I made this bookcase out of solid hard maple lumber. The project was more expensive because I chose to use this wood. It also took more time because I had to do a lot of sanding in order to finish it with shellac and paste wax, but I think it was worth it. I altered the plans and made the bookcase 5' tall instead of 6' as it would have been a little large for the room I put it in otherwise. I used a kreg jig to create pocket holes on the undersides of the shelves so that I did not have to drill and make holes on the sides of the bookcase. I also used L and T brackets on the back to hold the whole thing together.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$115
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Shellac and paste wax. The key was to sand extensively before finishing, as the lumber I bought was very rough. I sanded to 400 grit which may have been excessive, but it did create a nice finish. In between coats of shellac I also sanded. I finished it all up by adding a coat of paste wax. I liked this finish as it was much more natural and less hazardous than many other finishes.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Comments
claydowling
Tue, 01/24/2012 - 10:12
Lovely
I really like this. I made a similar set a while back out of pine, because I needed a lot of book storage in a hurry, but nothing near this nice.
How is the side to side stability? I found a need to put bracing along the back, which also served to keep my books from falling off when the cats push up against them.
ccbuilder
Tue, 01/24/2012 - 10:46
Thank you!
The side to side stability is pretty good. It'll rock a little bit, but it's really quite sturdy. The L and T brackets in the back helped significantly with the stability.