Glass Plant Shelf Project How-to
Step 1: Measure the width of the space for the shelf; ours was 53 inches. Then determine how deep you want to make the shelf; 6 inches
should be about right for small pots, but don't make it so deep that the overhang gets in the way.
Step 2: Have a glass company cut a piece of 1/2-inch-thick glass to your dimensions; sand and polish the edges, and then drill two (1/2-inch) holes at least 5 inches in from each end. The closer the holes are to the end, the more likely the glass will crack. Try to line the holes up with the vertical muntin bars in the windows. For longer spans, be sure to have the glass tempered to resist shattering.
Step 3: Cut threaded rod to desired length, being careful not to ruin threads. If your windows have muntin bars, try to line your shelf up with the bottom horizontal muntin bar in your window. Thread a nut about 1 inch from one end of the rod. Add washer, and run the rod through one hole in the glass. Add washer to other side of glass, and then hand-tighten another nut to sandwich glass between two washers and nuts. Be careful not to overtighten, which can crack the glass. Repeat process in other hole to create second support.
Step 4: Hold the shelf in place, and mark where supports meet cabinet bottom, being careful that supports are square to shelf. Drill 1/2-inch holes at each mark in cabinet bottom. Cut two (2-inch) lengths of metal conduit; you can also cut conduit to the combined thickness of two nuts, two washers, and the cabinet bottom, but shorter than the threaded rod. Slide metal conduit over threaded rod, and add nut and washer to the cabinet end of the threaded rod. Hand-tighten to hold metal conduit in place.
Step 5: Slide two support ends through holes you drilled in cabinet. Add washer and nut, and tighten with a wrench to sandwich cabinet bottom between two washers and nuts just as you did with the glass shelf. Repeat on the other end. To level the shelf, loosen or tighten the nuts accordingly.
Materials
- 1/2-inch-diameter threaded grounding rod from electrical department*
- 1/2-inch-diameter interior dimension metal electrical conduit*
- 8 (1/2-inch) nuts
- 5 washers
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