Let’s talk about custom floating shelves — and why their cost sometimes surprises people.
At first glance, a floating shelf seems simple: a piece of wood attached to a wall, no visible brackets, clean and minimal. But once you understand what goes into building and installing a high-quality custom floating shelf, it becomes easy to tell the difference between craftsmanship and a shortcut job.
How to Tell if a Custom Floating Shelf Is Well Made
If you look underneath your floating shelf, do you notice a gap between the wall and the wood? Can you see the metal support that holds it? Is the under-cabinet lighting (UCL) coming loose because the groove for the LED strip was cut too deep — or too shallow? These small details reveal the quality of the work behind the shelf.
A true custom floating shelf should look like it’s part of the wall — clean lines, no visible brackets, no shadows, and no gaps. That seamless look doesn’t happen by accident. It’s achieved through precision and experience at every step of the process.
The Construction
Each custom floating shelf begins in our shop, where it’s built to the exact dimensions of your wall and intended use. The components are cut and glued together to create perfect angles and the desired thickness. Thickness isn’t chosen at random — it’s based on both function and proportion. A bathroom shelf designed to hold cosmetics can be thinner and lighter, while a long bar shelf for bottles or books requires internal reinforcement for stability.
The goal is to make the custom floating shelf look both solid and weightless — a balance that only skilled craftsmanship can achieve.
The Installation
Once the custom floating shelves are ready, our installers prepare the wall. A hidden steel support system is mounted inside the wall to bear the shelf’s full weight. This structure is what gives the shelf its “floating” appearance and ensures it stays perfectly level for years.
The next step — and often the most challenging — is fitting the shelf to the wall. Since walls are never perfectly straight, even in new homes, we use a method called scribing. This involves sanding and shaping the back edge of the custom floating shelf until it mirrors every subtle contour of the wall. When done right, the shelf sits flush, as if it’s always been there.
Why Precision Matters
At ARKA Cabinets, we approach every custom floating shelf with the same care and attention to detail that we apply to full kitchens or bathrooms. Every edge is hand-finished, every line inspected, and every installation executed with accuracy.
So the next time you see custom floating shelves, take a closer look beneath them. Is it a shelf — or is it the shelf?
Our clients at ARKA Cabinets expect the best — and we deliver.
If you are curious to learn more about how much custom cabinets in Oregon cost, read our previous blog post.
Credits:
Photogarphy: Vitaliy Kornienko
Design: Studio Red
