What's inside
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links at no extra cost to you.
A bedside shelf is a useful first woodworking project because it needs only straight cuts, a few screws, and one carefully sized slot. This version mounts to the wall beside the bed, leaving the floor clear for cleaning and making the shelf easy to position at mattress height. The front slot holds a phone upright while it charges.
The finished shelf is about 16 inches wide, 10 inches deep, and 4 inches tall at the back. Adjust those dimensions if your phone, case, or charging cable needs more room. Use a stud for the strongest mounting, or use a suitable hollow-wall anchor when a stud is not available.
Contents
Materials and tools
You need one 1-by-10 board, cut to 16 inches for the shelf, and one 1-by-4 board, cut to 16 inches for the back rail. A 1-by-10 is actually about 9 1/4 inches wide, so it provides a useful 9-inch-deep shelf after trimming or sanding. Select straight, dry pine for the lowest cost, or choose poplar for a smoother painted finish. A hardwood board costs more but is not necessary for this project.
| Material or tool | Budget choice | Better choice | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelf board | Common pine | Poplar or clear pine | Pine is inexpensive but may have knots and dents |
| Mounting hardware | Wood screws into a stud | Cabinet screws or quality wall anchors | Stud mounting is strongest; anchors depend on wall type |
| Finish | Water-based polyurethane | Wipe-on polyurethane | Both protect against cups and spills; wipe-on is easier to control |
| Cutting | Hand saw and miter box | Circular saw with guide | Either works if the cuts are square |
Also gather a drill, 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch drill bits, a countersink bit if available, sandpaper in 120- and 220-grit, a tape measure, square, pencil, clamps, wood glue, and two 2 1/2-inch screws for mounting. A set of sanding blocks is inexpensive and gives better control than loose paper.
Plan the phone slot
The slot is cut near the front edge of the shelf and runs from side to side. Mark a rectangle 3/8 inch wide and 3/8 inch deep, positioned about 1 1/2 inches behind the front edge. This leaves enough wood at the front to resist splitting while keeping the phone visible.
Before cutting, measure your phone in its case. A 3/8-inch slot suits many phones without bulky cases, but a thick protective case may need a 1/2-inch slot. The slot should be slightly wider than the phone, not so wide that the device leans sharply. If your phone is 3 inches wide, make the slot 3 1/4 inches long. A gap that is too narrow is frustrating; one that is too wide lets the phone tip when the cable is pulled.
Make the cuts
Cut the shelf board to 16 inches long and the back rail to 16 inches long. Check each end with a square. A crooked back rail will make the shelf sit at an angle against the wall, and correcting it later is harder than making a clean cut now.
Mark the phone slot on the shelf. Drill a 1/4-inch hole at each end of the marked rectangle, staying inside the lines. Then make the two long cuts with a jigsaw, coping saw, or fine-tooth hand saw. Keep the blade vertical. If you do not own a jigsaw, drill a series of overlapping holes and clean the edges with a file; it is slower but works for a single shelf.
Do not force the saw through the wood. Forcing it can widen the slot or tear out the top surface. Put painter’s tape over the layout lines if the board is prone to splintering, and support the shelf close to the cut.
Sand and assemble
Sand all faces and edges with 120-grit paper, then smooth the surfaces with 220 grit. Ease every exposed corner with two or three passes of sandpaper. Pay special attention to the phone slot: round its top edges slightly so they do not scratch a case.
Center the back rail along the rear edge of the shelf. Apply a thin bead of glue, then clamp the rail in place. Drill two 1/8-inch pilot holes through the rail and into the shelf, about 3 inches in from each end. Drive 1 1/4-inch screws, keeping the heads flush. Do not skip the pilot holes in pine; the narrow rail can split, especially near an end.
Wipe away squeezed-out glue before it dries. Dried glue prevents stain from penetrating and leaves pale patches under some finishes. If the rail is slightly bowed, put the crown toward the wall and use clamps to pull it straight while the glue sets.
Finish the wood
Apply two or three thin coats of water-based polyurethane, sanding lightly with 220 grit between coats. This is a sensible choice for a bedroom because it dries quickly and has less odor than oil-based finish. For a natural look, a water-based polyurethane finish is enough. Paint is fine too, but prime pine first to reduce uneven absorption.
Finish the shelf before mounting it. That makes it easier to coat the back and inside of the phone slot, where a brush can otherwise leave missed areas. Let the final coat cure according to the label before placing a phone, cup, or alarm clock on it.
Mount it safely
Find the wall stud with a stud finder or by locating nearby outlets, which are commonly attached to a stud on one side. Hold the shelf at the desired height, usually 2 to 4 inches above the mattress, and mark the stud location on the back rail. Drill two clearance holes through the rail and drive 2 1/2-inch screws into the stud. Use washers if the screw heads might pull into soft pine.
If there is no stud, use wall anchors rated for more than the shelf’s expected load. A small shelf holding a phone, glasses, and a paperback may weigh 5 to 8 pounds, but the load can be much higher if someone leans on it. Weight-rated drywall anchors are the cheaper acceptable option for light use; they are not a substitute for stud mounting when the shelf may be bumped hard.
Install the shelf, then pull down firmly on the front edge. If it shifts, the fasteners are wrong for the wall or the rail is not tight against the surface. Add a second mounting screw only after confirming that it will enter solid material. Route the charging cable through the phone slot, leaving enough slack that the connector is not bent when the phone is lifted.
Common mistakes to avoid
A shallow slot is the most common failure. Test the phone and cable before finishing, because adding depth after assembly is awkward. Another mistake is mounting the shelf too high; measure from the mattress, not the floor. Finally, do not rely on glue alone for the back rail or wall attachment. Glue strengthens the wood joint, but screws provide the mechanical hold that keeps a bedside shelf secure.