• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Woodshop Diaries
  • About
    • Work With Me
  • DIY Projects
  • Shop
  • Getting Started
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
go to homepage
Homepage link
  • About
    • Work With Me
  • DIY Projects
  • Shop
  • Getting Started
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Let It Snow-My DIY Wooden Snowflake Shelf

    Let It Snow-My DIY Wooden Snowflake Shelf

    November 30, 2015 by Shara, Woodshop Diaries

    .This post will show you how to build your own DIY wooden snowflake shelf!

    DIY snowflake wall shelf

    I love seasonal DIYs–and I also love snow. And I also love easy weekend projects. SOOOOO, this DIY snowflake shelf checks all the boxes and makes for the perfect little Christmas project!

    .

    This project was inspired by Jaime Costiglio’s Christmas tree shelf . I really loved the idea, but wanted something a little different. So I made a SNOWFLAKE shelf instead.

    .

    I looked on Pinterest before building to make sure no one had already had this idea haha.  I found nothing, so I was good to go 🙂 (As a side note, this project has been copied multiple times since I made it back in 2015, so take note–mine was the original 😉 )

    .

    The build was pretty simple.  The hardest part was getting the nail gun into all the weird angles.  FYI keep in mind that everything was glued and nailed (no screws).  While this will hold a significant amount of weight, it is not a good idea to weigh it down with heavy items.

    .

    The size is fairly easy to modify, but mine was about 35″ in diameter.

    .

    This post contains affiliate links.  Please see disclosure policy for more details. 

    For this DIY Snowflake Shelf, You will need:

    • 18+ feet of 1×4 (I used about 18 feet of lumber, but you may want to get a little more in case you make a mistake in cutting)
    • Nail gun (nails no longer than 1 1/2″)
    • Glue
    • Miter saw
    • Clamp (optional)

    Step 1: Assemble Main Frame of DIY Snowflake Shelf

    I cut a piece of 1×4 at 35″ long and 4 pieces of 1×4 at 17″ long (at the longest point) with a 30 degree bevel on one end.

    Pieces cut and ready for assembly on main shelf frame

    Then, I attached two of the 17″ pieces to the center of the 35″ piece with the nail gun and glue.

    Close up of installing main wall shelf frame together

    The first two will be easy to nail, but with the other two, it’s hard to get the gun into the angles.  Glue them to the other side of the 35″ piece and shoot a few nails in as best you can.

    .

    Clamp like the picture below to hold it tight in place until the glue dries.

    Clamp main frame together while glue dries

    Step 2: Cut and Assemble Snowflake Points

    While the glue dries on the main frame of the snowflake shelf, I cut 12 pieces with 30 degree bevels on each end parallel to each other.  These pieces should be six inches long.

    triangle pieces cut and ready to assemble

    I paired these pieces and glued and nailed them together like the picture below.

    snowflake shelf sub assemblies laid out on workbench

    Step 3: Attach Snowflake Triangles to Main Frame of Shelf

    Once the glue had dried, I attached these triangles to the main body of the snowflake from step 1.  Again, I used both glue and nails.  

    .

    Sometimes the angles will be difficult to get the nail gun into, but it is doable.  Make sure you use plenty of glue in case your nails do not hold very well.

    .

    Add the triangles one at a time around the flake.

    Close up of shelf triangles being installed onto shelf frame
    wall shelf assembly in progress--triangles attached to main frame

    Step 4: Add Final Details on End of Shelf Frame

    While that glue was drying, I cut 12 pieces 3 1/2″ long (at the longest point) with a 30 degree bevel on one end.

    detail pieces cut and ready to assemble

    I attached these pieces to the end of each flake “arm” like the picture below.  Again, I used both glue and nails.

    Close up of pieces nailed onto shelf arms

    I let the glue dry well before hanging.  You could paint or stain (if you didn’t get glue everywhere while you were making it haha), but I liked mine natural.

    .

    I tied twine around mine to hang, but you could use ribbon or use picture frame hangers to hang yours.

    .

    You can decorate however you would like.  I kept it simple and used ornaments, pine cones, and fake gift boxes.

    Wooden snowflake shelf decorated and hanging on wall

    It’s kind of a beast…I could have stood to make it a little smaller, but whatever….it’s big enough to make a statement, right? haha.

