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This is a straightforward 1x12 box divided by two full-height uprights into nine cubbies, three across and three tall — a simple grid rather than a face-framed cabinet, so the whole build is pocket holes and a plywood back rather than mitered trim.
Build the outer frame (top, bottom, sides) first with pocket holes placed on the insides and undersides so none of them show, then add the 1x2 bottom trim before the shelves go in — trim now is much easier to nail flush than trim added after the case is full of shelves. The six shelves attach to both the sides and the two dividers with the same pocket-hole approach, and the 1x4 trim across every shelf front comes after, brad-nailed and glued for a finished edge that hides the plywood-adjacent 1x12 edge grain.
The plywood back is what makes this simple grid rigid rather than racking — it's glued and nailed not just around the perimeter but directly into every divider and shelf it crosses, which is what keeps nine open cubbies from shifting into parallelograms under a shelf full of books.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x12, 8 ft | 2 each |
| 1x12, 10 ft | 2 each |
| 1x2, 8 ft | 1 each |
| 1x4, 8 ft | 2 each |
| 1/4" plywood or hardboard, full sheet (4' x 8') | 1 each |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" | 60 each |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4" and 3/4" | 60 each |
| Wood glue | 4 oz |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Top1x12, 8 ft | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 48" |
| Sides1x12, 10 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 59 1/4" |
| Dividers1x12, 10 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 56" |
| Bottom1x12, 8 ft | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 46 1/2" |
| Bottom trim1x2, 8 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 46 1/2" |
| Shelves1x12, 8 ft | 6 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 15" |
| Shelf trim1x4, 8 ft | 4 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 48" |
| Back panel1/4" plywood or hardboard, full sheet (4' x 8') | 1 | 1/4" × 48" × 59" |
Buy 11 boards at 8 ft.
5 boards
4 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 →
Build the top, bottom, and sides with 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/4" pocket hole screws, placing pocket holes on insides and undersides so they don't show.
Attach the bottom 1x2 trim with 1-1/4" brad nails and wood glue.
Attach the shelves to the sides and dividers with 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/4" pocket hole screws.
Attach the 1x4 trim to the fronts of the shelves with 1-1/4" brad nails and wood glue.
Add the plywood back with glue and 3/4" brad nails, nailing it to all the dividers and shelves it crosses, not just the perimeter — this is what keeps the whole grid rigid. Sand and finish.
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