mini plaster shelf

the one for every space, wall and totally not as heavy as the big one

need:

plaster

fast curing cement (optional you can use just plaster)

mdf board

wood sealer (paint/primer to make the wood water proof)

jigsaw

wood glue / hot glue

(ikea moppe can act as a base, you can build a frame totally from mdf as well)

surface protection, gloves, brushes

first build a frame, or find some sort of wooden box, moppe etc to cut up.

for example can be an old drawer etc. but you can easily build a frame / box.

if you feel better using brackets you totally can, they will be covered up later

take a piece of mdf and draw the size of your frame on the board to get a back piece

once you have marked the whole back piece, mark the depth of your shelving pieces.

to get some boards you can cut up and use as dividers later

cut out the backing and the divider pieces with your jig saw

play around with the dividers until you like the sectioning

first glue your frame onto the backing

you can use all purpose glue or even hot glue for this, doesn't really matter

glue your dividers onto the backing, its not that important for them to be super sturdy and flush, just glue them on

I did went in with hot glue all around the edges for some extra secureness and to fill up some space

as I said, can be super messy, thats totally fine

Paint the whole thing in a layer of base coat/ wood sealer, to prevent cracks forming later on. The more sealed it is the better.

i used something made for cellar walls that’s sort of like a moisture barrier, but just because I had it on hand, normal wood protection paint / sealant does the job

next get your gloves and quick cement

( you can use just and only plaster, it will take longer to dry. I used quick cement as a base and then went in with the plaster to reduce the over all drying time)

for quick cement: its cement so use protection! and do not stir with some sort of metal, there are chemicals involved wich makes it hot and cure fast so always follow the instructions - also do not put this in your sink after!

usually the time frame you have for this is about 4 minutes before it cures, so mis up just a bit and work your way around in small batches

push the cement into the edges and roughly start to shape the arches

no need to be super precise at this point, better be fast before the cement is cured

if you use just plaster, just do the same. it will take about one to two weeks to fully fully dry with this thickness. it will look kinda dry but still feel sorts of damp and cold, just give it some time, it will dry out over time

work your way around the edges as well as a thin layer on the backboard.

once everything is roughly coated let it dry for half an hour (with the quick cement) for about 2 with just plaster

you wanna make sure you've got a good base on so the final layer of plaster has a good surface to stick on

mix your plaster to a peanut butter / Nutella thick like consistency (also work kinda quick and in small batches)

spread it into the corners and shape your desired arches

smooth and spread it out with the brush

once everything is plastered you can wet your hands and smooth things out a bit

let it semi cure before you put too much water on, to avoid dragging big pieces around

the plaster will get a bit lighter over time. if you wanna paint this wait about 3-4 weeks, other wise you will lock in some leftover moisture