LED shelf

Final Product

It's bright enough at night to read, study, peruse the internet without being too harsh on the eyes. I really enjoy how indirect and subtle the light is so it doesn't get distracting.

Treated 2x4

I found this out near a dumpster by my place destined for the dump but I saved it and cut it down to size with a friend's saw. Approximately 5 feet long. Cost: $0

Painting

Had a sheet of 140 grit sandpaper laying around and sanded down the wood to be painted. The wood was already in good condition so I didn't have to go too overboard here. I used a single can of paint and primer in one, glossy black. A few coats all around and used up most of the paint. Cost: $5.

LED strip light from Amazon

These came in two-packs that cost about $8 (I split the other strip with a friend) for the pack and had 3M adhesive tape which you can see me peeling back as I stuck it to the backside of the plank. It's very sticky and held on well to the black paint.

I knew the plank was only about 3 inches deep which is why I thought of the idea of putting these lights behind where there is a gap between the wall and the plank.

Each strip was about 15 feet long so I cut it down to size (you can see here on the strip itself there are two bronze lines each about two inches apart; these are the designated cutting areas.) Cost: $4.

Gap behind the plank

This is the gap behind the plank so the books don't fall off the front and makes space for the strip of LEDs.

Standard 12 volt power supply

I picked one up from Goodwill for $3.

Up and ready!

I didn't get a pic of mounting it but it was very straight forward. I went to Ace hardware and bought two shelf brackets and 6, 1-inch deep drywall anchors. Very easy to install and very sturdy once tightened into the wall. It took about 20 minutes to install it all. I used some small copper tacks to hold the plank to the mount itself and my iPhone to make sure it was all level. Costs for tacks, brackets and drywall mounts: $8

I'm still thinking of a way to conceal the power cord but for now I'm very pleased with the results!