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How To: Build A Custom Bookcaseby Toolmonger on January 2, 2009

Table of Contents

How To: Build A Custom Bookcase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro:   How To: Build A Custom Bookcase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1:   Layout and Cutting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Step 2:   Cut The Pieces and Shelves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Step 3:   Rail Slots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Step 4:   Mark For Rails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Step 5:   Rout the Slots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Step 6:   Square The Slots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Step 7:   Attach the Rails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Step 8:   Sanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Step 9:   Assemble the Basic Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Step 10:   Fasten The Sides To The Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Step 11:   Cut A Spacer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Step 12:   Attach Spacer To The Bottom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Step 13:   Fasten The Fixed Middle Shelf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Step 14:   Cut And Attach The Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Step 15:   Hide Your Shame (Ply) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Step 16:   Add Soild Oak Front Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Step 17:   Add Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Step 18:   Decorative Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Step 19:   Vertical Trim Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Step 20:   - Note - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Step 21:   Filling The Nail Holes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Step 22:   Finishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Step 23:   Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Build-A-Custom-Bookcase/

Intro:  How To: Build A Custom BookcaseWe have fun with woodworking no matter what the project is, but the most rewarding thing for us is making our own furniture. Let's say you wanted a solid oak bookcasebut didn't have the four to six hundred bucks a retail store would want for one. You can achieve the same effect for less than half the cost, using a bit of solid oak trim andsome veneered ply.

Note: As this is a Craftsman-sponsored project, you'll notice a number of Craftsman tools in the photos. But here's a secret: we already owned 'em all. You can, ofcourse, attack this project with tools of your choice.

After a bit of figuring, we decided to make our bookcase 34"x12"x92" with eight shelves in it. Though we strongly urge you to design for what suits your needs best, in ourcase we wanted a tall bookcase with a maximum of storage space. We calculated that this setup will hold about twice as many books as most units on the market, sothat was a big bonus.

Vibra-Free Sander (Craftsman)Drill, Multi-Saw, and Worklight Combo (Craftsman)

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http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Build-A-Custom-Bookcase/

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Build-A-Custom-Bookcase/

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Build-A-Custom-Bookcase/

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Build-A-Custom-Bookcase/

Step 1: Layout and CuttingBased on a quick layout, we made a breakdown of the lumber we'd need: two sheets of 3/4 4'x8' oak-veneered ply, four 82 sticks of 33x3/4 solid oak trim, four 8' sticks of3/4 decorative trim, and one sheet of 1/4oak-veneered ply. Even paying retail this totals to somewhere in the neighborhood of $190 plus the rail system which will runabout $8. Figure around $200 for the entire stock list.

Smaller bookcases will of course be cheaper, but this is about as large as you'd want to go, so we're giving a worst-case scenario here. Note, however, that this is still$200 cheaper than the next best solid oak candidate.

A bookcase is basically a five-sided box with the front part open, so to begin constructing one, first cut the pieces for the first four sides. With the first piece of 3/4" ply laidout, mark out the first 11"x92"piece which'll serve as the sides and cut it out. Then do the same for its mate. Measuring and cutting them out separately may seem like apain, but unless you're really good at figuring kerf, this way is much safer.

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Step 2: Cut The Pieces and ShelvesNow our top and bottom pieces, each 11"x32-1/2", will come from the leftover sheet. There should still be a little of the first sheet left, leaving you enough stock for theimportant fixed middle shelf and one removable shelf, both of which should measure 10"x32-1/2. From the second 3/4 sheet you can also cut up to eight 10"x32-1/2removable shelves.

You've now cut the basic building blocks for your bookcase box - but before we move on to assembly of the box, we need to add our shelf-hanging system in the sides.

There are any number of ways to fix shelves in your bookcase, but for this project we chose the method that gives you the most flexibility in shelf positioning: adjustablerails. To install them you just need to rout a few 3/4"slots in each side piece.

Step 3: Rail SlotsFor that task we set up our trim router with a 3/4" straight bit and side guide attachment. We got the slot where we wanted it by using a small piece of scrap to align theguide and the bit to run a 3/8"slot about two inches from the side on the inside - though whatever looks and feels good to you will work just fine. A quick test-fit of our railsput our minds at ease; we'd gotten the right width and height for the rails, and the screws that fasten them weren't going to stick out of the slots and play havoc with theremovable shelves.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Build-A-Custom-Bookcase/

Step 4: Mark For RailsOnce the router is set up, mark the six-foot area on the board where you'd like the two rails to go, and do the same for the other sideboard.

