40+ Floating Shelf Ideas Built With Industrial Pipe
Have you ever felt like you don’t have enough storage space? We’ve all been there. Maybe your closets just don’t give you quite enough room for everything. Or, you have a few too many pieces that you would like to display.
Consider building a floating shelf to add some extra storage and display space.
Floating shelves are a trendy design piece that might seem complicated to build. Don’t worry, these shelves are actually easy (and fun) to create. Plus, you only need a few simple materials to make your dream floating shelves a reality.
We’ve created a list of more than 40 floating shelves built with industrial pipe. Browse this list for inspiration before designing your own shelves. All of the shelves we’ve included could easily be created with pipe and Kee Klamp fittings.
Ready for some design inspiration? Keep reading. Soon you will be ready to create your own industrial pipe floating shelves.
Tommie designed and constructed this floating shelf piece for his kitchen. He wanted a space to store bottles and display knick-knacks. This minimal design fits in his kitchen without making it feel cluttered. Refer to this article for step-by-step building instructions.
Chris created this floating shelving unit for a wall in his office. Chris said, “having limited wall space, I wanted to utilize a connection on the floor and ceiling to create a set of shelves that looked like they were floating on poles.” To create a similar unit, use Flange fittings on the underside of the boards to attach the shelves to the poles.
While this chic floating shelf might look expensive, it was created with IKEA LACK shelves and Kee Klamp fittings. You will need Flange and Rail Support fittings when constructing your own version. This unit works well as a place to store towels, decorations, and essentials in a bathroom.
Matthew from Boston built this floating shelf unit as a wall-mounted alternative to a bar cart. This unit helps display his collection and save space on his counters. Although some other floating shelves are created with hidden internal brackets and retaining screws, this design is made simpler with Kee Klamp fittings and industrial pipe.
These shelves are very sleek and sturdy. Matthew left the pipes unfinished for an industrial look but you could add powder coating if you wanted a different color for the pipe.
If you don’t want to attach a unit to the wall, consider creating a piece similar to the one shown above. Adam created this zero-point floating shelf without penetrating the ceiling, floor, or wall. Since this unit is created with Kee Klamp fittings, it can easily be disassembled and moved if necessary.
Adam built this unit with bored-out Flange fittings and pipe. If you don’t want to bore out the fittings yourself, we offer this service for an additional fee.
Dan from Grand Rapids wanted a functional and appealing piece for his home’s entryway. He designed this coat rack and shelving unit with Walnut boards, Kee Klamp fittings, and industrial pipe. You will need Single Socket Tee fittings, Flange fittings, 90-Degree Elbow fittings, and Two Socket Cross fittings to create this project. For more details, you can read the step-by-step instructions here.
If you are unsure about creating a large shelving unit, this smaller project is a great place to start. To create this simple, but chic, floating shelf you only need a few hours and some simple materials. Gather the wood you will use for the shelf, two Flange fittings and Size 5 galvanized pipe to create this floating shelf.
When you start designing your own floating shelves, allow your creativity to flow. Do you want multiple shelves or just one? Do you want to add a towel rack under one of the shelves? Should you add a powder coating to the pipe or leave them galvanized? The possibilities are endless!
This three-shelf unit is very simple to design and create. The amount of shelves you want to use is up to you. Think about the space you are trying to fill and go from there. To create this you really only need wood, pipe, and Flange fittings.
This simple, rustic floating shelf was created with a towel rack. You can add design elements like this to fit your needs. This shelf works perfectly in a bathroom or a kitchen. If you wanted to create a similar floating shelf for another room, you could simply leave the towel rack off. Again, Flange fittings, pipe, and wood are essential elements of this design.
Here is another example of simple wall-mounted floating shelves. Despite the simple design, these shelves add a nice element to a modern bathroom. The black pipe makes the piece feel elevated, but you could use galvanized pipe for a more industrial design. Either way, Kee Klamp fittings make this an easy and affordable project.
Ian from Montana created this floating shelf from recycled boards. To create the floating look, Ian bored out the Flange fittings that you can see underneath the boards. If you have recycled or reclaimed wood, you can choose to leave it unfinished like Ian, or stain the wood to a darker color if that works better for your space. You could also leave the pipe galvanized if you want to create a more industrial feel for your piece.
Gayle created this wall-mounted shelving unit to add more storage to her space. She had to bore out the Flange fittings in order to create the floating illusion of the shelves. She mounted this unit to the wall for additional support but you can also create a shelving unit that doesn’t need to attach to the wall if you don’t want to penetrate the wall. 90° Elbow fittings are crucial for the design of this project.
