Quickly Upgrade The Look Of Any Floating Shelf With A Simple Installation

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While minimalism may be elegant and stylish for one person, another is just as likely to find it uninspired and boring. And sometimes, those people are one and the same. Nothing lasts forever, including personal taste, meaning that chic, low-key floating shelf you once adored can eventually lose its appeal. How do you manage when it does? Do you try to style your floating shelves for a more beautiful design, or should you simply start from scratch and replace them with new units? Well, if you're a fan of fun DIYs, you could always choose option C and upgrade the look of your current shelf with a gallery rail.

A gallery rail is a railing that sits atop the floating shelf, running along the edge as a decorative accent and a barrier to keep the stored items from falling over the side. Rails typically come in various metal finishes like gold, antique bronze, and brushed nickel to add a cohesive yet eye-catching decoration. You can order gallery rail components based on your shelf's size. The rails and the finials that hold them are usually sold individually, allowing you to get the rod length and the number of end posts, corner posts, through posts (to allow the rod to pass through), and wall brackets you need. Choosing the exact parts is just a matter of deciding how you want your gallery rail to look and where you want to install your posts.

Mark the locations for the gallery rail posts to see how many you need. Generally, posts will sit 8 to 12 inches apart and about ½ an inch or so from the edge of the shelf. Some posts have holes on top, letting you drill small screws through the top of the shelf. Others have holes on the bottom for a screw to enter from the underside.

For a concealed hardware look, you can use double-ended dowel screws, like these ANGGREK Double-Ended Screws, for posts with bottom screw holes, as long as the threading matches the finial. To install them, drill pilot holes where the screws secure the posts to the shelf. If needed, use a drill guide, a must-have tool to get perfect holes every time. Install the screw first, then screw the finial on. For ease and clean aesthetics, you can also stick the posts to the shelf with glue, such as E6000, polyurethane glue, or super glue. Or, you can leave the rail loose, a sensible option if you won't touch the shelf decor anytime soon.

With your posts installed, you can measure, cut, and install the rail. Measure the distance between the posts, and add a small amount to get your rod length so that it can enter the holes on both posts. To cut the bars to length, use a hacksaw, pipe cutter, or, if the rod is thin enough, bolt cutters. Install the rods into the posts, and fix the posts to the shelf.

Installing a gallery rail may be a simple way to upgrade your floating shelf, but there's plenty of flexibility to achieve the look you want and accomplish your biggest DIY goals. Want to save money? Rather than buy a gallery rail, DIYers have cut costs by repurposing other metal post fixtures from around the home, such as lamp parts. If you're feeling crafty and desire a natural or rustic aesthetic, you could replace the rods with wood dowels or rope and maybe go as far as fashioning DIY posts.

You can also play with the gallery rail's color and position. Apply an appropriate primer and spray paint to color-match the rail to your decor for a uniquely fashionable update. For added function, you can also install a matching rail on the underside of the shelf or along the shelf's edge for hanging lightweight items around the house. In the kitchen, for instance, this could make a great place for a hand towel.

With the gallery rail supplying such a stylish boost, you may want to consider how you can update the shelf itself. Priming and painting an attractive new color is a great option, and this is the perfect place to apply a contact paper decorating hack to liven up your space and complement the bright metal gallery rail. When you want to get extra fancy, you can even consider routing an attractive edge profiling on the shelf as an elegant touch appropriate for the upgrade.