Whether in a home office, bedroom, or living room, bookshelves are handy for storing and displaying books and decorations. Choose the same wood species to trim the edges, using glue, and nails if. You should do the research on what wood for bookcase at your home or office. Use 34inch thick materials for shelves and bookcase structure. Birch is the best wood to use if you plan to paint your bookcase, and maple lends itself to a variety of stains.
Types of paint for bookshelves home guides sf gate. Build stronger, sagproof shelves popular woodworking magazine. Mark the lumber according to the following cut lists. Beware of making assumptions based on labels like hardwood and softwood. The shelf keeps on sagging, a little more each year, because wood slowly but surely changes shape under a load. Before you grab a saw and begin a diy bookshelf project, there are a variety of. Heres an inside look into the wide world of bookcase style and design, giving you the information you need to purchase the best model for your home and life the above example is a modern styled creation, mixing metal and white laminate in an angular, minimalist design to striking effect. The type of wood needed to build shelves depends on how nice you want the shelf to look when finished and how heavy the items to be stored on the shelf will be. This is the heaviest type of wood, has distinct grains that are easily accented by stains or varnish and is resistant to scratches and nicks.
Furniture grade plywood is ideal if you are planning to make a shelf for your living or dining room, while the bc grade is a good choice for garage shelves. While different types of wood and sometimes even metal are generally preferred for large and small shelving systems, you will find plastic normally used in storage units for childrens rooms as well as for various storage dividers and home organization units. What kind of wood works best for building a bookshelf. Softwood a solid wood option like pine that can be cut and worked easily is strong, takes both paint and stain well and is fairly inexpensive. How to make a japanese style bookshelf with traditional hand cut joinery out of jatoba and oak using both power and hand tools. Heres an extensive list and writeup outlining the different types of cube shelves and bookcases you can buy. Japanese style bookshelf with traditional hand cut joinery. Buy products related to solid wood bookshelf products and see what customers say about solid wood bookshelf products on free delivery possible on eligible purchases. Traditionally, builtin bookcases are made with solid wood boards, carefully. Coniferous trees such as cedar, fir, spruce and pine are the types most used to make lumber. For these, its best to use a clear finish and let the beauty of the wood shine through. Should you want to preserve the natural wood, consider using. The key to selecting the correct type of screws for your. Another reason why this type of wood is ideal for wood shelving is the fact that it is relatively strong and inexpensive compared to other types of wood.
The most common types of materials are wood, particle board, and metal. But there are also specialorder lumberyards that make veneer plywood from any kind of wood, including mahogany, teak, cherry, or walnut. Solid wood is a common term for furniture made from lumber planks. Some species of wood are much more rigid than others. Wood for bookshelves can be divided into three main categories. But before you grab a saw and begin a diy bookshelf project, there are a variety of factors to consider. Softwood boards 1 inch thickthe type youd use for bookcases and shelvesare sold in 2 inch. For melamine and plywood, you can attach a solid wood bar to the leading edge of the board. If youre starting with an untouched wood bookshelf, you have a wide array of paint products to choose from. In almost every case, the shelves will be attached to a backing wall, and it will be necessary to attach the shelves or the brackets for the shelves to the wall. Japanese inspired bookshelf 3 awesome types of joinery. Like hardwood varieties, softwood is not always soft. Any shelf design has to rely on one fundamentalits got to attach to something.
If youre using hardwood solids, its ok to boost the thickness to 1 14 inch for almost unlimited. Another reason why this type of wood is ideal for wood shelving is the fact that it is relatively strong and inexpensive compared to other types of. I was inspired by japanese woodworking while designing these bookshelves. Some are modular too so you can create all kinds of designs. First and foremost, the wood you use for making bookshelves will impact. Softwood boards 1 inch thickthe type youd use for bookcases and shelvesare sold in 2inch. However, if you plan on frequently moving the bookcase, its weight will be an obstacle, especially if the bookcase is large. This video follows me as i build a really cool set of bookshelves that incorporate 3 types of mortise and tenon joint. The best wood to use for wood shelves this old house. Best wood to use for diy bookshelves this old house. Solid wood is a good bet if you plan on storing heavier hard cover books, as is metal since the shelves made from these. Here are some tips to increase shelf length, or board strength.