Bookcase advice needed

[Ivan Vegvary]

Daughter wants to put 3 to 4 'peninsulas' into the attic/apartment to break up the 50 foot length. These would be built perpendicular to the wall, st ick out 3.5 feet and be about 28-30 inches high. I would like to build a box out of 2x10 lumber and screw it to the floor jo ists and adjacent wall for stability. The final look should be white melam ine or equivalent. Top will get a 2x12x1/2" board. Everything will need t o end up white.

What's the easiest way to go from a "2x10" box to a decent looking bookcase . A shelf midway up from the bottom would also be nice. The back can be 1 /4" melamine panel. What's next? False horizontal member to get the books 3-5 inches off the floor? Build a face frame? Line all the 2-by material with 1/4" melamine? Help !!

Thanks, Ivan Vegvary

[knuttle]

stick out 3.5 feet and be about 28-30 inches high.

First think in terms of the individual book cases. I thing that for a bookcase that is 40" long and 30 inches high, a 2X10's would be over kill.

If I were making it I would make it similar to the one in Popular Mechanics.

I would also may make two bookcases for each peninsula, and fasten them back to back. This would do two things. One it would give more storage space, and make it such the the unit could be moved as your daughter changes her decorating ideas. You may consider putting doors on one of the two bookcase so she would have spaces to hid stuff.

The idea of a melamine is good, but I would build the book cases with a top frame, and then go down to Lowes, Home Depot or similar store and have tops made like they use for kitchen cabinets. Maybe with rounded corners and edges, in the color of your choice.

[Ivan Vegvary]

Thank you doctor! I was thinking heavy in case one of her guests wants to plop his butt on top.

[Dr. Deb]

Ivan, it looks to me like you are over building by several hundred percent. Quite often when you go heavier, all you get is heavier - and could wind up with something very much less usable than you might think.

Remember, we are talking "bookcase/shelves" here, not something to hold an M1 tank.

If it were me, I would build the carcass out of 3/4 melamine with a 3" toe kick, one or two shelves and a face frame.

Deb

[Lew Hodgett]

I would like to build a box out of 2x10 lumber and screw it to the floor joists and adjacent wall for stability. The final look should be white melamine or equivalent. Top will get a 2x12x1/2" board. Everything will need to end up white.

What's the easiest way to go from a "2x10" box to a decent looking bookcase. A shelf midway up from the bottom would also be nice. The back can be 1/4" melamine panel. What's next? False horizontal member to get the books 3-5 inches off the floor? Build a face frame? Line all the 2-by material with 1/4" melamine?

-------------------------------------------------- You want a bookcase, not a bomb bunker.

Go to here and check out plans of several bookcases along with the step by step construction method.

Lew

[-MIKE-]

I agree. Just build the bookcases you want and make accommodations for attaching them to the floor. I make the bottom shelf removable to access the bottom of the case for whatever I use to attach them to the floor.

[Ivan Vegvary]

Hey group, thanks! Making the cases relocatable is a great idea! It also means that they can be built off site. Ivan Vegvary

[Sonny]

ak up the 50 foot length.

This simple, small bookcase was used in college, almost 40 yrs ago, and is now used in my upholstery shop. It's nailed together and stable. You cou ld improve on it, make it prettier, max stablillity with better jointery, m ake it a little larger (this one's 27"L X 22.5"H X 9.5"W. It's simple deco r, can be moved, butted with another. I've made several of these (improved design & jointery) for several family member's children. Or maybe use asp ects of its design for whatever bookcase you build. 3 pics:

Does your bookcase need to be attached to the wall or floor? For the heig th you're suggesting, I would think a free standing case would do fine.

Sonny

[Greg Guarino]

I am no expert, but I recently built a set of 3/4" plywood bookcases with face frames (glued) and backs (rabbeted and screwed). The whole frame was 3/4" ply, with all of the shelves dadoed and glued into the uprights. The tops of my units are in no danger of being sat on (they sit about 8' high), but they are easily strong enough.

If I were designing a 35" wide unit for the possibility of it becoming occasional seating, I'd probably put in a middle upright as well. That should make it strong enough for even your daughter's heftiest friends.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Right, at 28" high, you are inviting people to sit. At 40" no so much. Or glue shards of broken glass on the top.