Creating Bookshelves
One of the best pieces of furniture you can make or buy is a bookshelf. There are so many things you can store on a bookshelf, the storage can actually be part of your décor, they help you stay organized and uncluttered, bookshelves can be made cheaply, and they can be adapted to whatever space you are in.
The easiest, cheapest way to create bookshelves is the old board and concrete block system of college days. Concrete blocks are just the right height for bookshelves, boards are relatively inexpensive, and this kind of system can be put up and taken down very easily.
There are some more variations on board and block shelves that would be more attractive. If you go to a home center, you will notice that there are a lot of things that are eight to fourteen inches tall that could be used at the ends of your shelves. For example, you could use flower pots of various heights or segments of pvc pipe or glass blocks. If you paint or stain your boards, you have the upscale version of the board and concrete block shelf.
Another type of bookshelf is the particle board unit of various sizes with shelves that can be adjusted. If you buy several of the same type, you have a unified look for your room. They tend to be modular so they can be used in various configurations as you move from place to place. The less attractive aspect of these units is that the particle board looks really awful when it gets dings. Gouge a board in your board and concrete block system and your board still looks basically as it did. Gouge a piece of particle board and any water around will cause it to swell; the inside of the particle board looks very different from the outside so the nick will always be obvious.
You can buy pre-made real wood bookshelves, but if you don’t have the money for that, you can also make your own. If you look at a number of plans, you’ll see that there are several features in common to bookshelves. The ones that stand alone have sides, top, bottom, and some kind of back which is often flimsy. The bottom may have feet or a pedestal of some sort. They have shelves which may be stationary or moveable. The ones that are mounted on the wall are similar except they may have no back or feet.
A bookshelf is a reasonable first project for a beginning carpenter because the layout is relatively simple. You’ll need a circular saw, a way of connecting your boards (screws and a screw driver work really well), measuring tools, and a square to make sure your angles are correct. For your first effort, pick out inexpensive wood. As you get experience you can get fancier in your selection of wood, your patterns, and your finishes.
It’s amazing how a good bookshelf will add to the quality of life. It turns piles of stuff into relative neatness and it gives you a place to show off collections not just of books but also of knick knacks, rocks, or whatever you enjoy. Make one yourself and you may find yourself with a new hobby: woodworking.