DIY Built-In Bookshelves | Young House Love

At the moment’s tutorial for including built-in bookshelves is lots less complicated than it seems to be. Meaning getting this basic look of floor-to-ceiling shelving round a doorway is one thing anybody can do. We deliberate these bookcases as a part of our big kitchen remodel, and so they could also be my secret favourite a part of the entire renovation.

This wall did have a bookcase on it initially, as you’ll be able to see on this earlier than picture. However we demo’d and reframed it to be extra open to the kitchen.

Along with the DIY constructing tutorial, we’ll additionally share all the measurements so you can also make certain to create the perfect shelf top and depth for books and decor.

Instruments & Supplies for Constructed-In Bookshelves

Developing built-in bookcases like it will probably be a multi-day undertaking that requires some endurance and a focus to element. Nonetheless, the precise course of will not be difficult and requires fairly primary DIY expertise. Additionally, you will want these instruments and supplies helpful:

Step 1: Plan Your Bookshelf Design

Planning is at all times a very powerful step to a DIY constructing undertaking like this. Start by taking cautious measurements of your house. You’ll be able to write them down or, higher but, make a tough sketch. For us, this was the clean wall we began with.

You could have a transparent thought of what you wish to construct already, or chances are you’ll have to take a while searching blogs or Pinterest to collect inspiration. Pay attention to shelf spacing, trim particulars, paint colours, and even what kind of objects are on the cabinets that encourage you most. For us, we had been loosely making an attempt to recreate these built-in bookcases from our second house.

With that picture in thoughts, we had been capable of sketch out our imaginative and prescient (with measurements!) in order that we might additionally begin planning how a lot materials we would want to purchase. Extra on that in a bit!

Some folks additionally prefer to mock issues up in Photoshop or 3D software program like CAD. However as you’ll be able to see, good ol’ pen and paper works too. Even once we had been within the midst of the construct we double-checked our shelf spacing measurements with blue painter’s tape. You’ll be able to see us contemplating two spacing choices beneath (we selected the one on the correct).

Lengthy story quick: don’t shortchange the planning course of as a result of it would prevent time, complications, and journeys to the house enchancment retailer.

Step 2: Construct-In Your Bases

For the bases, we knew we wished some closed cupboard storage to cover stuff like previous picture albums and yearbooks. Fortunate for us, these 30″ x 30″ stock upper cabinets from House Depot match nearly completely and had been a simple, inexpensive technique to kick off this construct.

The downside to higher cupboards like these is that they’re solely 12″ deep. A typical bookcase is 10-12″ deep, however we wished our cabinets to be 13″ to accommodate bigger books and ornamental objects. So we added two layers of two×4″ blocking towards the wall behind every cupboard. We merely screwed the blocking into studs utilizing lengthy 2.5″ wooden screws.

You’ll additionally be aware within the picture beneath that there’s additionally some blocking underneath the cupboard. It will assist you to add matching baseboard across the bottoms with out obstructing the doorways. Usually a single 2×4″ will do. We, nonetheless, had been making an attempt to rigorously match the peak of the room’s current wainscotting. So we needed to get a giant inventive and prop it up with some random scrap plywood to get the correct top.

I do know that appears kinda loopy above, however don’t fear. We used these unfinished end panels to cowl all of it up. I additionally nailed in a 1 x 2″ alongside the underside edge to provide the baseboard one thing to relaxation towards alongside the entrance. And don’t thoughts the matchbox vehicles in there. Toddlers, amiright?

You may additionally want so as to add some filler items between your cupboard and the wall to shut any gaps. We used some stock filler pieces, however any wooden would do,

To finish the cupboard bases, we then minimize and put in baseboard to wrap across the backside of every cupboard. Use a miter noticed to chop every bit and fix it with a nail gun. Cute toddler not required.

Right here’s what it appeared like with each bases put in. Don’t fear, they got here with doorways and cabinets. We simply eliminated them to make set up simpler.

It additionally made our subsequent step simpler as nicely…

Step 3: Prime, & Paint

Earlier than you begin setting up your built-in bookshelves, we discover it’s simpler to prime and paint your shelving items first. You already know, when all the things is flat on the bottom. Your cuts don’t need to be exact but, however we did rip all of our MDF to measurement earlier than we began. I’ll clarify that extra in a bit.

You’ll nonetheless have to do touch-ups after, however this manner you’ll be able to roll most of it flat with out worrying about drips, pooling, or getting a brush into numerous nooks. You’ll be able to see we painted the cupboard doorways, cabinets, and going through items abruptly. The colour is Simply White by Benjamin Moore (in a semi-gloss end) which is what’s already on the opposite trim within the room.

