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The 'puzzle' in this bookcase is that it's modular: a tall side bookcase with staggered shelves, plus detachable cubbies that fasten to the side so you can extend and rearrange the storage like puzzle pieces. Build one side unit as your spine, then add cubbies as you need them.
Everything is 1x12 lumber with a plywood or MDF back on the cubbies, so it's simple casework — the interest is all in the layout. The staggered shelf spacing is set by measuring from the bottom of the bookcase to the bottom of each shelf (not shelf-to-shelf), so work off a single reference line down the side and the stagger comes out even. The back gets nailed on flush at the back outside corner and stiffens the whole unit.
A couple of things keep it honest. The bottom cubby side runs all the way to the floor to carry load, while the upper cubby sides are shorter — mind which is which. When you clip a cubby onto the side bookcase, use 1-1/4" screws through the shared side. And because it's tall and modular, it can get top-heavy: anchor it to the wall to prevent tipping, especially in a kid's room.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x12 board, 8 ftPer side bookcase: shelves, side, back. | 4 each |
| 1x3 scrapFooter. | 1 each |
| 1x12 board, 8 ft (cubby)Per cubby: tops, bottoms, sides. | 1 each |
| 3/4" MDF or plywood, 30" x 14"Cubby back. | 1 each |
| Pocket-hole and wood screws, 1-1/4" | 50 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Shelves1x12 | 6 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 18 1/2" |
| Side and back1x12 | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 72 1/2" |
| Bottom cubby side1x12 | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 16 1/2" |
| Upper cubby sides1x12 | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 14" |
| Footer1x3 | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 18 1/2" |
| Cubby back3/4" MDF or plywood | 1 | 3/4" × 14" × 30" |
| Cubby tops and bottoms1x12 | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 30" |
| Cubby sides1x12 | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 12 1/2" |
Buy 7 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
5 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 →
Fasten the shelves to the side of the bookcase. The measurements are from the bottom of the bookcase to the bottom of each shelf, so mark a single reference line down the side and set the staggered spacing off it.
Fasten the back to the back of the shelves and side, keeping the back outside corner flush with the back edge of the side. Nail through the back into the shelf and side edges. The back squares and stiffens the unit.
Attach the cubby sides, outside edges flush — the bottom cubby side reaches all the way to the bottom of the bookcase to carry load, the upper ones are shorter. Then fasten the footer.
Build a cubby from its top, bottom, sides, and MDF back, keeping outside edges flush. This is the module that clips onto the side bookcase.
To add cubbies, fasten them to the side bookcases with 1-1/4" screws through the shared side. Because it's tall and modular, anchor the assembly to the wall to prevent tipping. Sand and finish.
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