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This bookshelf is designed to be built once as a standalone unit and extended later — the main bookshelf stands on its own, complete with its own top and shelves, but a matching side panel and shelf set can be added afterward to wrap the whole thing around a room corner. Build the main unit first exactly like any standalone bookshelf: attach 1x2 trim to the side panels, add legs, then top supports, then the trimmed shelf, then the top.
The corner add-on reuses the main unit's side panel as its own shared wall rather than building two full independent bookshelves side by side — its own third side panel, legs, and shelves all attach directly onto the completed main unit. This is what makes the two pieces read as one continuous wraparound shelf rather than two separate boxes pushed together in a corner.
A back panel is optional on both sections and goes on last, nailed and glued into place once every shelf and trim piece is set. If you only want the standalone version, stop after the main bookshelf steps — the corner add-on is a genuinely separate phase, not a required finishing step.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x12, 10 ft | 2 each |
| 1x2, 8 ft | 2 each |
| 2x2, 8 ft | 4 each |
| 1/4" plywood, for the backs (optional) | 1 each |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" | 100 each |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4" | 60 each |
| Wood glue | 5 oz |
| Primer and paint, or stain and poly | 1 set |
Overall cost: $$$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Main side trim1x2, 8 ft | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 11 1/4" |
| Main side panels1x12, 10 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 26 1/2" |
| Main legs2x2, 8 ft | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 29" |
| Main top/bottom trim2x2, 8 ft | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 29 1/4" |
| Main middle/bottom shelves1x12, 10 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 29 1/4" |
| Main middle shelf trim1x2, 8 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 29 1/4" |
| Main top1x12, 10 ft | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 32 3/4" |
| Main top trim1x2, 8 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 32 3/4" |
| Corner add-on side panel trim1x2, 8 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 11 1/4" |
| Corner add-on side panel1x12, 10 ft | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 26 1/2" |
| Corner add-on legs2x2, 8 ft | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 29" |
| Corner add-on top/bottom trim2x2, 8 ft | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 16 1/2" |
| Corner add-on bottom/middle shelves1x12, 10 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 16 1/2" |
| Corner add-on top1x12, 10 ft | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 18 1/2" |
| Corner add-on top trim1x2, 8 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 18 1/2" |
| Back panel, main1/4" plywood, for the backs (optional) | 1 | 1/4" × 19" × 27" |
| Back panel, corner add-on1/4" plywood, for the backs (optional) | 1 | 1/4" × 31 1/2" × 27" |
Buy 13 boards at 8 ft.
5 boards
Attach 1x2 side trim pieces to the 1x12 side panels, drilling pocket holes along the front and back edges for attaching legs. Attach legs to the side panels with pocket hole screws.
Attach top supports to the legs. Attach side trim to the middle shelf, then attach the whole trimmed shelf to the side panels.
Attach side trim to the top piece, then attach the top to the bookshelf base. The standalone main bookshelf is now complete.
Build the corner add-on's third side panel the same way as the main side panels, and attach it to the completed main bookshelf with pocket holes.
Add the middle shelf with 1x2 trim pre-attached, then the bottom shelf with 2x2 trim attached. Build and attach the corner add-on top.
Nail or staple the optional back panels on with glue. Sand all surfaces and apply primer and paint, or stain and poly.
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3 boards
3 boards
1 board
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →