Home Improvement : Simple Design to Build a Bookshelf

If you can saw a straight line, spread glue and drive screws, you can build your own bookshelf/wall unit, using the simple design shown in the sketch.

I have purposely supplied no dimensions because you should size the unit to fit your needs. With that in mind, however, here are some pointers:

--If you are going to build with plywood, keep the sides, top and bottom about 11 3/4 inches (or less) wide. This lets you rip at least four full-length pieces from each sheet.

--Don’t make the whole unit much wider than 3 feet or the shelves will be so long they’ll sag under the load. If you need a wall unit wider than 3 feet, make a pair of side-by-side modules.

--Don’t make the unit too tall. Chances are, you’ll build it in your basement or garage, then carry it on edge into its intended room, lay it down on its face and then stand it up. If the diagonal from the bottom front corner to the top rear corner is greater than your ceiling height, you won’t be able to stand the thing up!

Materials: The basic unit consists of a four-piece frame, and a back. You can build the frame with 3/4-inch lumber, plywood or particleboard. Solid lumber is good if you want a natural finish. So is plywood if you pay extra for hardwood face veneers such as birch (cheapest), oak, cherry or walnut (expensive). Whichever you use, you’ll have to finish off edges. Iron-on veneer tape (available where you get the plywood) is the easiest way to do this.

If you plan to paint, particleboard is a good choice. Look for the kind called medium-density fiberboard. You may have to hunt around for this or special order it, but it’s nice to work with. It has super-smooth faces, takes glue and screws well and the edges require no special treatment for finishing.

If you plan to finish with a laminate such as Formica or Wilsonart, use either birch plywood or medium-density fiberboard. For the back, use 1/2-inch birch plywood.

Construction: You have a few choices here. If you make the unit over 6 feet high or plan to cover it with laminate, you can use the simple butt joints shown. Put the top and bottom inside the two sides, and fasten them in place with glue and 2-inch No. 8 screws. Countersink the screws and cover over them with filler if you plan to finish with laminate or paint. If you want a natural finish, hide the screw heads with dowels or wood plugs.

Sure, butt joints are a little crude but on a high cabinet, or one covered with laminate, nobody can see them. And they are certainly strong enough for the job. For a neater job you can miter the corners. This takes a bit more skill. Making the cuts is a bit difficult, and so is keeping the parts aligned while you assemble them. Miters just love to skid. You can glue and screw the joints as above or use glue and finishing nails.

The back: When you put a frame together, you’ll find it is fairly flimsy, and probably out of square. That’s where the back comes in. It will add a tremendous amount of strength to the unit, and (if you cut it square) it will pull the frame square when you install it.

The best way to install the back is in a rabbet cut around the back of the frame. If you don’t want to bother with a rabbet, just cut the back to the inside dimensions of the frame, then glue it in place and secure with either screws or finishing nails. However you attach the back, build the frame first, then measure it and fit the back to it.

Shelves: Make these from the same material you use for the frame. I like to hang my shelves on adjustable supports inserted into holes drilled in the sides of the unit as shown. Space these holes about 2 inches apart. An easy way to drill them in neat, evenly spaced rows is to make a guide stick out of scrap lumber. Lay out your holes on this stick, then clamp the stick to the unit and drill through the holes in the stick. Put a depth stop on the drill so you don’t drill all the way through the sides.

Finishing: Your choices here are a natural finish (varnish, with or without stain), enamel or plastic laminate. Despite what you might think, laminate is the easiest way to get a truly professional finish. A good varnish or enamel job will take at least three or four coats, with careful sanding between each coat. Elapsed time? Probably a week or so. With laminate, you can finish the job in a few hours. If you don’t know how to work with laminate, the Time-Life book “Working with Plastics” will outline the basics.

Extras: The sketch shows the most basic design possible. Don’t feel this is your only choice. If you want a low, wide unit, tip this plan over on its side and add a vertical at the center.

Want doors? Go ahead and put them on. If you like, build a set of base cabinets maybe 20 inches deep with shallower wall units stacked above them. Once you get the basic idea, all sorts of variations are not only possible, they’re easy.