Making a bookshelf?

Question

I want to make a large bookshelf... I want to be able to put up books, but also use it to set up knick-knacks, pictures, etc.

I want to do something simple, but large (like 6ftX6ft, but only like a foot deep)

I'd like to just go to Home Depot or something and buy regular wood and just put it together myself. But all I want to have to do is just nail the pieces together...

Is there a type of wood that is offered that can just be stained without having to do much preparation (like tons of sanding or things like that)?

Also, should I just get a nail gun to put it all together or should I get a drill to hold it together with screws?

I dont have a shop with tons of tools (I dont have a saw either, so I want to purchase the wood ready to go)

Any answers? Thoughts? Advice?

Thanks!

Answer 1

If you don't have any tools, and you want it easy/fast to put together and finish, I'd recommend you look at a "ready-to-assemble" piece. Do a web search on brands like Sauder, Bush, O'Sullivan. These aren't as nice or as strong as a good carpenter could build with proper tools, but they're better than one could build with a hammer and nails. You can get them at any big box store, office supply store, Wal-Mart, etc.

Answer 2

You can always buy the 1X12 boards that are pre-cut to 6 feet...but they cost more....plus you might want the 8 foot boards so you can use that extra piece to put upright as a brace. The reason I would use a brace in there is the books will be very heavy and cause the shelf to bow down with all that weight. The brace doesn't have to be in center...you can place it more to one side or the other ( or both ) to give your shelf a better look with different size areas. You might also want to space the shelves at different heights...larger at bottom for those big heavy books and smaller at the top for those little knick-knacks....that way your shelf will stand better and not fall over. Go ahead and buy a hand saw. They have some good ones that are easy to use to cut boards.

There are several kinds of wood to choose from...but even the cheaper white pine boards are pretty smooth. You just need to sand the edges a little so you don't have that sharp edge or corner.

Oh yes....I always use those coarse thread black sheet rock screws to hold my shelves together. the coarse thread holds better than nails. yes...there is a little bigger spot to fill in with putty...but you'll never have a problem with it coming apart.

Answer 3

Some vaild notions by my peers here. I've built "EM" and bought "EM" and even in GLIT you might get away with ease if not a huge cost difference.

It seems as if you aren't strictly interested in aesthetics? Though I could be mistaken. In college I used Milk crates which were extremely functional...still do in fact, to hold up the table top I'm resting my comp on.

1 x 10-12 pine will work. Screws; a hammer and nails; and/or a nail gun will as well. I'm not at all a fan of "GLIT" pieces, but functionally speaking they seem to serve a purpose.

It's just a personal opinion. Judge what you want as a result and balance that against costs. Include a thought about your labor; etc; and perhaps the bookshelves at Walmart might satisfy.

Steven Wolf

Answer 4

Hello BUMBLEWHORE! Sounds like a fun project. Maybe you can do castle theme like Hogwarts with four sections for each house. But whatever you do should have a medieval feel to it. Dark wood sounds nice. Making it too modern will take away the HP feel to it. I saw the pictures you posted on your other question and I like the first one. So you're putting a reading space in it? Cool, ive never seen a bookcase of those styles anywhere in the US. I will get back to you if I think of more ideas. Good luck SLUTHERIN! Keep me updated on this project!

Answer 5

You will find that you can buy a bookcase cheaper then you can build one.You can build it out of 1x12 pine.The lumber yard can cut the pieces for you.Make it six feet tall and have the top,bottom and shelves cut at 32" so you will not have any waste from a 8' piece.You can use finish nails and glue to put it together.If you want it to cover 6 feet build two of them.You can stain them and varnish them and they will look great.

Answer 6

Go to hommer,s depot they have pine panels in diffrent wides And lengths The problem you will have is saging of the shelves, I sugest you also get some wood to match and put a brace at the back of your shevels They also have pre drilled sheving But besure to put the braces in