Anyone built their own 'fixed wall' bookcase? advice please
Discussion
snowman99 said:
Anyone got any plans for simple ones? I want to make some shelves that can be moved if required using Oak veneer MDF. Some of the plans I've seen involve making a groove for the shelves with a router. I don't have a router and it's another expense. I'm worried if I don't the unit will be wobbly from side to side? How do I get it rigid enough to stop that without making something too complicated? It won't be fixed to the wall.
I like the trim on some of the photos here.
It sounds like you want the IKEA ones I like the trim on some of the photos here.
I've got the opposite problem - this weekend I need to remove a built in bookcase, ideally without damaging either the bookcase or the wall.
Craikeybaby said:
It sounds like you want the IKEA ones
I've got the opposite problem - this weekend I need to remove a built in bookcase, ideally without damaging either the bookcase or the wall.
Probably but I am determined to build them. It seems I could use pocket holes but that seems to involve a jig which is money. Don't think I could hand drill them very well.I've got the opposite problem - this weekend I need to remove a built in bookcase, ideally without damaging either the bookcase or the wall.
K50 DEL said:
I wanted to do the same thing late last year so got a couple of professional quotes that were simply eye-watering.
In the end I picked the brains of a local timber merchant who also supplied the pine for me and after taking a fair amount of time (measure twice, cut once and all that) I ended up with this:
Total cost of about 40% of the professional quote and the satisfaction of creating something myself.
Did you router those decorative grooves in yourself, Is it hard to do?In the end I picked the brains of a local timber merchant who also supplied the pine for me and after taking a fair amount of time (measure twice, cut once and all that) I ended up with this:
Total cost of about 40% of the professional quote and the satisfaction of creating something myself.
hyphen said:
K50 DEL said:
I wanted to do the same thing late last year so got a couple of professional quotes that were simply eye-watering.
In the end I picked the brains of a local timber merchant who also supplied the pine for me and after taking a fair amount of time (measure twice, cut once and all that) I ended up with this:
Total cost of about 40% of the professional quote and the satisfaction of creating something myself.
Did you router those decorative grooves in yourself, Is it hard to do?In the end I picked the brains of a local timber merchant who also supplied the pine for me and after taking a fair amount of time (measure twice, cut once and all that) I ended up with this:
Total cost of about 40% of the professional quote and the satisfaction of creating something myself.
Secondly having routed them, medium grade sandpaper wrapped around a pen to smooth any imperfections before staining.
Not difficult at all, smooth steady hand, well marked timber so you know exactly where the grooves are to start and finish.
Dr_Rick said:
In the end, we decided to go IKEA-hack. We got 4no Billy Bookcases and doors, plus some over lights. We built a timber plinth to sit it all on and some architrave and came up with this...
This is exactly what I'm about to do - with a contrasting wallpaper on to the infill panel on the rear of the shelves. Seriously looking forward to it! I've even had to have the electrical consumer unit moved to make space! I've dark walnut units to be built in, with the walls being a pale off-white, probably. White architraves the like. Should be good!One thing I can't decide on, however, is whether the boxing in should go all the way to the ceiling or not.
Pro of going to the ceiling is that it will look to be genuinely integrated, but lighting will be difficult.
Con of not going to the ceiling is that I can do something interesting with uplighting above the units.
Does anyone have any thoughts on that?
K50 DEL said:
There are 2 tricks to making the grooves look good, firstly make them before trimming the wood to width, I found the width guides don't work so well when the timber is narrow.
Secondly having routed them, medium grade sandpaper wrapped around a pen to smooth any imperfections before staining.
Not difficult at all, smooth steady hand, well marked timber so you know exactly where the grooves are to start and finish.
Thanks, will experiment on some scrap wood.Secondly having routed them, medium grade sandpaper wrapped around a pen to smooth any imperfections before staining.
Not difficult at all, smooth steady hand, well marked timber so you know exactly where the grooves are to start and finish.
dxg said:
One thing I can't decide on, however, is whether the boxing in should go all the way to the ceiling or not.
Pro of going to the ceiling is that it will look to be genuinely integrated, but lighting will be difficult.
