How to Build a Comic Bookcase

Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, comic books have held the attention of children and adults alike. Comic book aficionados tend to accumulate and preserve collections of comic books, thereby safeguarding this important part of pop culture and its history. Put comic books out for display with a wall mounted comic bookcase. This comic bookcase functions like a magazine rack, with the comics allowed to face forward. This basic unit has three sections for three stacks of comics and, if necessary, you can make multiple units, mounting them side by side for holding larger numbers of comics. Use an unfinished hardwood such as pine to build your bookcase, and paint or finish the completed project as desired.

Things You'll Need

• 2 1 by 4 by 40 inch boards
• 1 1 by 4 by 10 inch board
• 3 1 by 3 by 8 inch boards
• 3 1 by 2 by 8 inch boards
• Saw
• 80-grit sandpaper
• 120-grit sandpaper
• 220-grit sandpaper
• Wood glue
• Finish nails
• Hammer or nail gun
• 1/4 by 10 by 40 inch luan plywood
• 3 1/2 by 8 inch dowels

Instructions

1. Cut the sides and top of your comic bookcase out of 1 inch by 4 inch boards. You do not need to cut a bottom because one of the shelves will serve as the bottom. Cut the sides 40 inches long. Cut the top and bottom 10 inches long. Cut both ends of the top and just the top ends of the sides at 45-degree angles for creating miter joints. Leave the bottom ends of the sides.

2. Cut three shelves out of 1 inch thick boards, with each shelf measuring 3 inches by 8 inches.

3. Cut three shelf covers out of 1 inch by 2 inch boards. Cut the shelf covers 8 inches long.

4. Sand all parts. Rough sand with 80-grit sandpaper. Follow that with 120-grit sandpaper and then finish sanding with 220-grit sandpaper.

5. Assemble the top, sides and bottom shelf with wood glue and finish nails.

6. Insert and affix the two middle shelves, spaced evenly apart. The space between each shelf should measure 12 inches.

7. Cut a 10 inch by 40 inch piece of 1/4 inch thick luan plywood to line the back of the bookcase. Sand the edges and glue and nail the luan in place.

8. Glue and nail the shelf covers to the front of the shelves so that the bottom side of the shelf covers are flush with the bottom edge of the shelves and so you have an upper lip, or edge, on each shelf for holding in the comics.

9. Cut three 8 inch long, 1/2 inch thick wood dowels. Sand the edges. Glue and nail the wood dowels halfway in between each shelf, at the front edge of the bookcase. These will keep the comic books from falling forward, off the shelf.

10. Fill and conceal all nail holes with wood putty.

Tips & Warnings

• When mounting the shelves to the wall, be sure to nail into wall studs.

• Preserve comic books by keeping them in a comic book sleeve with a comic book backing. Keep comic books out of direct light.

References

• wgwoodproducts.com: On-wall Magazine Rack Specifications (PDF)