This trendy floating shelving unit would work perfectly in a space decorated with farmhouse-inspired pieces. You can stain the wood a darker color or leave it unfinished to add to the rustic-chic feel of the piece. Again, to create the appearance of floating shelves, you need to bore out Flange fittings and use these to attach the shelves to the pipe.
This unique S-shaped wall-mounted bookshelf shows that you can get very creative when designing your own shelves. The builder of this unit only attached the shelf to the wall in six places. The shelves appear to be floating, but they are actually attached with Single-Sided Fixing Brackets. If you want to create a similar unit, you can review the step-by-step instructions here.
This wall-mounted display shelf was created for an Arizona-based running store called Sole Sports Running Zone. The designers used Kee Lite Fittings to create a modern floating shelf. This is the perfect retail display for nutritional supplements but a similar design could be used for a bookshelf in a home or office.
This interesting shelf would work perfectly in a small space. The unique design helps create a focal point for the room and gives a spot to display vases and picture frames. These shelves are made from Rigidlam Laminated Venner Lumber (L.V.L) but you could create a similar project with reclaimed wood or IKEA Lack boards. On Instructables, you can follow the step-by-step instructions for creating this project.
Don’t be afraid to let your imagination run wild as you design your floating shelves. This project fills an empty space in the room and is an interesting conversation piece. Kee Klamp fittings are very versatile and can be used to create endless unique designs. Browse our selection of over 100 Kee Klamp fittings to spark your imagination.
If you live in a rental or simply don’t want to puncture the walls in your home, a free-standing shelving unit is a great solution. This piece was created by boring holes into the front of the shelves. Then you can “float” the shelves on the Three Socket Tee fittings. For additional stability, use 90° Elbow fittings.
This sleek shelving unit could be replicated with Kee Lite fittings, reclaimed wood, and pipe. This floor-to-ceiling unit is large and the perfect spot to display knick knacks and decorative items. A few essential fittings for this project include Three Socket Tee fittings, Flange fittings, and 90° Elbow fittings.
Want to add an industrial-chic piece to your bathroom? Consider creating a rustic towel rack similar to the one pictured above. The top shelf floats on the Flange fittings. To create the towel rack, you will need pipe, 90° Elbow fittings, and Three Socket Tee fittings.
This open-concept shelving unit works well as a room divider. You could also use this as a more-functional storage unit in a kitchen or office. This unit is mounted to the floor and ceiling with Flange fittings. The shelves are also floating on top of bored out Flange fittings.
Working with a difficult space? No problem! Kee Klamp fittings allow you to be flexible in your designs. You can create a floating shelf to fit around a medicine cabinet, like the designers of this project. To add extra stability to your project, we recommend floating the shelves on bored out Flange fittings instead of small collar fittings.
You can even create a functional and stylish floating shelving unit above a counter. Flange fittings were used to attach the pipe to the countertop. You can also use bored out flange to float the shelves. This open-shelving unit is a great spot to display and store dishes and kitchen essentials.
This industrial shelving unit was created for a Hyundai Showroom in South Korea. This shelf is found in their children’s play area but the entire showroom is filled with industrial pipe. This project used Rail Support fittings to attach the shelves to the frame, but you could also float the shelves by using bored out Flange fittings.
Although there are no shelves attached to the hardware, you can see where Matthew is planning to float his shelves. All you would need to do to finish this project is to attach bored out Flange fittings, pipe, and wood shelves. You can use reclaimed or recycled wood to help keep the cost of the project low.
Kevin created this floor to ceiling shelving unit for a wall in his living room. You can see that he attached the floating shelves with bored out Flange fittings. He uses this shelving unit to display books and as a TV stand. He kept the industrial pipe un-painted to give it a industrial appearance.
For a simple and chic bathroom storage option, try mounting a few shelves to the wall. Instead of using the hardware shown in this image, you could also float your shelves with Kee Klamp fittings and pipe. The boards used here are IKEA LACK boards, which help cut the cost of this project.
This modern coat rack and shelving unit combo works well in a chic space. If you don’t want to see as much of the hardware, you can float the shelves instead. As you’ve probably figured out by now, it is as simple as using bored out Flange fittings and pipe to create the appearance of floating shelves. You will need to incorporate 90° Elbow fittings into your design to help support the coat rack.
The rustic look of these floating shelves complement the modern subway tiles they are mounted to. These shelves are simply floating on top of the pipe, which have been attached to the wall with Flange fittings.
