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This tower's box is a straightforward 1x12 case — two sides, four shelves, and a top — but its finished look comes almost entirely from the trim wrapped around that plain box afterward: side legs, a header, front bottom trim, and a crown moulding detail at the very top. Build the plain box first exactly like any simple bookshelf: sides, shelves, and top, joined square before any trim goes on.
The side legs run the full height of the piece and are what give it its tower proportions — 1x2 and 1x3 boards applied to the front and sides of the case, with the header trim sized and cut to fit your actual assembled box rather than to a fixed number, since real lumber width varies enough to throw off a fixed measurement on a piece this tall and narrow.
The crown moulding pieces at the top are genuinely the last detail, cut and measured to fit after everything else is square and trimmed — a small cove moulding kept modest so it reads as a finished cap rather than an ornate flourish. The back panel is optional, and going without it is a legitimate choice if the piece will sit against a wall where the back is never seen.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x12, 8 ft | 3 each |
| 1x3, 8 ft | 4 each |
| 1x2, 8 ft | 3 each |
| 1/4" plywood or MDF, half sheet (optional back) | 1 each |
| Cove moulding, 3/4" or smaller | 4 ft |
| Brad nails, 3/4", 1-1/4", and 2" | 100 each |
| Wood glue | 4 oz |
| Wood filler | 3 oz |
| Primer and paint, or interior wood stain | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sides1x12, 8 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 68" |
| Bottom and shelves1x12, 8 ft | 5 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 22 1/2" |
| Top1x12, 8 ft | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 24" |
| Header sides1x3, 8 ftMeasure and cut to fit. | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 11 1/4" |
| Header top1x3, 8 ftMeasure and cut to fit. | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 25 1/2" |
| Side legs, 1x21x2, 8 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 68 3/4" |
| Side/front legs, 1x31x3, 8 ft | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 68 3/4" |
| Top/bottom side trim1x2, 8 ftMeasure and cut to fit. | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 7 1/4" |
| Front bottom trim1x2, 8 ftMeasure and cut to fit. | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 20 1/2" |
| Back panel1/4" plywood or MDF, half sheet (optional back)Optional; measure and cut to fit. | 1 | 1/4" × 24" × 68 3/4" |
| Crown side pieces1x2, 8 ftMeasure and cut to fit. | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 13" |
| Crown front piece1x2, 8 ftMeasure and cut to fit. | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 27" |
Buy 11 boards at 8 ft.
3 boards
4 boards
Assemble the sides, bottom, shelves, and top into a square box with glue and brad nails.
Measure and cut the header side and top pieces to fit the assembled box, then attach with brad nails and glue.
Attach the 1x2 and 1x3 leg pieces to the front and sides of the case, running the full height of the piece.
Measure and cut the side trim pieces for the top and bottom to fit, and attach.
Measure and cut the front bottom trim piece to fit and attach.
Measure and cut the optional 1/4" plywood or MDF back to fit and attach with brad nails and glue.
Measure and cut the crown moulding side and front pieces to fit at the very top, and attach.
Fill any nail holes with wood filler, sand all surfaces, and apply primer and paint, or interior wood stain.
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3 boards
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 →