    Large DIY snowflake shelf wall decor made from 1x4 boards

    Look at all those angles!!  Don’t be intimidated.  Angles never hurt anyone 🙂

    DIY snowflake shelf made from 1x4 boards

    So what do you think of the GIANT wooden snowflake shelf??  If you wanted a deeper one, you could use a 1×6 or 1×8 (although that would be much heavier).  If you make one yourself, I’d love to see your pictures!

    .

    Don’t forget to pin for later!

    Super simple DIY snowflake shelf--Easy holiday project can be made with just a few tools--Woodshop Diaries

    NOTE: As with any plans/tutorials on the site, I am happy to provide tutorials and inspire you to create your own wood crafts and furniture. However, please be respectful of the time that was put into creating and writing these instructions and ask permission before making these projects to sell for profit.

    Share this:

    • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

    Related Posts

    Personalized DIY wooden wall clock--make your own with this tutorial
    How to Make a DIY Wooden Wall Clock
    How to install a barn wood wall with herringbone pattern to make a gorgeous accent wall in your living room
    How to Install a DIY Herringbone Barn Wood Wall
    How to build a mid century modern furniture base with round angled legs
    How to Make a DIY Mid Century Dresser Base {with round legs!!}
    Previous Post: « It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas
    Next Post: I’m Still Here!! Plans for 2016 »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Maeve

      December 01, 2018 at 6:07 pm

      Made this tonight. Yours looks great, mine not so much. The Ryobi brad nailer does not fit, at all. The very center is not pretty on mine – nails everywhere even after pulling a bunch of half sunk ones! Not sure how sturdy it will be. Like the concept, may try again on a larger model. Thanks for sharing.

      • Shara, Woodshop Diaries

        December 15, 2018 at 9:49 am

        Oh yes the Ryobi nailer is much larger than my bostitch nail gun. But, the glue should help keep it fairly sturdy even if all the nails didn’t sink as well as you’d liked.

    2. Pete

      November 27, 2018 at 1:00 pm

      Love it. Just finished a slightly smaller one for my wife. One tip I found is to use a stop block on your miter saw when cutting the pieces for the inner triangles, then once you glue and nail each half of the point together, take them back to the miter saw with the stop block still in place and cut the long end to match. This is a simple step that eliminates having to cut some boards to a different length and aligns the points to the center to look better. Thanks for the guide and inspiration!

      • Shara, Woodshop Diaries

        December 15, 2018 at 9:55 am

        Great tips! Thank you for sharing!

    3. Mike

      January 10, 2018 at 10:53 pm

      I am not following why you chose to make 30 degree cuts on both sides of the pieces that form the star and then join them the way you did to where one side is longer than the other as this causes the points not to be even or centered opposite the angle of the cross bars. Was this intentional or an oversight?

      • Shara, Woodshop Diaries

        January 12, 2018 at 6:39 pm

        It was intentional. You could cut six of the pieces shorter if you wish. I just cut the this way because it made it faster to cut them all the same length and it made it easy to join them at the tip. Plus, my miter saw isn’t capable of cutting them at 60 degrees to join them evenly at the tip.

    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi friend! I'm Shara, the voice, maker, and videographer behind Woodshop Diaries. Here I share my DIY projects with you! Happy Building, friends! :)

    More about me →

    Woodworking Tips & Guides

    • 5 Tools To Get Started Woodworking
    • Woodworking Tips: How to Square Board Edges and Make Your Own 2x2s
    • The Easiest Way to Cut Down Plywood Sheets
    • Drill, Driver, Impact Wrench–What’s the difference?

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Tips to Take Your Projects to the Next Level

    --5 Secrets to Professional Looking DIY Furniture

    --How to Properly Finish Raw Wood Furniture {Without a Sprayer!}

    --How to EASILY Cover Plywood Edges

    --4 Ways to Fill a Pocket Hole

    --10 Must Have Tools for Furniture and Cabinet Building

    Printable Building Plans

    Check out our shop to browse printable PDF building plans!

    Website Policies

    This website is for entertainment purposes. Using any information provided is to be at your own risk.

    This site uses cookies to provide you with a better experience.

    All images and text on this site are property of Woodshop Diaries, LLC. Please be respectful and don't steal this content.

    See policies page on this site for more information.

    Copyright © 2021