I have a passion for carpentry, and have myself built several bookcases and bookshelves over the last decade or so. These bookcases were not made using overly technical plans or specific tools, and yet they are durable, nice to look at and are able to hold all of my books, and trust me, I have a lot. There are a lot of low quality bookcases on the market that actually cost quite a bit of money, so it's nice to be able to easily knock together a bookshelf that is able to stand up against the commercial models.
The tools I use when making bookcases and bookshelves are very simple - only a jigsaw, a powerdrill and a claw hammer. There are a few things you must consider before you start hammering and drilling away, however. Firstly, how big do you want your bookcase to be? You need to figure out the length and width of your proposed bookshelf. For your first bookshelf, I recommend making one that is five feet wide and at least three feet tall, which is great size for a standard bookcase.If you then throw in three shelves, you will have enough room to hold around one hundred books, which is awesome.
Bookshelf Leaning
On the other hand, if you plan on making a bookshelf that you can attach to a wall, you need to ensure that you purchase high quality brackets as this will make sure that your bookcase will not unexpectedly fall down. It is my own personal recommendation that you use at least six brackets if you are planning on making a large and heavy bookshelf. Attach two of the brackets to the top, two on the center shelf and two on the both, and the easiest method to do this is firstly mount the brackets onto the wall you wish to use, then attach the bookshelf to the brackets. It's always a good idea to have someone on hand to help you out with this, just to ensure your own safety.
Any time of timber will work well for your own bookcase. Pine is probably the cheapest and will do a great job as the foundation of a bookshelf, as its is quite durable and can be easily stained to look wonderful. Oak and birch are more expensive, on the other hand, but will give a more professional and rich piece of furniture, but at the end of the day, whatever you can afford will work fine.
If you are looking to buy a bookshelf or bookcase, why not consider making your own instead?
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