How to Make a Hexagon Display Shelf

What You'll Be Creating

Looking for a stylish shelving solution with a geometric twist? Look no further! This tutorial will teach you how to make your very own hexagonal shelves that are as functional as they are beautiful.

Supplies

• Safety glasses
• 1 m to 2.5 m long 2.5 cm x 10 cm board (8 foot long 1" x 4")
• Miter saw 
• Measuring tape
• Straight edge 
• 9 cm to 3.8 cm (1.5 in) screws
• Pencil
• Sanding paper
• Drill
• Drill bits
• Wood glue

Safety

• When working with power tools such as saws, it is very important to wear safety glasses at all times.
• Make sure you are fully concentrating on the task at hand, as saws and other power tools can do a lot of damage very quickly!

Tools

• For this tutorial, we will be using a miter saw. Miter saws are perfect for cutting very straight lines in larger pieces of wood. A miter saw should not be used with pieces of wood where you cannot keep your fingers safely away from the blade.

1. Cut the Shelving Pieces

Step 1

For your hexagonal shelf you will need to cut six sections of board the same length. For our example we cut each section to be 28 cm (11 inches) long. Measure and mark the length you want each side of your shelf to be.

Step 2

Now with the saw, cut each piece that you marked. Make sure your cuts are as accurate as possible.

Step 3

Once you have cut each side to the proper length, it is time to cut the miters at each end of the shelf sides. Set the saw to cut 30-degree miters.

Step 4

Now that the miter is set, line up the corner of the shelf side furthest from you with the blade edge. The miter will cut the end of the board at an angle. Cut each end of the six side pieces this way, for a total of 12 cuts.

Step 5

The mitered board should look like this after making cuts at both ends.

2. Constructing the Shelf

Step 1

Sand any rough edges.

Step 2

Apply glue to the ends of the sides. Be careful to not use too much glue because that will be messy.

Step 3

Line the edges of the sides up with glue edge of the board. Gently press the ends together and wipe off any excess glue from the joint.

Step 4

Carefully drill a hole where you will be placing the screw to hold the sides together. Make sure to choose a drill bit that is smaller than the threading of the screw you will be using. This hole will help keep the wood from splitting.

Step 5

Carefully install the screws into the pilot hole.

Repeat the above four steps to finish all six sides of the hexagonal shelf.

3. Constructing the Middle Shelf Piece

Step 1

Once you have completed the six outside pieces, you are ready to add the inner middle shelf. Measure the inside distance at the joint of the widest part of the shelf. The distance for the 28 cm (11 in) sided shelf is 41.5 cm (19.375 in). Make sure your measurements are very accurate.
Using this measurement mark, cut the middle shelf piece the same way you marked and cut each side piece (steps 1–5). The middle shelf piece is a longer version of the side pieces, with 30-degree miters cut at each end.

Step 2

Once the middle shelf piece is cut, make sure it fits into the shelf properly.

Step 3

Carefully drill a pilot hole from the outside of the hexagon into the middle shelf. Be careful not to drill too close to the existing screw. Install a screw using the pilot hole. Repeat on the other side of the middle shelf.

Your shelf is complete!

Now you are ready to display all your favorite knickknacks, books, and treasures in geometric style!

In this tutorial, you learned how to make a wooden geometric hexagonal shelf.
We showed you how to mark and cut the appropriate lengths of wood, cut miters, drill pilot holes, install screws, and assemble a hexagonal shelving unit.
One of the fantastic things about these hexagonal shelves is that they are so versatile! They can be used freestanding, or can be mounted on a wall. And you can either leave them unpainted for a rustic, natural look, or paint them to match the decor in your room!