# Floating shelves by an expert finish carpenter.



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

A great You Tube Video with many tips and tricks from a professional:


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## John Smith_inFL (Jul 4, 2018)

just the photo alone sparks more examples of Thinking Outside of the Box and Craftsmanship.


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## Half Fast Eddie (Jan 12, 2022)

And unsafe ladder useage. I doubt the ladder has steps on both sides, and he’s near the top leaning backwards.

He mentioned a couple of times that the PL would expand and lock things together. The PL needs moisture to expand and cure, he’s using kiln dried material … it’s not going to expand.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

Half Fast Eddie said:


> And unsafe ladder useage. I doubt the ladder has steps on both sides, and he’s near the top leaning backwards.
> 
> He mentioned a couple of times that the PL would expand and lock things together. The PL needs moisture to expand and cure, he’s using kiln dried material … it’s not going to expand.


Yes, not the best ladder safety, but based on the height of the mantle to the right, he's about 18" from the floor and the shelf is hollow, so doesn't weigh much. 
I've watched about 12 of his videos and had some comments both "pro and con" which I posted. He is very precise and generally offers sound advice. We don't get many trim or finish carpenters on the forum, so it's useful info in my opinion. As with all You Tubes there may be typical concerns regarding safety, so be aware.
I've heard the same about PL adhesive, so that could be a concern? He has a separate video on using PL and why some don't get good results, so maybe worth watching?


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## John Smith_inFL (Jul 4, 2018)

I would use small screws on the back edge to hold the shelves in place - once an adhesive enters the equation, it is there PERMANENTLY.


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

That was my only concern of the shelf itself - too permanent.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

I think "temporay or non-permanent shelves" won't be as secure as those which are firmly anchored, it's a trade off.
If they are between two surfaces or walls, like in the first video, they can be a lot more secure than if located in the middle of a wall which is often the case.
I did some further research because floating shelves comes up here often enough to get more options.
here's another video with a different approach:


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