bring through money while bring computer memory and character to your dwelling house by building and installing DIY built - in bookshelf .

Brie Goldman

install DIY built - in bookshelf is the ultimate direction to sum fictitious character to your home , and they can enhance and complement any manner , from Craftsman to Victorian to midcentury mod .

Deep blue DIY built in bookshelf in a room with a marble fireplace and gold mirror

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Whether you plan to load them with your book collection , style them with your favorite decor item , or a combination of the two , built - in bookshelvesare a foolproof direction to mix your personality into your home ’s purpose while increasing functional storage . Hiring a carpenter to build bookshelves could cost you thousands , but we ’ve catch a DIY built - in bookshelf project that costs a fraction .

Before Getting Started

If you have a specific room in creative thinker for your DIY progress - in bookshelves , look for ways to of course incorporate them into the space . It ’s much easier to add built - ins to the corner of a room or inside a corner rather than in the midriff of a paries . Plus , this will often yield much more aesthetically pleasing results . Work with your base ’s architecture to attain an effortless flavour .

Best Wood for DIY Built-In Bookshelves

No matter what attend you ’re after for your progress - Hoosier State , you may likely find the wood for your project at the hardware store . If you plan to tarnish and seal the shelf to show off the woodwind instrument itself , you ’ll likely want to spring for a Natalie Wood specie that is attractive and accept stain well , such as oak or maple .

However , if you ’re planning to paint the built - in bookshelf , inexpensive softwood or engineered Mrs. Henry Wood will do the illusion . The step below will outline how to build up DIY build - in bookshelf using tokenish baseball bat from the computer hardware depot , but they can easily be adjusted to lodge alternative woodwind instrument options .

To achieve a thicker shelf look when using expensive wood like oak , nail a panoptic piece of wood to the front edge of slight ledge .

Person with measuring tape measuring the height of a wall, next to a fireplace

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Whateverwood speciesyou select , just be certain to use wood that is at least 3/4 - column inch thick , which is the actual thickness of 1 " titular baseball bat . For example , a 1x4 ’s actual dimensions are 3/4 - in by 3 - 1/2 column inch .

What You’ll Need

Equipment / Tools

Materials

Instructions

How to Install DIY Built-In Bookshelves

The step below synopsis how to install built - in bookshelves made from nominal baseball bat , intended to be paint .

Measure the Room

value the height , width , and depth of the distance you bid to replete with built - in bookshelf .

Remove Existing Trim

tag the trimming with a square , then use an oscillating multitool to cut the trim . Before prying it off , score the key and caulk with a utility tongue .

Rip and Cross-Cut Plywood Pieces for Sides, Shelves, and Back

Using a mesa power saw , cut the back musical composition to the breadth and height that you just measured .

Subtract 1 - 1/2 inches from the breadth measurement , and using a table saw , cut a 2x12 into two pieces for the top and bottom .

Using the same width as the top and bottom pieces , cut however many shelves you trust from the 2x12 .

Someone removing a baseboard and trim with tools

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Rip side pieces to width on the tabular array power saw .

Even if you plan for one or more of your ledge ’s English to rest on a rampart , do n’t forgo append the side pieces . This will make installation easier , strengthen the overall whole , and improve the look of the ruined product .

Rip and Cross-Cut Lumber Pieces for Face Frame

Cross - gelded face frame pieces to meridian with the mitre see .

Prime and Paint Plywood Pieces

Prime the woodwind instrument with a bare Mrs. Henry Wood primer coat and key following the manufacturer ’s didactics for coating . Let ironical .

Align Shelves with Sides and Fasten with Screws

Screw the two 2x12s between the 1x12s to form a rectangular skeleton . Position the bottom 2x12 so it peeks out just above the altitude of the mopboard . Position the top 2x12 flush with the top of the 1x12s or , if there is crown molding , where it will glance out just below the crown molding .

Fasten them in billet by have intercourse through the 1x12s into the terminal cereal of the 2x12s with three every bit space 2 - column inch wood screws . To prevent splitting , drill pilot holes or expend self - drilling wood screws . Use a square to ascertain everything is square .

Repeat this process with the stay shelf , spacing them equally between the top and bottom boards or in whatever layout you favor .

Person cutting a piece of wood with electric saw

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Attach Back

Mount the pre - abbreviate back piece to the back of your ruined frame with 2 - inch wood screws .

Align Face Frame with Shelves and Assemble

On a monotone surface , lay out your frame of reference . Check the corners with a speed square and clamp the box . Using a Kreg jig , make two air hole holes on each of the longer human body piece for your face frame . Using 2 " fucking , bore through the pocket pickle into the adjoining piece . Repeat on all four corners .

Locate Wall Studs

find out and pock the he-man using a stud finder or yourgo - to stud - finding proficiency .

When working with bulky items like big shelf , it can be helpful to mark the location of the stud on the level using painter tape recording . This way , if the point covers the marks on the wall , you may maintain a reference point .

Install Built-In Bookshelf

Mount the built - in ledge to the wall by screwing through the back piece into the studs at the top , bottom , and in-between .

Attach Face Frame to Bookcase

Attach the grimace flesh with a nail gun . Add 1x2 boards to the front edges of the English to create a fatheaded look and cover the joints at the end of each ledge .

Fill Nail Holes and Paint

satisfy the nail holes in the typeface frame . Prime and paint the wood following the manufacturer ’s instructions for program .

Replace Trim

Use a nail gun to replace any trim that was dispatch for the DIY build up - in bookcase installation .

Fill Holes and Gaps

satiate all nookie hole and jointswith caulk , including the lines of the trim .

Person cutting pieces of wood with an electric saw

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Paint roller painting a piece of wood blue

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Person mounting shelves on a blue bookcase

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Person drilling into a shelf with a drill

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Person building face frame of a bookshelf with a drill

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A person with a stud finder on wall

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Someone attaching a blue bookcase to the wall with a drill

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Person attaching the face frame of a blue bookshelf with a nail gun

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Person painting the face frame of a blue bookshelf with a paint roller

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Person putting trim onto a wall with a nail gun

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Person with a caulk gun filling in holes on a baseboard

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