How to Build a Tall Bookcase

Make your own tall bookcase and store your books in style.

Tall bookcases are ideal for use in tight spaces, where the height of the wall, rather than the width, can be used for storage. Building a tall bookcase follows the same procedure as for any other bookcase, and you can make a variety of different types, from stand-alone units to wall-mounted ones or built-ins. The best design for novice woodworkers is a stand-alone unit, which is relatively simple to construct and can be built to any height specification.

Things You'll Need

• 2 planks, 80-by-12-by-1 inch
• Measuring tape
• 24 wood strips, 10-by-1-by-1 inch
• Nails, 1 3/5 inch
• Hammer
• 8 planks, 36-by-12-by-1 inch
• Carpenter's glue
• Clamps
• Nails, 2 inch
• 1 plank, 40-by-14-by-4 inch
• Drill
• Screws, 3 inch
• Wood putty
• Sandpaper
• Paint/varnish
• Paintbrush

Instructions

1. Lay the two 80-inch planks flat on a work surface, touching side by side. Draw a line across the face of each 80-inch plank every 6 1/2 inches. Ensure the lines match up on both planks. There will be 12 lines on each side.

2. Place a wood strip right under each line with one end of the strip flush with the side of the planks that are touching, which also means this end of the strips will touch. The other end of the strips will be 2 inches in from the outer side of the planks. These are the shelf supports. Nail in place with the 1 3/4-inch nails, three nails per strip.

3. Arrange the 80-inch planks and two of the 36-inch planks into a rectangular box. The ends of the 36-inch planks should abut the inside edge of the 80-inch planks to form the corners. The sides with the shelf supports should face inward, with the supports on the inside.

4. Glue the corner joints of the box, where the planks meet, and clamp in place. Leave to dry for an hour. Hammer along the glued joints with the 2-inch nails, one every 3 inches. Insert one 36-inch shelf into the middle of the box, resting on two shelf supports. Nail in place from the outside of the 80-inch planks into the shelf sides. This gives the bookcase structural support.

5. Stand the bookcase upright and place it on top of the 4-inch base plank. Align the back of the bookcase, which is the side to which the shelf supports are flush, with the back of the base. There should be 2 inches of base on either side and at the front of the bookcase. This overhang weights the bookcase and gives support for its height.

6. Screw the bookcase into the base with the 3-inch screws and drill, placing three screws along the shorter sides and six along the longer sides. Fill any visible screw or nail holes with putty, then sand and paint or varnish as desired, remembering to paint or varnish the shelves as well. Arrange the shelves on the shelf supports once the shelves and bookcase are dry.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want a closed bookcase, nail down a 1/4-inch plywood veneer across the back of the bookcase.

• Add molding to the base and top for a decorative finish.

References

• This Old House; How to Build a Bookcase; Alexandra Brandon
• Popular Mechanics; How to Build a Bookcase; Rosario Capotosto; 2000
• Bookcases