![Easy DIY Picture Ledges](https://ahancockdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Picture-Ledges-title-1024x768.jpg)
I built this coffee table for my sister-in-law for Christmas last year and one day, as I was in the late stages of the project, she texted me a link to some picture ledges and asked if they would be hard to make. I eyed up my leftover lumber from the coffee table build and replied, “Not hard at all!” and then built a couple out of the coffee table scraps.
![Picture Ledges - materials](https://ahancockdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Picture-Ledges-materials-1024x768.jpg)
One of these days, I’ll have a real workshop, but for now I utilize the portable workshop alternatively known as my front porch. (That sorry-looking bench came with the house and one of these days I’m going to build a new one… but for now it sits in all its lop-legged glory.)
![Pictures Ledges - lumber](https://ahancockdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Pictures-Ledges-lumber-768x1024.jpg)
I had a couple pieces of 1×12 leftover from the bottom shelf of the coffee table, so I ripped those down into approximately 1×2, 1×3, and 1×4. I didn’t use those exact dimensions but you could buy lumber at those dimensions and the shelves would still work great.
![Picture Ledges - clamped](https://ahancockdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Picture-Ledges-clamped-768x1024.jpg)
This build was seriously so easy. There are dozens of tutorials out there on the internet so if you need more guidance, just do a quick Google search. Basically, I just laid out the pieces how I wanted them, glued and clamped, and then put screws in the back and finish nails in the front to hold the boards together.
![Picture Ledges - drill holes](https://ahancockdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Picture-Ledges-drill-holes-768x1024.jpg)
Predrilling, of course, because I was working with such a narrow piece of wood. The screws went in fine but I definitely could use some more practice on my aiming skills with a brad nailer. There were more than a few extra holes I needed to fill in!
![Picture Ledges - wood filler](https://ahancockdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Picture-Ledges-wood-filler-768x1024.jpg)
After everything was glued, nailed, and screwed together, I put wood filler in the holes on the front that would be seen on the finished project. After it dried, I sanded it smooth and moved on to the staining.
![Picture Ledges - ready to stain](https://ahancockdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Picture-Ledges-ready-to-stain-768x1024.jpg)
I used the same stain I had used for the coffee table, which is Minwax either Jacobean or Espresso… can’t remember!
![Picture Ledges - side view](https://ahancockdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Picture-Ledges-side-view-768x1024.jpg)
And there the shelves are in all their styled beauty! This project was so fast (maybe 3 hours for two shelves total time) and very cheap (free because I used scrap and leftovers) and looks great!
![Picture Ledges - living room staged](https://ahancockdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Picture-Ledges-living-room-staged-1024x768.jpg)
![Picture Ledges - staged1](https://ahancockdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Picture-Ledges-staged1-768x1024.jpg)