SIMPLE DIY CAT WALL SHELVES

If you’ve seen my kitty cat playroom, you’ve probably noticed the shelves along the walls and the ramp leading out to the outdoor catio space. 

Well, those shelves are super simple to create, so I thought I’d share a quick post on how you can easily make them for your own cat!

And no worries if you haven't seen my catio or kitty playroom because I’ll be sure to leave links at the end of this post so you can check them out.

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HOW TO MAKE REALLY EASY CAT SHELVES

SUPPLIES

10" wide x 1" thick pine lumber (length depends on how long or how many shelves you want)

Wall screws

Shelf brackets

Screws

Electric Screwdriver

Stud finder

Stain and Rag (optional)

Paint and Brush (optional)

In this post, I’m making three shelves. 

Two of the shelves measure 1 inch x 10 inches x 25 inches, and the other measures 1 inch x 10 inches x 60 inches. 

The first step is deciding the length of your shelves since you’ll need to have your boards cut accordingly.

You can leave the boards as they are or stain them.

I chose to stain mine with Minwax stain, but if you're concerned about your kitty and chemicals, you can opt for a food-grade stain. 

I find the stain not only gives a more polished look than natural wood but also helps seal in any splinters.

Once the stain has completely dried, you're ready to hang the shelves. 

For this, you'll need shelf brackets. 

They don't have to be anything fancy mine were from my local hardware store.

Just make sure the brackets can support at least 50 pounds and are sturdy enough to handle the shelf depth, which in this case is 10 inches.

HANGING THE SHELF BRACKETS

To hang the shelves, make sure to screw them into the studs in the wall for maximum stability, especially since your kitty will be jumping on them!

To do this, use a stud finder and slowly move it horizontally along the wall where you want to place your shelf brackets. 

When the stud finder detects a stud, it will beep or flash you can mark the spot with a pencil.

Studs are typically spaced 16 or 24 inches apart.

For my 25-inch shelves, I spaced the brackets 16 inches apart under the shelf, leaving about 3.5 inches on each side for secure placement.

Once you've marked the area for your brackets, use your electric screwdriver to screw them into the wall.

Next, place the board on top of the brackets and secure it by screwing it in from the underside of the brackets.

And that is basically it! 

You can make as many shelves as you want.

You can even add some fun colors with paint to brighten them up!

I don't think these kitty shelves could be any easier, and my seven cats have had no issues with them! 

I did consider adding carpet to make them less slippery, but they seem to be just fine without it. 

However, for the ramp (which was made with the same type of brackets, just slanted), I did nail on 1x1 boards for added traction. 

You can check out the picture below for a closer look!

As promised, here’s the link to the kitty cat playroom!

ENTERTAINING OUR FELINES WITH A KITTY CAT PLAYROOM & CATIO SPACE

And, if you're not ready to tackle this cat shelf project Amazon always has great cat shelf options, I linked you a fun set HERE.

XOXO

Emily

Thank you so much for stopping by FARM DUST AND PAINT today.

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