Multipart question on bathroom shelving idea

[BrianX]

Hi all. Recently I saw shelving that consisted of two pieces of capped 1" pipe coming out of the wall and supporting a shelf of split (but not hewn) wood that was squared off along the edges to make rectangles. There were several of these, of various lengths, in a florist shop.

From there I eventually evolved this idea for bathroom shelving: two tree branches of about 1"-2" thickness and coming out perhaps 10" from the wall, with all but the last inch or so of the tops flattened to receive a rectangular slab of slate. But this leaves me with a number of questions.

1. Considering that this is the bathroom with all the attendant humidity, should I use hardwood branches or is softwood ok?
2. Any recommendations on where to source the branches? Should I seek out branches that have had a chance to dry out?
3. What's the best source for the slate, and would they be willing to cut it to size for me?
4. Perhaps my foremost concern: how do I attach the branches to the wall? I'd guess potential weight on the shelves to be no more than 25lbs, including the slate. I live in a prewar apartment, so it's been playing heck with my stud-finder, and as a renter I'm leery of drilling a lot of exploratory holes.

Thanks in advance.

 

[dovetail]

BrianX, I would recommend using wood that is resistant to moisture such as cedar, white oak, or cypress. You can probably talk to a local supply house and see if they can order you some that have been dried out. When I air dry green lumber I let it sit stacked in a manner that allows air to reach all sides of the wood for about a year. If you don't want to wait that long then you will need to source it or find downed branches and check them for moisture content. The moisture content should be no higher than 15%-18% at its highest when you use it. Make sure you remove the bark if present.

For the slate slab check with a counter top company in your area. They will be able to order (if they don't have it) and cut the slate for you. It can be cut with an angle grinder and diamond blade if you want to cut it. Don't cut it inside.

Use wall anchors to attach the branches to the wall, I would guess toggle bolt type anchors will work best for this project.