A few months ago, a friend of mine sent me a picture of these incredibly cute hexagon shelves she found online. These shelves came with a fat price tag, so she asked if I could make them. I had never made something like this before, but I was intrigued. Hexagons or geometrical shapes seem to be the biggest trend this year! After several calculations (and several trials and errors later), I figured out how to make them at a fraction of the cost. Put them gloves on and start up that saw, ladies, we’re woodworking today!
But what about all the geometry involved!?
Haven’t messed with geometry since high school? No worries! I found this (free) awesome resource that figures it all out for you + it gives a crash course in geometry! For these shelves, my friend requested the hexagons be 12” from top to bottom --meaning a 12” diameter or 6” radius.
Materials Needed
I purchased all of my materials from Lowe’s Home Improvement. Not including the power tools, I spent less than $25 on all of the materials needed!
Compound Miter Saw
Power Drill
Electric Sander ( preferably random-orbit sander)
Ruler
Pencil
Four 1 x 4 planks (6’ each)
Wood Glue
Trim Head Screws
Foam Brush
Wood Finish (Love the Minwax English Chestnut!)
Stain Cloth or Old Rag
Polyurethane Sealant
Sawtooth Hangers
Instructions
Sand down each of the uncut planks until smooth
Set your Compound Miter Saw to a 30º angle
Cut a 30º angle on the edge of your first plank
Measure out 7” with your ruler and mark with pencil
Turn your plank over and make sure your next cut is in the opposite direction of your first cut (your plank should NOT have parallel cuts) See above picture for example.
Cut at your 7” mark
Repeat steps 3-6 until you have cut 36 pieces
Open your stain and gently stir before applying
Apply your stain using the foam brush (I did 6 at a time) *Put Tips here
Rub stain in with cloth/rag (apply another coat if desired)
Let the planks set for at least 1 hour
Start to assemble your planks
Glue the best fitting pieces together
Let the glue dry
Using your pencil, mark where to drill your holes for the screws. Remember to drill a hole slightly smaller than the diameter of your screw
Drill your holes
Change your drill to the bit that fits your screws (these screws came with their own bit)
Put in your screws
Sand down any uneven edges
Re-stain your hexagons and let dry
Apply your polyurethane sealant. I used a sealant in a spray can and it was better than expected!
Once the sealant is dry, decide which part of the hexagon you want facing the wall and place your sawtooth hanger on. Repeat on all 6 hexagons.
I cannot tell you how many people have asked me to make this for them. It’s relatively simple to do, and so much fun! My friend is constantly gushing about these frames; they make such a statement in her home!