Built-in Shelving Instructions
A built-in bookcase gives your home library an air of permanence. Built-in shelving is also safer in homes with young children. Bookcases tempt children to climb. Free-standing bookcases tip and can fall on climbing children. Building a bookcase is easier now than ever before. There is a wide range of prefinished pieces ready to be assembled in your home. Before building your bookcase, consider the dimensions of the room. You will take up a foot of floor space along the wall for your shelves. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 2-by-4 lumber, 8 feet long
- Saw
- Drill
- 50 wood screws
- 2 predrilled shelf sides
- 7 prefinished shelves
- Stud finder
- 2 L-brackets
- 4-inch decorative moulding, 8 feet long
- Mitre saw
- Finishing nails
- Shelf supports
Instructions
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1
Cut two 38-inch portions of the 2-by-4 lumber. Cut two 8 1/2-inch pieces of the 2-by-4 lumber. Separate the two 38-inch sections with the 8-1/2-inch sections at the end to form a box. Use the wood screws on the end to secure the box together. Place the box in the chosen spot.
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2
Form a large box on the ground with the shelf sides and shelves at the top, bottom and center of the unit. Secure the shelves in place with two wood screws through the sides and into the end of the shelf.
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3
Find the wall studs with the stud finder. Secure the base to the wall studs with wood screws.
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4
Place the shelf unit on top of the base. Screw through the bottom shelf and into the base at the back and sides. Use the L-bracket to secure the top shelf to the studs.
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5
Cut two 1-foot pieces of the 4-inch decorative moulding with the mitre box. Make sure that one side is straight and the other is cut at a 45-degree angle. Cut one 38-inch piece of moulding with 45-degree cuts on both sides. Fit the pieces around the base of the bookshelf and secure them with finishing nails.
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6
Put the shelf supports into the pre-drilled holes. Place the shelves into the new bookcase
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Tips & Warnings
If you are placing the bookshelf in the corner, cut the moulding to fit on only two sides.
For a larger bookshelf, look for shelf sides that are pre-drilled on both sides, or drill holes where you wish to place the shelves.
If you do not wish to see the wall behind the shelves, add a wooden back before securing the unit to the wall.
An even simpler solution is to paint the wall behind the bookcase the same color as the shelves.
If the L-brackets on top of the shelf are visible, you can add decorative moulding to the top of the bookcase. Simply cut the pieces of moulding for the top just as you did for the base. Use small, square blocks of wood to secure the upper corners, and nail the bottom to the top of the bookcase.
Always use caution when cutting or drilling wood.
It is safest to have one person hold the shelves in place while the other secures the unit to the wall.
References
- Photo Credit Bookshelf 8 image by Tomasz Nowicki from Fotolia.com