Step 5: Rout the SlotsRout the two rail slots into each board. Take your time here -- there's no need to rush.

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Step 6: Square The SlotsAfter the routing you might notice that the slot has rounded ends from the router bit. To remedy this we grabbed a 3/4" chisel and squared off each edge to make the slotssquare, so they'd fit the rails.

Step 7: Attach the RailsNext we attached the rails to the boards, which was short work with a few 5/8" wood screws and our Craftsman drill . Take care not to strip the screws out whentightening them, or your shelves won't carry much weight.

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Step 8: SandingYou won't have this kind of access to the inside of these sideboards again, so now might be a great time to hit them with a bit of sanding. Palm routers like this CraftsmanVibra-Free Orbital Sander are made for this sort of thing. With 80-grit and a little time, we gave each piece we'd cut a good once-over to get rid of the pencil marks andrough spots.

Step 9: Assemble the Basic BoxIt's time to assemble the basic box. Lay out the top, bottom, middle shelf, and sides, and pick a corner to start on. We recommend the top. There are many ways to fastenwood together but we hate waiting so we chose glue and a finish nailer -- glue for strength, and the nailer so we don't have to use clamps and wait for the glue to dry.

Step 10: Fasten The Sides To The TopLay down a bead of glue and line up the top, then fasten it to each side. When the glue dries it'll be much stronger than just the nails.

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Step 11: Cut A SpacerNext cut a 1-3/4" spacer out of scrap to serve as a guide piece for the bottom shelf.

Step 12: Attach Spacer To The BottomAttach it to the bottom rear of the sides. Then fasten the bottom shelf on top of it and use another spacer to gauge the same height for the front, and glue/nail the bottomshelf in place.

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Step 13: Fasten The Fixed Middle ShelfFasten the middle shelf in place about four feet up the sideboards, and you've put together the basic frame.

Step 14: Cut And Attach The BackCut and attach the back (1/4" Oak Ply) to the bookcase using the same glue and nailing method. If you're going to go crazy with the nail gun, now is a great time. Theback piece adds a great deal of strength to the project, and adding a few extra fasteners can't hurt.

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Step 15: Hide Your Shame (Ply)Now it's time to start hiding all that plywood with trim. The first step is fixing the shelves. Remember that 3/4" decorative trim? Cut a piece to go across the front of eachshelf, and attach it. Make sure you do the middle shelf in the bookcase as well. After the front trim goes on, it'll be very difficult to get to the edges of the shelf.

Step 16: Add Soild Oak Front TrimThe front trim pieces will cover the rest of the ply. Cut two vertical pieces of the 3 solid oak trim (which is actually 2-1/2) to 92, and attach them to the bookcase.

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Step 17: Add TrimAdd pieces in between on the top and the bottom, and the front fascia is starting to come together.

Step 18: Decorative TrimYou could stop here, but we went a bit further and added a little extra decorative trim on the top and bottom and front, by ripping a piece of 3" and routing it with a RomanOgee bit.

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Step 19: Vertical Trim RoutingTo make the overall look more eye-pleasing we added a roman ogee edge down the inside of each vertical trim runner as well.

Step 20: - Note -Note: This bookcase is one in a series and will be lined up with others, so we didn't add any side trim to finish out the look. But you could do it simply enough -- finish itout with routing on the outside, and continue the upper and lower trim around the sides.

Step 21: Filling The Nail HolesAfter some more time with the palm sander you're ready to fill all the holes. Though it might seem like a herculean task, filling the 18-gauge nail holes is very simple andwill make a good project look great. Just smear some filler in the hole and sand off the excess. Doing this for each one will get you a lot further in the overall polished lookof the finished product than you might expect.

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Step 22: FinishingThe best way to finish a wood project is hotly debated among woodcrafters. There really isn't a bad or incorrect way to go about it. Whatever looks good to you is fine. Wechose a cherry finish oil stain that we think looks rather stately.