Con of not going to the ceiling is that I can do something interesting with uplighting above the units.
Does anyone have any thoughts on that?
Think its a personal preference, both can look good but personally i prefer not going to the ceiling.Pro of going to the ceiling is that it will look to be genuinely integrated, but lighting will be difficult.
Con of not going to the ceiling is that I can do something interesting with uplighting above the units.
Does anyone have any thoughts on that?
I'd avoid MDF - it WILL sag over time. Plywood or solid wood are much better. If doing DIY, use the Sagulator website to see how thick the shelves need to be.
Also for DIY, using "brass bookcase strips" (e.g. from Screwfix, to mount the shelves at whatever height you want) should make construction relatively easy.
Also for DIY, using "brass bookcase strips" (e.g. from Screwfix, to mount the shelves at whatever height you want) should make construction relatively easy.
biggiles said:
I'd avoid MDF - it WILL sag over time. Plywood or solid wood are much better. If doing DIY, use the Sagulator website to see how thick the shelves need to be.
Also for DIY, using "brass bookcase strips" (e.g. from Screwfix, to mount the shelves at whatever height you want) should make construction relatively easy.
Spanner in the works.Also for DIY, using "brass bookcase strips" (e.g. from Screwfix, to mount the shelves at whatever height you want) should make construction relatively easy.
I was going for MDF, although I've had my eye on these air dried oak rough sawn boards with a view to sanding them down, I used to work for Sharps bedrooms as a fitter, so I'm fairly handy.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Air-Dried-OAK-Boards-Har...
The self making bookcase:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPL3kJPsVdA
Bebee said:
Oh how I dream of that equipment and a fraction of the skill the maker has! I'm sure Pvapour would be able to do similar if not better with far less equipment though!That video is brilliant, must have spent way longer filming that against making the book cases!
Must admit, we have been looking at ikea hacks....the billy bookshelves we have had for years are still rock solid, just thinking of how to make them more "built-in" looking.
Probably painting them to match the walls would help....but I am not overly sure about what primer/paint to use - I don't want to wreck the look! Currently beech colour, but likely to make the room some sort of 'heritage gray" or similar....
ideas welcomed!
Must admit, we have been looking at ikea hacks....the billy bookshelves we have had for years are still rock solid, just thinking of how to make them more "built-in" looking.
Probably painting them to match the walls would help....but I am not overly sure about what primer/paint to use - I don't want to wreck the look! Currently beech colour, but likely to make the room some sort of 'heritage gray" or similar....
ideas welcomed!
I built this book shelf setup in my last house, using a solid oak 28mm worktop ripped down into strips and then used the same material as sides, and a random vertical support design. To emphasis the feature I painted that section of wall a contest colour, which worked well.. oh, and some little led deck lights in the ceiling above it!
We had these ones built for us. Shelves are 27mm solid pine boards ( from here http://www.timber-requirements.co.uk/acatalog/27mm... ), each shelf is supported by the side walls at either end which are 25mm boards, and the carcass is solid wood of considerable heft and behind 91mm wide mouldings (these ones http://www.dressermouldings.com/store/architraves/... with matching architrave corner blocks and plinths from the same supplier. They look much better in real life than the photos and are very strong.
K50 DEL said:
I wanted to do the same thing late last year so got a couple of professional quotes that were simply eye-watering.
Thats the truth... All this sort of stuff has become a rare skill so those that can, seriously charge.Just has someone show me some beautiful bookshelves, with led strips hidden in each shelf. I was told that just the paint job was £3k.... for 3 bookcases.
Thirding Ikea...I did the below with 3 Billy Bookcases,some Billy extension kits, a CD tower and loads of skirting board.
And yes, the ceiling is not straight, made a lovely job of trying to make it look presentable.
They are screwed together and to the walls, so no danger of falling, they got me 2 marriage offers on Ikea hackers!
And yes, the ceiling is not straight, made a lovely job of trying to make it look presentable.
They are screwed together and to the walls, so no danger of falling, they got me 2 marriage offers on Ikea hackers!
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