2 | Building 25 feet floating shelf for garage | Polidact Woodworking
Stop Wasting Wood
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We have a long hallway. A really long hallway. I wanted a single shelf running the entire length for photos and books. Problem: Trees don't grow 25 feet tall (straight enough for a board). The longest board I can buy is 8 to 10 feet.
Challenge: Join 3 boards together to look like one continuous piece of wood, seamlessly.
The Joint: The Scarf
A butt joint (flat end to flat end) is weak and visible. I utilized a Scarf Joint.
- I cut the ends of the boards at a shallow 30-degree angle.
- When glued together, the grain blends across the angle, making the seam almost invisible.
- Biscuits: I used a biscuit joiner to insert a wooden wafer inside the joint for alignment.
Installation: The Wavy Wall
Walls are never straight. Over 25 feet, my wall waved in and out by almost an inch.
- Scribing: I clamped the boards in place and scribed the back edge (just like the corner shelf project).
- Power Plane: I used an electric hand planer to shave the back of the shelf to match the wall's curve.
Supports
I used minimal hidden steel brackets (rods drilled into the studs) so the shelf creates a clean horizontal line with no visual clutter underneath.
Conclusion
It looks like an architectural feature. Unless you specificially look for the seams with a magnifying glass, you can't see them. It visually elongates the hallway and holds a ton of memories (photos).