Type of Wood to Use for Painted Bookcases
The best-looking painted wood bookcases are made with a tight-grained wood that does not have any large knots. In general, you should paint a bookshelf or bookcase to enhance the natural beauty of the wood rather than to cover up an inferior quality wood. Does this Spark an idea?
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Clear Pine or Fir
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Clear Douglas fir is relatively inexpensive and abundant in supply. Also consider clear pine—that means no knots—for building a bookcase. The white pine of the Northeast and Midwest has long been used for making attractive painted furniture.
Poplar
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Poplar is a lightweight hardwood that grows in the mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States. Also called yellow poplar or tulip tree, this wood has a tight grain. As with the two above-mentioned softwoods, yellow poplar has good tensile strength, a necessary characteristic for any bookcase.
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Veneer Plywood
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The quality of plywood varies, but a high-quality birch veneer plywood can take a painted finish and offer lasting value. To insure a strong shelf, veneer plywood should be 3/4-inch thick, and the shelf should not exceed 4 feet without a support. Strips of veneer need to be cut and applied to the sawed edges before painting. Other types of wood, such as oak, maple or cherry can be used as well.
Salvage Wood
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Used wood can be converted into a bookcase and then painted for a smooth finish. Try sanding it with a belt sander or palm sander to improve the quality of the wood surface.
Painted Maple
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Some lumberyards sell a slightly cheaper grade of maple that has found popularity as a painted surface. Maple is a hard, durable, strong wood, also prized as a choice material for cabinets and floors.
Particle Board
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To save money, make a bookcase out of 3/4-inch particle board. It is inexpensive and can be cut and used in the same way as plywood, although it is not as strong as plywood. Several coats of spray paint can produce a very shiny surface, which will hide the fact that the bookcase is made with particle board.
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