Cheap bookshelves for a number of books

[teddysnips]

Our building is nearing completion and it will soon be time to get our books (many hundreds, mainly paperbacks) out of storage.

In our last two houses I've created bookshelves using vertical rails into which the shelf supports are clipped (in my vernacular this system is "Dexion", but their website doesn't seem to list this product). I then put cheap planks onto these and, provided I get the height right, you don't see anything but the books and the wood of the shelf. I found that if necessary I could close one end off by screwing a length of beading vertically so that the end book is retained.

My wife thinks we might think about another system this time - maybe one slightly less lo-tech and better looking. Anyone any thoughts? We're talking about an area approximately 17 feet long by 8 feet high which will be completely covered in books. There are no wires or pipes to consider.

Thanks.

Edward

[Andrew Mawson]

Well, back in my student days, when funds were non existant, we used to paint housebricks white and use them stood on end to support and separate whatever sheet timber we could scrounge from skips, cut to width and also painted white. Two bricks side by side at each end (well at the 1/3rd - 2/3rds positions) actually made quite presentable shelving by the time it was filled with books and ornaments. You had to take a second look to see it was actually a cheapskate solution

AWEM

[Dave Fawthrop]

|!Our building is nearing completion and it will soon be time to get our |!books (many hundreds, mainly paperbacks) out of storage. |! |!In our last two houses I've created bookshelves using vertical rails |!into which the shelf supports are clipped (in my vernacular this |!system is "Dexion", but their website doesn't seem to list this |!product). I then put cheap planks onto these and, provided I get the |!height right, you don't see anything but the books and the wood of the |!shelf. I found that if necessary I could close one end off by |!screwing a length of beading vertically so that the end book is |!retained. |! |!My wife thinks we might think about another system this time - maybe |!one slightly less lo-tech and better looking. Anyone any thoughts? |!We're talking about an area approximately 17 feet long by 8 feet high |!which will be completely covered in books. There are no wires or |!pipes to consider.

Remember Books are **HEAVY**. SWBO's books need a support every 60 cm or less. We use the bracket on vertical bars, as this is the only way we can get sufficient support. We can lot *see* any of the vertical supports. Support at the back of the shelf did **not** work. :-( Everything else sagged eventually :-( The verticals are plastic plugged to the wall every 30cm or so.

[Owain]

You may be thinking of "Spur" which was discontinued, but it's still used for commercial shopfitting and there's at least one manufacturer of a look-alike system.

Offline so can't check, but if you google this group and spur shelving it's been discussed before

Owain

[Andy McKenzie]

While I,m not sure that it isn't even lower tech than your cheap planks. I built a wall full of shelves out of 15mm chipboard, making up cells with full width supports sized to fit different books. To make it look decent I faced the edges with strip wood.You can't really tell its made of chipboard, as it is full of books, and the frequent uprights make sure that there is no sagging of the shelves and stop the book falling over!

Andy

[Guy Dawson]

We too have lots of books.

Having moved house in December I was kept busy putting up Spur uprights and putting some nice shelves on them.

-------------------------------------------------------------------- Guy Dawson I.T. Manager Crossflight Ltd [e-mail]

[Lobster]

That's probably because "Dexion" it ain't! They make a whole different system - typically free-standing 'meccano' type stuff. Spur is the most widely known manufacturer of what you mean. Get it at B&Q,

etc. Probably the best type for your application unless you're going to do some serioud joinery.

They make various different "attachments" which are worth browsing through, like dividers, additional supports etc.

David

[Arthur]

get your bog standard pine boards and paint them white. For vertical support, use 200mm x 30mm oak or other decorative flooring boards and cut them to various book heights. Stain to orders of SWMBO.

Another idea. Build some bog standard pine shelving and 'front' the verticals with a decoratively stained stair handrail.

Arthur

[Bob Eager]

Try

and search for 'shelving'.

[John Rumm]

Or

for a cheaper source

[teddysnips]

[..]

Many thanks for the various ideas/links. Spur shelving it was, and I suspect that inertia and option paralysis will ensure that I go for more or less the same system again.

Edward

[Stuart Noble]

6" "real wood veneer" contiboard with plenty of dividers/supports (cut very accurately) would be my choice.

[Peter Ashby]

Chipboard will sag, it's much cheaper to use real wood as you need supports less often.

to calculate:

[Stuart Noble]

Properly supported it doesn't sag. What real wood would you suggest that would be as stable?

[Peter Ashby]

It's the properly supported bit that I was commenting on. You need more supports for chipboard so it ends up more expensive. If you want absolutely stable then get lipping some quality ply would be my choice. Fully loaded shelves won't be able to cup or twist anyway which is how the OP says they will be.

Peter

[Stuart Noble]

At least you use up all your offcuts

If you want

But that needs edging

A pile of paperbacks won't stop a wooden shelf moving.