wide bookcase

[CNT]

Well, hello :D I am back for a little advice (or advise, you know). I want to make a wide bookcase for my basement for many many books. Yes, it will be all load up with all books. I like to make it 80" tall by 60" wide. Is the only way to make it strong is to have a back attached (glued and biscuited)? I want to make it the cheapest, since it's for a basement. So, plywood is the way to do it (since solid pine would be too weak, wraps as books weights it)? Would a 12" deep be too much? What is avg depth for regular books? Should I make two bookcases or at least another board in the middle? I might make a door to cover it, would be a 1/4" thick or even thinner ones. Any comments or plans (ha ha, yes, for FREEEEEEE!!!!)?

Chuck

[CNT]

Also, it may be a better idea to go buy from a store. I am just looking for the cheapest way to do the bookcase. Sometimes buying something finished is cheaper. All that matters is it's for the books. So, if you see a good deal (be it from Borg(s) or whatever), let me know.

Thanks.

Chuck

[Charles Spitzer]

cinder blocks and pine boards.

[CNT]

Meaning I have to go all over and find those cinder blocks from yards? And maybe boards in dumpsters where they are building houses? LOL

I just came back from OfficeMax and there was 28" wide by 6' tall for $25 each, think I'll just get two.

Chuck

[George]

No pride of authorship there, but if you care to, make it in sections ~20" wide, dadoing the interior uprights either side of 3/4 ply, leaving 1/4 in the middle. Fully glued, works great, and is reinforced by the addition of edging strips. Also allows you to choose your own shelf size. Make the bottom three for quarto size, upper four for octavo. I leave 3/4" open space above the books for finger space.

With the step back the case is better balanced, and by making it in upper and lower, you can take it with you easier if you so choose.

[JAW]

Cheapest ? Go to the local brick and block supplier and get some of their rejects. Use these for supports. Stack 2 high on each end and place a 1x ? Across them. Do the same until you have reached the desired height. Easy to tear down if you need to.

JAW

CNT wrote:

[patrick conroy]

I was just going to recommend to well know manufacturers of Fine Furniture: Sauder and O'Sullivan.

[CNT]

OK, those are really FINE furniture!!!! I know, those will be good enough, still chip wood.

Chuck

[J T]

Thu, Jul 15, 2004, 12:51pm (EDT-1) [e-mail] (CNT) gurgles: Well, hello :D I am back for a little advice

OK, I'll advice you, with a little free advise. Use your imagination.

Free plans? Don' need no steenkin' plans.

Years back I needed bookshelves for books. A lot of books, and heavy. Made two, each about 8' tall, and 8' wide. How much is that in inches? Just bought what length wood they had in stock (8'), so no cutting involved. Needed cheap, needed strong, needed fast, and needed cheap. Made both out of 1X2" wood.

Now I suppose you want instructions. Sheesh. Nail strips along the wall, sideways, spaced as far as you want the shelves high, nail to the drywall stucds, and as high as you want shelves. I put a 1X3" strip in front, on the floor, so the first shelf is not right on the floor. Then nail strips vertically, as far apart as you want the supports to be. Horizontal strip, matching the first. Vertical strip, matching the first, and so on, until the shelves are as deep as you want. I did end with a vertical strip. Very fast to put up, very cheap, very strong. Still in the backroom, still in use. Hmm, that was probably late '81. I think I had the whole thing up in about 2 hours. If I ever decide to take it down, it'll probably take less than 4 hours - I figure something like that is faster going up.

Have no idea if that's been done by anyone else, but probably.

JOAT

We've got a lot of experience of not having any experience.

- Nanny Ogg

[John]

For heavily loaded with books, you probably need to support the shelves every 16-24 inches to prevent the shelves from bowing/deflecting

John

[Rich]

You can add a front edge to the plywood shelves to help stiffen them up.

Heck you could buy 2x material up to 12" wide to build it out of.

Rich