How to Make a Wooden Book Shelf

Wooden bookshelves and their contents make an attractive addition to almost any room. Books are heavy, though, so if you are building a bookcase of your own, make sure it's sturdy. This design is for a bookcase that can be scaled from a small book-shelf unit up to a huge tower unit. It has adjustable shelves and can be installed into or attached to a wall.

Things You'll Need

• Plywood backboard Lumber for sides, top, bottom, stiffening rod and shelves Runners and brackets for adjustable shelves Wood screws Drill Screwdriver Power sander Brushes Primer Enamel Clamp Wood glue Molding

Instructions

1. Select, measure and cut a plywood backing to the desired height and width of the bookcase. This will be both the back panel and spine of your book shelf unit. Books are heavy, and this spine will need to support a lot of weight, so use at least three-layer plywood, preferably four-layer. Big units will need five layers.

2. For the sides, attach hardwood planks to the inside edges of the plywood. Make sure the screw heads are on the back of the bookcase, not the sides where they can be seen. Put in a screw for every foot. You will need either a second set of hands or a clamp to keep the sides level while attaching them.

3. Attach the top. Because this piece will need a width equaling the thickness of the plywood plus the width of the sideboards, you'll need to cut it from a larger plank than the sideboards. Or, cut two pieces to fit the space. (If you use two pieces, overlap the top corners to add stability.) Screw the top on.

4. Install a stiffening rod, running from bottom corner to bottom corner along the backboard. Alternatively, you can use brackets. The stiffening rod or brackets will be hidden from view by the books on the bottom shelf, which will be raised a little off the floor.

5. Sand the backboard and the edges to a smooth finish.

6. Cut molding to fit the outside edges of the front of the bookshelf. Use wood glue and a clamp to attach the molding, then let it dry.

7. Cut wood planks to the desired length for your shelves. These should be a quarter-inch smaller than the width of the bookcase, to give a little wiggle room. Sand the rough edges, then prime and paint them.

8. Prime and paint the bookcase.

9. Install adjustable shelf runners. Pay close attention to alignment, as both sides need to match exactly.

10. Use the shelf brackets to arrange your shelves however you wish.