Step 23: ConclusionIt didn't turn out too bad for a project that can be completed in a weekend. The best part is you can adjust the size, color, amount of shelves, or trim work to fit your need.Considering the alternative -- buying bookcases for twice as much that don't hold as many books -- this type of construction project starts to look pretty good.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Build-A-Custom-Bookcase/

Related Instructables

A HomemadeRouter Table(Photos) bySWV1787

Cubiclebookshelf madefrom left overflooring by jedbd

How to buildwall mountedbookshelves forless than $100by kabira

Simple BookShelf byschnaars

Coffee table,magazine rack,storage, glassholder & footrest all in one!by belsey

The 59 MinuteBookshelf by Mr.Rig It

Comments

24 comments Add Comment

 DallasDeckard says:  Oct 29, 2010. 3:09 AM  REPLYThese are nice shelves, built with a minimum of tools. That takes planning and ingenuity. Good job. I would like to suggest one thing though, if you do usethe random orbit sander, I'd use a higher grit, say 220, unless you've dinged them up or something. Also, going over them with a scraper to take out the swirlmarks is a good idea. No matter how good the random orbit or one's technique, there are always swirl marks that show up when you stain. Or do it by hand,going with the grain. Just a thought.

80 grit is a carpenter's bread and butter, which is why I quit shopping at Home Depot. For a long time they quit stocking 80 grit. I asked why and they told methat they sold more 100 grit and not enough 60 grit. I shook my head and said, "Okay, buy why did you quit selling 80 grit?" He just stared at me. Needless tosay, it was Lowes for me after that. Man, do I miss a decent lumber yard.

I used to do things like this all the time when I lived in an apartment and didn't have the luxury of using a table saw and other equipment like that, which onecan use if you have a garage or shop. I made a lot of neat things, which just goes to show you that if you have a little motivation and DIY skills there is a lotopen to you regardless of your situation. Thanks for sharing this.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Build-A-Custom-Bookcase/

 ThreeWestCreative says:  Nov 26, 2010. 11:05 AM  REPLYYou are so right! I only recently started making furniture and learning about woodworking and now I can't even think about buying something withoutcontemplating whether or not I can make it instead. :) I started with a custom desk and just recently built a platform bed. I was going to buy one but whenI went to look at them I kept thinking "I could trim those legs a little bit and then do this..." which told me I should be making my own custom bed fromscratch, not spending hundreds of dollars on a pre-made on I was going to alter. Best decision too. I love my bed and it made me feel so good to havemade it.

I also find myself wishing there was a lumber yard instead of going to Lowes or HD. I feel like I would have more of a selection of wood. I also feel likethe selection of connective hardware is less than what it used to be (kinda like how radio shack used to sell everything an electronics tinkerer could everwant and now all they sell is cell phones and pre-made crap).

I'm about to make a set of book shelves for a corner in my bedroom, a TV stand, coffee table, custom record player cabinet and recently put in a simpleworkstation in my recording booth (walk-in closet turned into a recording booth).

 karenh2010 says:  Aug 9, 2010. 12:16 PM  REPLYAbsolutely gorgeous. Can't believe you can make this for $200!! What a feeling of accomplishment!! Am hoping to work my way up to this within a few years.:-) Thanks for the great instructions!

 karenh2010 says:  Aug 9, 2010. 12:13 PM  REPLYSorry for the very very very beginner comment, but exactly HOW did you attach the trim to the bookcase? (i.e. nails, screws? through the side?) Thanks!

 dublinrun says:  Apr 4, 2010. 10:07 AM  REPLYExcellent instructable!  Not too complicated, but enough info to do the job.  A favorite for sure.  The extra detailing really adds a touch of class.

 thewarp16 says:  Feb 21, 2010. 12:59 PM  REPLY just a little tip when sanding try to put the sand paper on a block so you dont end up sanding finger shaped grooves into your work

 awang8 says:  May 10, 2009. 11:06 PM  REPLYVery nice. But that bookshelf is HUGE!!

 inkstainedheart says:  Jan 15, 2010. 11:25 AM  REPLYI don't know about you, but I actually need two bookshelves this size for all of my books!

 Ahma says:  Feb 16, 2010. 10:45 PM  REPLYTry 34" to 36" shelves with staggered supports between shelves.  You can use 3/8" supports at random positions between the shelves.  They canalso be handy to use to separate your "series" and authors.  I like mine moveable.  I'll post a pic soon to show you my divider/supports.

