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Build two shelving units, combine the units to make one wide unit or modify the design to build a whole wall of shelving.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sides - plywood | 3 | 3/4" × 10" × 90" | — | ☐ |
| Shelves - 3/4" plywood | 14 | 3/4" × 10" × 36" | — | ☐ |
| Front and back aprons - plywood | 4 | 3/4" × 2" × 36" | — | ☐ |
| Upper back - plywood | 2 | 3/4" × 6" × 36" | — | ☐ |
| Lower back - plywood | 2 | 3/4" × 14" × 36" | — | ☐ |
| Optional side (for 2 units) - plywood | 1 | 3/4" × 10" × 90" | — | ☐ |
| Front side edging - wood | 3 | 3/4" × 3/4" × 90" | — | ☐ |
| Front shelf edging - wood | 14 | 3/4" × 3/4" × 36" | — | ☐ |
| Optional side edging (for 2 units) - wood | 1 | 3/4" × 3/4" × 90" | — | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Plywood, 3/4" Thick 96" | 3 board | ☐ |
| Board, 1x8 96" | 1 board | ☐ |
| Board, 1x4 96" | 1 board | ☐ |
| Kreg 1 1/1/4" coarse pocket screws | 90 each | ☐ |
| Titebond I Woodglue | 1 each | ☐ |
| 1/4" shelf pins or brackets | 32 each | ☐ |
| 1 1/4" brad nails | 100 each | ☐ |
| Minwax Golden Oak Stain | 1 each | ☐ |
| Minwax Tung Oil | 1 each | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Please be sure to read through complete instructions before you begin any work on this project. This plan is designed to build a 75" wide shelving unit. By cutting an additional plywood side and wood edging you can make two 37 7/8" wide bookshelves. The plan can also be modified to add a third or fourth shelving unit if you have a big wall to fill.
For the 75" wide shelving unit cut the sides, shelves, front/back aprons, lower backs and upper backs from the three 3/4" plywood sheets. If you want to make two smaller units cut the optional side from the third sheet of plywood.I used oak plywood.
Cut the 14 shelf edges and the 3 side edges. If you decide to make the two smaller units please cut one additional side edge. I made my unit out of oak.
The shelving unit(s) are held together with pocket screws and wood glue. Of the fourteen shelves, six are fixed (held in place with pocket screws), two upper backs, two lower backs and four aprons also need pocket holes. Please see attached diagram.
The front wood edging needs to be attached to the front of the shelves and sides. Use Titebond I wood glue and 1 1/4" brad nails to do this. Please note that 3/4" plywood is often slightly narrower than the stated size, so the attached edging might be slightly wider than the plywood. If that is the case you can remove the excess using a hand plane or a router with a piloted flush trim bit. (See Extras section for explanations/demo)
Using a Kreg Shelf Pin Jig, drill holes on the inside faces of the outer sides and on both faces of the center. Please be careful to insure that the holes align properly across the sides so the shelves set square in the unit(s).
Sand all of the components using 100 then 150 grit sandpaper. Layout the shelving components making sure that all will fit properly. Using wood glue and Kreg 1 1/4" coarse pocket screws attach the aprons, backs and fixed shelves. Please arrange the components so the pocket holes are hidden from view as much as possible
Mark a 3/4" radius on edging at the top of the sides. Using a band saw or a jig saw cut the radius.
The remaining eight adjustable shelves are placed in the unit(s) using shelf pins or shelf brackets to hold them in place. You can adjust their spacing to your needs.