Reclaimed wood was used in this trendy open cabinet. The designer attached the cabinet to a dining room wall with Flange fittings as a place to store dishes and plants. If you wanted to create a more industrial-inspired piece you could use galvanized pipe. The black pipe gives this a sleeker and more sophisticated feel.
This simple floating shelf adds a nice element to a living room. You could create a similar two or three tiered shelf depending on your design preferences. This shelf is used to store a few decorative pieces but it is relatively uncluttered which allows the beautiful design to stand out. Use 90° Elbow fittings and Flange fittings when creating a similar project.
Unlike many of the other shelving units on this list, this project doesn’t use bored out Flange to float the shelves, Instead, they are simply floating on horizontal pieces of pipe that are supported with Flange fittings attached to the wall and Three Socket Tee fittings.
Like the previous project, this shelving unit doesn’t need bored out Flange fittings to support the shelves. This piece is attached to the wall in multiple different places with Flange fittings. Three Socket Tee fittings and 90° Elbow fittings are also crucial to the design of this project. This shelving unit is used as a place to display decorative knick knacks in a living room. You could also use this for functional storage if necessary.
The designers of this project wanted to create a simple, stylish, and functional towel rack for their bathroom. You could easily recreate this project with wood, pipe, and Kee Klamp fittings. Use the shelf to store bathroom essentials, like extra towels or shampoo. Or, use this shelf to display pictures or candles.
Dark stained wood and powder-coated pipe are used to give this unit a sleek and edgy appearance. This would work well in an office or living room. This three-tiered shelf could easily be converted into a two or four-tiered shelf. The options are endless, so feel free to customize the design to fit your preferences. Three Socket Tee fittings and Flange fittings are important functional elements of this design.
Are you looking for a creative way to display your bar supplies but don’t have room for a bar cart? You could use industrial floating shelves to create a wall-mounted bar cart. This is a sleek and elevated design that also helps open up your floor space.
You could mount the shelves above a dresser or desk just like the designers did for this project. This will help use wall space that might otherwise go unused. These dark-stained wood shelves are floating on the bored out Flange fittings. 90° Elbow fittings and Flange fittings are also used to attach the pipe to the wall.
This unique and sleek floating shelving unit is the perfect spot to display books, plants, pictures, and other decorative items. The designer used a half shelf for the middle section to create an interesting open element in this shelving unit.
If you wanted a more functional shelf, you could also keep the middle shelf full-sized. The black pipe gives this a sophisticated feel but using galvanized pipe is a great option if you want a more industrial look for your project.
Need additional lighting? Want to use a floating shelf as a bedside table? Consider creating a similar project to the one seen above. The designers threaded the lamp’s wiring through the pipe to keep this project clean and sleek.
The reclaimed wood shelf is floating on a horizontal pipe that is supported by Three Socket Tee fittings and 90° Elbow fittings. This rustic piece would fit a space that is already filled with farmhouse-inspired decor.
Instead of only thinking about vertical shelves, consider creating a horizontal design. This unit incorporates three shelves that are arranged in a stair-step pattern. Each shelf is used to display a knickknack or plant. Three Socket Tee fittings, 90° Elbow fittings, and Flange fittings are important for the design of this project.
Let this unique design inspire your own floating shelves. Remember, it is completely fine to let your creativity flow. Kee Klamp fittings are easy to break down and reassemble, so play around with different designs. If you need help, we have a dedicated design team who are happy to help you design the floating shelving unit of your dreams.
Kee Klamp fittings and industrial pipe could be used to create a similar three-tiered floating shelf. The designers of this project used stained wood and black powder-coated pipes to create a sleek and rustic piece. We offer a variety of powder coatings that you can choose from for the pipe. Or, leave the pipe galvanized for a sleek and industrial look. These shelves are floating on the horizontal pipe that are supported with Three Socket Tee fittings. If you want, you can also use bored out Flange fittings to float the shelves.
Build Your Own Floating Shelf with Industrial Pipe Today!
Now that you have reviewed our list of floating shelves, are you feeling inspired to design your own? The best place to begin is by browsing our selection of Kee Klamp fittings and galvanized pipe. This will help you get a better feel for the hundreds of design elements you can incorporate into your own project.
Do you plan to bore out Flange fittings for your design? Will you create a floor to ceiling shelving unit or a smaller towel rack for your bathroom? Maybe you plan to incorporate a light fixture into your design. We would love to see your finished project! Feel free to send us pictures when you complete your floating shelf!
Not quite sure where to start? No problem! Feel free to contact our design team today to discuss your ideas. Our team is happy to help you design your own floating shelf. We can help you select the materials you need to get started. Soon you will be ready to create your very own industrial floating shelf.
