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Custom Floating Shelves in Charlotte, NC, in Solid Wood

At Chava Grain & Beam by Chava Home Design, we build custom floating shelves in Charlotte, NC from solid wood, with the support hidden inside each shelf and fastened into your wall. Every shelf is cut to your wall, finished to match your beams or mantel, and installed by the same team that built it in our Indian Trail shop.

For kitchens, fireplace alcoves and any wall that needs warmth without bulky brackets.

Plan Floating Shelves That Match Your Beams See Finished Projects
  • Solid woodin six species and rustic grades
  • 5-year warrantyon materials and labor
  • About 2 weeksfrom production to install
Design concept of solid wood floating shelves with hidden supports in a living room.
Design concept

Our Floating Shelf Services

We build floating shelves for the two places homeowners ask for most: open kitchen walls and the alcoves beside a fireplace.

Design concept of white oak floating shelves styled with dishes in a kitchen
Design concept

Kitchen Floating Shelves

Shelves sized for everyday dishes and glassware, built to stay level on a kitchen wall.

Plan kitchen floating shelves
Design concept of lit wood floating shelves on both sides of a stone fireplace
Design concept

Fireplace Floating Shelves

Matching shelves for the alcoves on each side of your fireplace, in the same wood as the mantel.

See shelves beside the fireplace

Store-Bought vs Custom Solid Wood Floating Shelves

A store-bought shelf is built for any wall; a custom shelf is built for yours, in solid wood, with support planned for what it will hold.

What mattersTypical store-bought shelfCustom solid wood shelf
MaterialOften veneer, MDF or a hollow shellSolid wood on every visible face
SupportOne bracket size for every wallHidden support planned for your wall and load
Length and depthStock sizes that leave gaps or overhangsCut to the exact width of your wall or alcove
ColorA factory finishA stain matched to your beams, mantel or cabinets
InstallUsually do-it-yourselfInstalled and leveled by our team

Weighing the investment? See our guide to floating shelf cost factors.

Design concept of white oak floating shelves with dishes in a bright kitchen, seen from the island
Design concept

How We Build and Install Your Shelves

One team measures your wall, builds the shelves and installs them, about two weeks from material production.

  1. 1. Measure the Wall

    We measure the wall or alcove and check what is behind it before we plan support.

  2. 2. Plan for the Load

    Dishes, books or decor: what the shelf will hold sets its depth, thickness and support.

  3. 3. Built in Our Shop

    We cut, finish and seal each shelf in Indian Trail, with its hidden support fitted.

  4. 4. Installed Level

    We mount the shelves, check them for level, and leave the room clean.

Plan Floating Shelves That Match Your Beams

What Makes Our Floating Shelves Different

Most floating shelves fail in one of two ways: they sag or they show their brackets. We build ours to avoid both.

  • Solid Wood, Not a Shell

    Real wood on every face, so the edge you see is the same wood all the way through.

  • Sized for What It Holds

    A shelf for dishes is built differently from a shelf for picture frames.

  • Wall Checked First

    We check the wall and the studs behind it before we choose how to mount each shelf.

  • Matched to Your Beams

    Same species and stain as your ceiling beams or mantel, so the room feels planned.

  • Cut to Your Wall

    Shelves that end exactly where your wall or alcove ends, with no stock-size gaps.

  • 5-Year Warranty

    Fully insured, with a 5-year warranty on materials and labor.

Why Floating Shelves Sag, and How to Prevent It

Floating shelves sag when the support, the wall or the shelf itself is wrong for the load, and each cause has a simple fix that has to be planned before the shelf is built.

CauseWhat you seeHow it is prevented
Support not anchored into the wall structureThe shelf tilts forward over timeFasten the hidden support into framing or masonry, not drywall alone
Shelf too deep for its supportThe front edge drops under weightMatch depth to the support, since every extra inch adds leverage
Long span loaded in the middleA slight smile along the shelfPlan support along the full length and choose a stiffer, thicker shelf
Shelf too thin for the loadVisible bending with heavy dishes or booksSize the thickness for the use; see the shelf thickness guide
Unsealed wood in a humid roomCupping or movement near sinks and stovesSeal every surface before install, including the back and ends
Uneven wallGaps behind the shelfCheck the wall flat before mounting and scribe the shelf when needed

Tell Us Three Things Before Your Visit

What It Will Hold

  • Everyday dishes or glassware
  • Cookbooks or heavy books
  • Light decor and plants

Where It Goes

  • Kitchen wall or backsplash
  • Fireplace alcove
  • Open living room wall

How It Should Look

  • Wood species and stain
  • Match beams, mantel or cabinets
  • Thin and modern or thick and rustic

For the details, read how much weight shelves can hold and the right shelf thickness for each room.

Floating Shelves Across the Charlotte Area

We build and install solid wood floating shelves in homes across Charlotte and Union County, within 100 miles of our shop.

Floating Shelf Questions, Answered

Straight answers to what homeowners ask us most about custom floating shelves.

What are floating shelves?

Floating shelves are wall shelves with no visible brackets. The support is hidden inside the shelf and fastened into the wall, so the shelf looks like a solid piece of wood growing out of it. Common hidden supports are steel rods or a French cleat, two interlocking angled strips, fastened into the wall framing.

Are your floating shelves solid wood?

Yes. We build every shelf from real wood in our Indian Trail shop, in the same species you can choose for beams and mantels: pine, white oak, red oak, maple, walnut and poplar, plus character-grade and rough-sawn lumber.

Will floating shelves sag?

Not when they are sized and mounted for their load. We size each shelf for what it will hold and mount it with hidden support into your wall. Our guide explains how much weight shelves can hold.

How much weight can a floating shelf hold?

Every shelf we build is 100% custom, so its capacity depends on your project: the wall, the hidden support, how deep the shelf is and what it will hold. We plan it with you at the visit.

Can you install floating shelves on tile?

Tell us about your wall when you book. We check the wall and the framing behind it at the free visit before recommending a mounting method.

How thick should a floating shelf be?

Thicker shelves look more substantial and leave more room for the hidden support. Our guide to the right shelf thickness covers thickness by room and use.

Can my shelves match my beams and mantel?

Yes. We build shelves, beams and mantels from the same wood and stain, from white oak to walnut, so every piece in the room reads as one design.

How long does a floating shelf project take?

About two weeks from material production to installation, with most of the work done in our shop.

Floating Shelf Guides

Three guides cover what homeowners ask before ordering shelves: weight, thickness and cost.

Design concept of lit wood floating shelves beside a stone fireplace
Design concept

Custom Floating Shelves Cost

Wood, length, wall type and supports: what changes the price of custom shelves.

See floating shelf cost factors

Building a whole room? Pair your shelves with beams in the same wood. Builders and designers can read about shelves for builders and designers.

Plan Floating Shelves That Match Your Beams

Tell us about your wall. We will call or text to book a visit, measure, check what is behind the wall and bring wood and stain samples.

  • Free visit and wall check
  • Installed about two weeks from production
  • 5-year warranty on materials and labor