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A bookcase is extremely easy to make. The basics are a good plan and buying the right materials. Then assemble all the parts and voila! You can enjoy your handmade bookcase!
Before you start cutting, get the right nails, etc., which will ensure a professional nut maker. Cut the plywood into boards with a saw to a width that matches the depth of the bookcase. Sand all the wood before cutting and assembling any pieces
Measure the height of the space where the bookcase will stand. Cut the two legs for the bookcase to this measurement.
Measure the width of your space in three places. Subtract about 3.8 – 4 cm from the smallest measurement. Cut the shelves to this length from plywood. Make sure you also cut a piece for the top.
If you want the shelves to vary in height to accommodate books of different sizes, you will need to mark the points where the supports will be. Put one leg against the wall and mark where the bottom of each shelf should fall. Try to align the shelves with nearby architectural details, such as baseboards, window sills and fireplaces.
The bookcase has a baseboard that covers the space below the bottom shelf, so the lowest supports must be recessed. Glue and nail the leg supports to the legs: starting at the bottom of one leg, squeeze a bead of S-shaped glue into the first line of the layout. Align the lowest support with the bottom and back edge of the board. Nail it at the four corners using nails.
Using a piece of plywood as a shelf spacer, place the next bracket. Glue and nail it in place. Continue attaching the brackets in this manner, on the left side, until the top brackets are in place, ending about 1 – 2 cm from the top edge. Repeat on the other leg.
Slide all the shelves into the frame. If any need to be adjusted, use a rubber mallet to gently tap them into place.
Check the level of the bookcase. Place a level on each of the shelves. If one side needs to be raised, pound thin wooden shims under the leg.
Hold the level vertically to check that the bookcase is not vertical. Add shims if necessary. When the entire piece is upright and is also level, tap the pieces around the bookcase anywhere against the wall to make sure the entire frame is tight. Cut out the shims with an all-purpose knife, then snap them off flush with the edge of the bookcase.
Cut a piece of plywood – the same size as the lowest frame brackets – to use as a place to drive nails into the bottom board. Slide it under the center of the bottom shelf. Nail through the shelf to the top edge of the made board using finishing nails.
Measure the hole under the bottom shelf. Cut a piece of plywood to fit the space well. Place this board in the hole opposite the nailing point and the edge of the bracket. It should be flush with the front of the shelf. Attach it with two 6d finish nails to each bracket and the nailing board, located in the center of the bookcase.
Use one strip to create a recessed, finished edge on the front of the shelves. To make sure these edges will fit tightly between the side strips, hold one strip to the front of the shelves and over the joint on one side. Mark the back of each piece where it meets the other side. Cut out each strip at the mark.
Apply glue to the front of the shelf. Nail the edges in place with finishing nails. Start nailing at one end and adjust the edge by sliding it down so it is perfectly aligned along the top shelf. Finish each shelf with an edge in the same manner.
Read also: Do you know how you can easily give a second life to a dresser?
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