 Ahma says:  Feb 16, 2010. 10:48 PM  REPLYAnd... when it comes time to rearrange the furniture, you'll find it's a lot easier than trying to make a big shelf fit a small wall.

 Ahma says:  Feb 16, 2010. 10:39 PM  REPLYI love this instructable, but I'd like to add something to it I learned years ago from a very accomplished woodoworker.  When you cut or buy boards for theshelving *not the frame* you should note which way the warp bends the wood.  In many cases the warp may SEEM straight, but you will most often find thatthere is a slight curve to it. 

My friend always looked for the curve in the wood by laying it on a reliably flat surface to discern the direction of the curve.  He positioned his shelves so thatthe curve was toward the top.  In this way, the weight of the books, tchotchkies or other items resting on the shelf would bear down on the upward curve andgive the items a straight surface to rest on.

Just something to keep in mind. 

If your wood is "straight" as far as you can tell, be prepared to reverse (turn the shelf over) when it begins to sag.  It's not the fault of the builder or the qualityof the wood that will do this.  It is the weight of the items we place on them.  Especially books.  I tend to want my shelves to rest on a support that will let meturn them as I notice sag developing.  I got LOTS of BIG HEAVY books.

 Kiwi_Ed says:  Feb 10, 2010. 9:25 AM  REPLYFinally a proper 'normal' bookcase Instructable!!

Thanks a lot, pressed the favorite button before I even started reading! Now all is left is to fill that 3.5m x 2.5m empty wall...

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Build-A-Custom-Bookcase/

 njf homerepairs says:  Feb 3, 2010. 10:33 AM  REPLY

 fin saunders says:  Jan 14, 2010. 7:26 AM  REPLYA suggestion if you make your shelves longer than 30 inches.

Instead of using the 3/4" decorative trim on the front of the shelves, use ~1"x1-1/2" trim boards glued to the front of the shelves.  Use the trim router (step#19) to put a decorative edge on the front to keep it nice looking like the rest of the shelving unit.

This will stiffen the shelf so that you won't get swayback shelves over time while storing those Encyclopaedia Britannicas that you got from Grandma for your10th birthday.

A 3/4"x3/4" under the back edge of the shelves would help when showing off your decorative engine blocks and glass scupltures, or if you just have to beefthings up to feel better when making things.

Advanced skill suggestion.

At steps #15 and #16, use more side trim to cover the front of the fixed middle shelf.  It'll be harder to make it look nice, but may be worth it.  If you make thischange, consider making the height of this shelf the same as the window ledges in the room or at kitchen counter height.

Most important of all, start cutting wood using this wonderful Instructable! 

 koubis says:  Oct 5, 2009. 10:58 AM  REPLYA nice one indeed. Can you post e-shop where I can order the rails? Thanks!

 derekns74 says:  Aug 7, 2009. 10:40 AM  REPLYGood instructable. You probably shouldn't make your submissions a giant sears commercial, though. Will get you a lot of spam flags.

 rein365 says:  Sep 8, 2009. 12:51 PM  REPLYYour comment has the only "sears" word in it (now mine too). Everyone adds some links to shops like Radio Shack etc. Its not spam.

 kilroy1958 says:  Aug 12, 2009. 5:37 PM  REPLYnice work.... too bad, even at 50, i'm told i need adult supervision around power tools ;) later...

 seamster says:  Jan 9, 2009. 11:14 AM  REPLYThis is a great instructable. Lots of helpful information, and a very well-made set of shelves.

 mynameisjonas says:  Jan 2, 2009. 9:55 PM  REPLYthis is simply awesome. I can't wait to build this!

 thesonofsam says:  Jan 2, 2009. 4:46 PM  REPLYBoth the finished product and the instructable are really nice looking. Good job on both. You might consider adding a list of tools and materials neededtoward the beginning though. Project time and cost analysis would be cool too, but are less vital.

 Phil B says:  Jan 2, 2009. 2:18 PM  REPLYVery nice. I never thought of using a long level for a saw guide.

 Derelicte says:  Jan 2, 2009. 12:51 PM  REPLYThis is a work or art. I really like the design and little extras you put into it that make it so much better.

 chinchymork says:  Jan 2, 2009. 12:16 PM  REPLYSweet Project our family made a book shelf a couple of years ago and it looks like this one. Good job!