Step 4: Assemble Your Facet Cabinets

For the open bookshelves themselves, we adopted the identical course of we used for our son’s built-ins. You’ll be able to see extra element in that publish, however I’ll offer you an summary right here. We constructed them out of 1/2″ MDF panels as a result of they’re straightforward to chop and offer you a smoother end than plywood.

As you’ll be able to see, the bookshelf building goes as follows:

• Screw one MDF vertical panel immediately into the facet wall
• Add a 1×4″ brace piece to the again wall throughout the highest
• Screw an identical MDF vertical panel on the opposite facet into the brace piece
• Add one other brace piece throughout the entrance of the cabinets
• Rip 1×1″ strips of pine on a desk noticed to shelf assist
• Wherever you desire a shelf, nail assist strips on 3 sides
• Add MDF cabinets
• Nail and glue 1×2″ face items on all uncovered edges

I do know that’s a fast overview, so please check out this tutorial for extra element. However you’ll be able to see after doing that on each facet (nicely, minus the face items) we achieved this round our doorway.

This half was all previous hat for me. The brand new problem was the following step: spanning a shelf throughout the cased opening!

Step 5: Add The Shelf Throughout The Doorway

To construct the center shelf over the doorway, I took benefit of any floor I might safe the MDF into and added a couple of further to be protected. As an example, I began by including sections of 1×4″ “header” boards throughout the again (STEP 1). That gave me an edge to nail the vertical divider into (STEP 2). As soon as these dividers had been in, I might screw the underside in from beneath (STEP 3). You’ll be able to see it mocked up beneath.

As I began constructing it for actual, I additionally ended up including a scrap piece to the ceiling. This helped preserve all the things sq. and likewise gave me a floor to connect the going through & crown molding. You’ll be able to see I additionally took benefit of the door casing as further assist for the underside shelf. All the arrows are locations I screwed issues collectively.

You may also see within the picture above that the cabinets over the doorway are doubled up. That is in order that, as soon as the 1×2″ face piece is added, these cabinets are flush on each the highest and the underside. All the different cabinets have a small lip on the underside, however we didn’t need that seen on this portion that will likely be walked underneath.

Step 6: Nail In Your Face Items

The final step is so as to add 1×2″ pine items (already primed and painted!) to cowl all the unfinished entrance edges. It will make your uncooked edges look tidier AND make your cabinets look twice as thick as they are surely.

Once more, you’ll be able to learn extra about this course of in this tutorial.

Step 7: Caulk & Contact-Up Paint

Lastly, you’ll wish to use some paintable caulk and wooden filler to fill your whole seams and nail holes. Principally, anyplace two items of wooden meet, you’ll wish to add a beam of caulk. It will give your built-in bookshelves the great, completed look they deserve.

As soon as your caulk is full dry, you’ll wish to paint over it. This needs to be fairly fast with a brush. And this can be a good time to touch-up any scuffs you created throughout building. I do know this feels repetitive to Step 3, however belief me it’s a lot simpler doing a fast cross with paint now than having to do a number of coats of paint & primer.

Step 8: Let Remedy & Embellish!

Even after it has dried, paint has a curing interval when it hardens and turns into extra sturdy. This could take a number of days, so be affected person in terms of loading up your new built-in bookshelves. We all know you’re excited as a result of we had been too! We waited a full 10 days simply to be protected. That approach our decor was much less more likely to scrape, scuff, or go away impressions within the uncured paint.

You’ll be able to learn our tips for decorating bookshelves however we usually like to incorporate a mixture of books (stacked in varied orientations) and ornamental objects. Our last shelf measurements had been 15″ excessive and 13″ deep, which imply they may match plenty of stuff with out trying too cramped. We additionally stored our books in a free, color-coded association. It wasn’t a real rainbow or gradient, however we discover retaining related colour spines collectively makes cabinets appear like chaotic.

Oh, and don’t overlook so as to add knobs or pulls to your cupboards. We discovered these enjoyable latches on-line and thought they’d be a pleasant technique to combine it up from the pulls we now have within the adjoining kitchen.

We’re completely thrilled with how these built-in bookshelves turned out. They appear like they had been at all times meant to be right here, which is at all times the objective of any built-in DIY undertaking.

They add structure to the room and make the lounge really feel cozy and lived in. Plus, we’ve bought extra storage too!

Adorning Your Constructed-In Bookshelf

Now for the enjoyable half – or perhaps robust half for some: filling your built-ins! We’ve bought a complete publish with suggestions and tips for styling a bookshelf. You may also watch how we adorning our buddies’ built-in bookshelves on this time lapse video beneath.