I’ve been working on making over my living room/office (aka “mom cave”) since we’ve been in quarantine, and I’m making a lot of progress. Today I’ll show you how I made these DIY hanging rope wall shelves, and I’ll also share how I got them straight and level and what tools I used to make the job easier. (You can also check out my YouTube video for this project here.)

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Home Depot. All opinions are my own.

Project Supply List:

(4) 1×6 boards cut to 26″ long each
(8) Strands of 3/8″ Twisted Cotton Rope cut to 74″ long each
Saw
Tape Measure
Pencil
Drill
Sander
Bosch Daredevil Standard Spade Bit Set (I used the 3/8″ bit.)
Bosch 50 ft. Self Leveling Cross Line Laser Level
Bosch BLAZE 135 ft Laser Measurer
Tripod (Or something to attach the laser level to)
(4) 2 inch Welded Brass O-Rings
Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner
Varathane Stain in Special Walnut
Cotton Cloths
Polycrylic in Satin Finish (or water-based polyurethane)
Paintbrush
Wall Anchors and Screws

HOW TO MAKE DIY HANGING ROPE WALL SHELVES

(& HANG THEM LEVEL)

Step 1

Cut your 1×6 board into 4 pieces at 26″ long each (or whatever length you choose).

Step 2

Measure and mark each corner, 1 1/2″ in from each end and 1/2″ in from the sides.

Step 3

Using a 3/8″ spade bit, drill holes in the corners where you’ve made your marks. I used a bit from my new Bosch Daredevil Standard Spade Bit Set. These bits offer 10x faster drilling speed, have a fully threaded cone tip, reamer edges, and a waved pattern design for speed.

Step 4

Sand everything.

Step 5

Apply a pre-stain wood conditioner and let sit for 20 minutes, then stain. I used Varathane Special Walnut and applied it with a cotton cloth. I finished it with Polycrylic in a Satin finish.

Step 6

Double your rope and loop it around your brass O-ring, 2 strands of rope per ring.

Step 7

Thread the rope through the holes and tie loose knots (you will be adjusting the knots when the shelves are hung so don’t tie them tight).

Step 8

Time to hang the shelves! This is the trickiest part of the whole project. First, I decided where I wanted my first shelf to be placed and marked and drilled a hole, then inserted a wall anchor and screw. I positioned my shelf so that I could decide how low to hang my next one. (I was hanging two shelves on each side of my card catalog.) I used my Bosch 50 ft. Self Leveling Cross Line Laser Level not only to help me know where to adjust my knots and hang my shelf level, but also to line up my second shelf below the first one.

This laser level has a bright, easy to see line, is self-leveling, and has a professional mount for easy use.

Then, I used it to hang my second set of shelves level to the first set.

I attached my laser level to a photography lighting pole but a tripod would work fine too. Then I adjusted the height accordingly as I went along.

In order to ensure that my shelves were equally spaced and the same distance from the card catalog on each side, I used my Bosch BLAZE 135 ft Laser Measurer. It has a bright full color display, it can auto-calculate area and volume, and allows for fast and accurate one-person operation. I also used it to make sure each of my top shelves were equal distance from the ceiling. I’m really excited to use this next time I need to measure for wallpaper. It’ll come in handy.

Step 9

Tighten your knots, snip the excess rope, and style your shelves!

Click here for all decor sources.

Check out my YouTube video here:

I can’t wait to show you the entire room makeover very soon!

Disclosure: I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in the promotional program described above (the “Program”). As a part of the Program, I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.