The Ultimate Guide to Floating Shelves for Collectibles

No matter your style and preference for collectible items, floating shelves are a great way to show off your memorabilia. From a single length of board to multi-tiered and unusual, there is a perfect floating shelf display for every collector. And when we say every collector, we mean it – records and vinyl, sports memorabilia, toys, dolls, comic books, or any other collectible items you treasure. Discover these tips and ideas to showcase your favorite collectible items.

Records and Vinyl

You can use floating shelves to show off your record collection in a couple of ways. Of course, you can choose a traditional single-board shelving display and prop all your records up as you would books. If you have any that you’re extra proud of, you can face them cover-out, propped up against the wall. This method is very practical, as it saves space, especially if you have a large collection.

Another method is to use small wooden crates hung securely on the wall near hip height. You could then place your records inside, face out, and view them as you would in a record store. You’d be able to sift through them and easily swap out the front record to keep your collection always looking fresh. This would create a fun vibe in your home – but it will also be important to ensure that the crates are hung with heavy-duty brackets that can withstand the weight of your collection.

Sports Memorabilia

Whether you’re a collector of items from various sports or you prefer to stick with one specific sport or athlete, floating shelves are a perfect addition to help show off your sports memorabilia. You can line a wall with row upon row of floating shelves to house autographed footballs, baseballs, hockey sticks, sports cards, helmets, shoes, photos, and any other items you can get your hands on. If you have some shadowboxed jerseys or large photos you can incorporate, the shelves can be staggered and hung at various heights to create a truly unique and mesmerizing showcase wall.

Toys and Dolls

Floating shelves come in various depths and widths, making them great for displaying a toy or doll collection. As a collector, you know these items come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, materials, and weights. Finding the correct shelf size with the appropriate weight limit to prevent items from falling off the shelves is important to display your collection. Creatively group together like-sized toys or dolls on different depths and lengths of shelves to create added depth and dimension to your collection wall.

Comic Books

A comic book display can be set up similarly to that of a record display – meaning you can place them on shelves as you would books, turn them face out to display the covers, or utilize crates or wooden boxes hung on the wall so they can be easily sorted through. 

A fun approach to displaying comic books is to group them by subject on a shelf with an accompanying action figure or other figurine propped up as a bookend to accentuate the collection. If you have any framed comic books, these can easily be incorporated by hanging them on the wall or simply placing them on a shelf.

Floating Shelf Features to Consider

A neat feature some shelves have is the capability of under-shelf lighting, which is perfect to help highlight all or some features of your collection. Most shelves come in a variety of colors and stains, and some even are built into unique shapes to help you create a truly one-of-a-kind display.

When selecting floating shelves to house some of your most treasured possessions – your collectibles and memorabilia – it’s important to consider the size and weight capacity of the shelves. Do a little research on your chosen shelves to verify they can withstand the weight of your collectibles and make sure you have everything necessary to hang them correctly to display your treasures for years to come.

Thinking about adding floating shelves to showcase your collection? Order online or contact us today! Still have questions? We love troubleshooting, answering questions, and offering tips and tricks, so email us at customerservice@jthomashome.com. 

Locals interested in purchasing a collection of handcrafted shelves for a renovation can schedule an appointment with us to get started.