hand jordan trask

Estimating 6′ Floating Shelves with Sheppard Brackets’ Options.

When you need something built, finding the right contractor is tough. Pictures and reviews only tell you so much about knowledge and skill. What really separates a carpenter is their ability to listen, adjust and write detailed estimates. People don’t usually consider this when it comes to cost. But it’s worth it. I can prove it to you by running through my process when estimating 6′ shelves last month. 

Introducing the Wood Project.

Here in Memphis, I get quite a few random requests. Most people make decisions based on price alone. But this can be tricky. Paying an expert to help you make the best decision is valuable, no?

When I was asked to build custom shelving for an interior designer in Germantown, TN – I knew the process would be appreciated. Initially, the client was looking for rough, 1 1/2″ thick wood for some 18″ by 6′ floating shelves. However, she knew it was going to be a challenge. 

pictures of some of the shelving options available at city wood supply in memphis tennessee where I stopped by to discuss heavy floating shelves and bracketing them to the drywall

The Work That Goes into Estimating.

After stopping by the house to see the wall, a ton of ideas ran through my head. I presented the client with some wood options with costs and began formulating ideas to float the shelves. But the more I thought about the dimensions, the more I realized they probably weren’t going to work.  

I even designed my own brackets with threaded rods. But I wasn’t confident in the strength of a floating board that thin. Wood like cedar just wasn’t coarse enough. After stopping by Home Depot to browse and City Wood to see how they float their slabs, I decided we needed to head towards 2″. Thankfully, the client agreed.

hand drawn diagram by 1 handy craftsman of local city wood tables in memphis tn floating shelf bracket inside wall on side of studs and simple external mount on top of drywall by sheppard brackets for Hinge Interior in germantown tn

6' Floating Shelves Don't Cost $500.

At this point, a lot of time was invested in the project. I hadn’t even plugged in a saw yet. My point is, home service is more than just labor. Custom work is a process.

From here, we went back and forth on material for about a week before deciding that an 18″ width was too much. My client made a few calls and found some gnarly 6′ reclaimed boards from Jason at Southend Reclaimed. It was less money than other options – but it didn’t lower the overall price.

stack of five custom made floating shelf slabs on the back bed of a pickup truck at 1 Handy Craftsman shop in Olive Branch, MS during home improvement project for local interior design team

The boards were only 10″ wide and I was going to have to adhere them together. It would be another challenge since none of the wood was flush. But the client was informed and confident.

Once the boards were ready, we were finally able to focus on mounting the 6′ floating shelves. The client didn’t want to tear up the wall so I provided her with some options from Sheppard Brackets. Here’s how it went down:

OPTION A:

Cheapest but Strong with More Labor.

product pricing for wall mounting hardware for floating shelves made by carpenter near memphis tennessee for germantown home project for interior designer

Benefits/Details:

  • 400 lb limit (no side tabs).
  • 12” pegs for <18” depth.
  • Fairly cheap product cost.
  • Won’t have to remove drywall.
  • Will need paint match.
  • Drill bit/hole guide $80.
  • More skill to align drill holes.
  • A little more labor (12-15 hrs).

Product + Install Estimate:  $XXXX.XX

OPTION B:

Strongest & Decent Price with Most Labor.

product pricing for sheppard brackets side mounting hardware considered by local drywall expert in olive branch mississippi for blog article

Benefits/Details:

  • Cheapest product cost.
  • Each peg holds “100’s of lbs”.
  • 9.5” will hold 15” shelf depth.
  • Will need to cut out drywall
  • Reinstall wall/seal/paint.
  • Drill bit/hole guide $80.
  • More skill to align drill holes.
  • A lot more labor (18-24 hrs).

Product + Install Estimate:  $XXXX.XX

OPTION C:

Sturdy but Pricey with Minimal Labor.

product cost for large wall mounting hardware for 6' floating shelf by sheppard brackets for a construction client in germantown tennessee

Benefits/Details:

  • Easy installation.
  • 240lb* weight limit per shelf.
  • 12” rod length for 18” depth.
  • 9” rod length – $876.
  • 9-12” won’t require side tabs.
  • 6” rod length – $738
  • No drywall work required.
  • Drilling kit needed $217

Product + Install Estimate:  $XXXX.XX

OPTION D:

Less Sturdy but Pricey with Minimal Labor.

product cost and quantity image from sheppard brackets website for review while estimating 6' floating shelves by 1 handy craftsman in olive branch mississippi

Benefits/Details:

  • Easy installation.
  • 240lb* weight limit per shelf.
  • 12” rod length for 18” depth.
  • 9” rod length – $876.
  • 9-12” won’t require side tabs.
  • 6” rod length – $738
  • No drywall work required.
  • Drilling kit needed $217

Product + Install Estimate:  $XXXX.XX

Do You Value Custom Work?

Every step of the project made it difficult to estimate the cost of a 6′ floating shelf. Despite the curveballs (and more to come, I’m sure), we’re still pretty close to the original proposal. When your effort is valued, the job is a lot more gratifying. 

Now you know why handy Randy charges a lot more. He just cares. That’s all.

finished floating shelf construction for germantown tn interior design specialist showcase event for local magazine work by 1 handy craftsman
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