We love our little Duck Creek Ranch – my affectionate pet name for our 70s rancher that sits on a little creek inhabited by ducks and geese.  You can read more about it and our DIY projects here.  Like most houses built in other eras, there are some things about DCR that are just a little weird.  Our living room is lovely and open with lots of light, especially now that we covered the wood paneling with festive yellow and white paint.  The problem is that there is only one place to put our couch.  It can only go in this one corner, and that corner leaves no room for a side table.  I looked for options online and found a few tutorials for behind the couch shelves, but Jed worried they didn’t look sturdy.  When you have a 32 pound toddler climbing on things, they need to be tough.  
Here’s what you need:
1×8 inch board – cut to the length you need (Our’s is 8 ft long.)
paint or stain
3 shelving brackets (made for a 1×8 board)
screws – 9 (3 in) and 6 (1/2 in)
drill 
studfinder
sandpaper
1) Preparation: Sand your board. Prime it.  Sand it again.  Paint it.  Sand it one more time.  Then paint it one last time.  This is only necessary on the top and sides.  On the bottom you can just sand and prime.  All these steps help it to be more durable because you will be putting things on it constantly.

2) Location: Find your studs and attach your L brackets to the stud.  Measure from the floor to the back of the couch to see how high you want your shelf.  Then measure again to be sure.  Check your brackets to make sure they are level once they are attached.  Use your long screws to attach the brackets to the stud.

3) Placement & Finishing: Once your board is dry, place it on the L brackets and use the smaller screw to attach the board to the brackets.  Check to be sure it is level.

4) Be patient.  Let the paint really dry for a few days before you start putting things on it.  Then enjoy your new shelf.  The brackets are made to hold a lot of weight, so don’t be afraid to decorate.  I’m still figuring out what I want to go on the shelf.  You can also use the space between the shelf and couch for storage.

What is your next DIY project?
We’re working on a kids’ picnic table around here.
Click here to see all of our Duck Creek DIY posts. 
We’ll have lots more fun DIY coming your way soon.

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