What To Expect: Ordering Floating Shelves From Cutting Edge
Ordering floating shelves? Learn what to expect, what’s included, and how to avoid project delays with this complete guide.
If you’ve ever placed a custom order that arrived incorrectly or late, you know how frustrating it is. You rely on your suppliers to help finish your projects with confidence. But when your floating shelves arrive unfinished, lack mounting hardware, or take too long, your whole timeline suffers. Your clients get impatient, and your schedules fall apart, harming your reputation.
At Cutting Edge, we’ve produced custom cabinetry parts, including floating shelves, for over 20 years. Every year, we make floating shelves for clients across Canada. Because of that, we understand how different wood types, build methods, and even grain direction can affect the outcome of your project. We realize that standards vary from one supplier to another, and we’re here to ensure you aren’t left wondering.
This article will help you feel confident placing your next floating shelf order. You’ll learn:
Floating Shelves Provide Dramatic And Stylish Storage
Floating shelves are a clean, modern way to display items without bulky brackets or visible supports. You’ll often find them in kitchens, where they break up solid cabinet runs and provide open storage for dishes, glassware, or décor. They’re also popular in bathrooms, mudrooms, and office nooks.
At their core, floating shelves come in two types: mitre-folded and solid wood. Each is built differently, but both are designed to look great while staying secure on your wall.
Let’s walk through what you can expect, whether you’re ordering from us or anywhere else.
Floating Shelves Do Not Have A Default Thickness
It’s easy to assume all floating shelves are the same thickness, but they’re not. Whether you choose a mitre-folded shelf or solid wood, the thickness is up to you.
A thicker shelf can feel more substantial and create a bold visual. Thinner shelves are sleek and modern, but don’t support as much weight. The thickness also directly affects cost, especially for solid wood, where more material increases the price.
Wood Floating Shelves Are Sanded And Ready To Finish
Our team sands your shelves to 180 grit, leaving the edges sharp. That means they’re ready to finish, but not finished.
This is where some buyers get tripped up. If you’re expecting a finished product, ask. Most companies leave products raw unless you specifically request finishing.
(As a side note, we recommend a quick inspection when your order arrives. A once-over before finishing helps prevent delays when your floating shelves enter the spray booth.)
Floating Shelves Do Not Come With Cleats Or Installation Hardware
Floating shelves from Cutting Edge do not include installation cleats or mounting hardware.
Why? Because every installation is different. Wall types, load-bearing needs, and shelf weight all factor in. To maintain safety, we leave this step to the installer.
You’ll need to purchase brackets or cleats separately if you’re ordering from Cutting Edge. We recommend working with a supplier like Richelieu that offers a wide range of floating shelf hardware.
Floating Shelves Ship Within 10–15 Working Days
You’re busy, and you don’t want surprises when it comes to lead times. At Cutting Edge, our floating shelves typically ship within 10 to 15 working days after the order is confirmed and the deposit is paid.
That timeline starts after we’ve received your approval and payment. And while we work hard to stay on schedule, requesting special material or finishing can add extra time.
Finally, lead times don’t include transit. Plan for 2-3 days for shipping.
You Have To Pay For And Confirm Floating Shelf Orders
Before Cutting Edge (or most suppliers) can start building your shelves, we need two things:
- Your signed confirmation of the final order specs
- A 50% deposit to get production started
This step ensures that you receive exactly what you want by putting your project on pause until you’re clear on the details.
What To Expect When Ordering Mitre-Folded Floating Shelves
Mitre-folded floating shelves are a favourite among modern designers. They’re lightweight, precise, and built for beauty. Here’s what sets them apart.
Cutting Edge Shelves Are Typically Mitre Folded
Most of the floating shelves we produce at Cutting Edge are mitre-folded. This construction method allows us to create a seamless, box-style shelf using angled cuts that are folded and glued together.
The result is a shelf that appears to be one piece, but weighs far less than its solid wood counterpart.
They’re Made With Veneer or NEXGEN Materials
Mitre-folded shelves are made from veneered panels, such as wood veneer or NEXGEN textured laminates. These materials are perfect for folding.
Because of the folding method, mitre-folded shelves aren’t available in solid wood. Solid wood is too thick and brittle to fold.
Grain Direction Is Carefully Aligned
Grain pattern matters, especially with open shelving. Mitre-folded shelves are designed with the grain running lengthwise on the top, bottom, and front edges, and vertically on the sides.
Some Shelves Have A Hollow Core
Depending on your chosen thickness and material, your shelf may have a hollow core. This is normal and helps reduce weight.
For example, if you’re using ⅝” thick material to create a 1.5” shelf, the centre will be hollow. If you use ¾” thick material, there’s less of a gap, and the shelf may be solid inside.
Hollow cores also make it easier to find compatible installation hardware.
What To Expect When Ordering Solid Wood Floating Shelves
Solid wood floating shelves offer a classic, sturdy alternative to the mitre-folded look. They’re heavier, bolder, and require different handling. Here’s what to know.
Solid Wood Shelves Cost More
When you choose solid wood, you’re paying for a premium product in terms of material and craftsmanship. These shelves are made from real wood and often match existing cabinets or furniture.
Because of that, they’re more expensive than mitre-folded shelves.
They’re Solid All The Way Through
Unlike mitre-folded shelves, solid wood shelves don’t have hollow centres. That means you’ll need a different type of mounting hardware. This makes solid wood shelves a bit trickier to install.
Solid Wood Shelves Are Much Heavier
If weight is a concern, be prepared: solid wood shelves are significantly heavier than mitre-folded alternatives. That means your installation needs to be rock solid.
You’ll want to choose heavy-duty brackets and secure them to studs or solid backing. For longer or thicker shelves, consult a hardware expert to ensure your shelf can hold the weight it’s intended to support.
How To Learn What To Expect When Ordering Floating Shelves
Floating shelves seem simple, but it’s easy to get caught off guard if you don’t ask the right questions up front. Whether you’re ordering from Cutting Edge or another supplier, getting clarity early on saves time, avoids rework, and helps you keep your projects on track.
Here are the key questions to ask before placing your order:
- Is the shelf mitre-folded or solid wood? This affects the weight, construction, and installation.
- What thicknesses are available? Shelf thickness isn’t standard; thicker shelves cost more and may need stronger brackets.
- Will it arrive finished or sanded only? Some shelves need finishing on your end; others come fully finished.
- What’s the actual lead time? Lead time usually starts after payment and confirmation, not the day you place your order.
- Are cleats or brackets included? Some suppliers don’t include hardware – you’ll likely need to order it separately.
At Cutting Edge, we build these questions into every quote to make sure you’re never left guessing. Whether you work with us or not, asking these questions up front puts you in control and sets your project up for success.
Learn How To Price Out Floating Shelves Online
At the end of the day, your floating shelf order shouldn’t come with confusion, delays, or missing parts. You deserve to feel confident in what you’re getting and when you’ll get it, so you can finish your jobs on time and deliver results your clients rave about.
We know the stress of waiting for supplies that don’t arrive as expected. That’s why we help you ask the right questions from the start. Whether you’re ready to order now or still comparing options, your next step is simple – learn how to price out floating shelves online. Let’s make your next order your smoothest one yet.
