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This piece works as a room divider first and a shelf second — tall, freestanding, and finished so both faces look presentable, since it's meant to stand in the middle of a room rather than against a wall. The plan offers three genuinely different material compositions for the same design: solid pine boards for a paint or rustic stain look, hardwood plywood ripped into 1x12-width strips for a framed-in-solid-hardwood look, or particle board/MDF for the most economical painted finish — pick one before buying materials, since the cut list assumes consistent stock throughout.
Build the box first, marking both sides of the shelf locations since the boards are 3/4" thick and mismatched marks throw off placement. Leave a 3/4" gap under the bottom shelf — this is a deliberate detail, not a mistake, that later trim pieces will need. Fasten the dividers in loosely at first; the plan is explicit that the trim added afterward is what actually locks the dividers in place, so don't expect the dividers alone to feel solid before the trim goes on.
Five caster wheels support this piece, not four — the extra center wheel exists because the divider is long and two-sided, and a shelf this size loaded from both faces benefits from center support the way a long bookshelf would. Top and bottom trim, then side and divider trim, wrap the whole structure and are what finally makes every joint feel rigid.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x2, 8 ft | 10 each |
| 1x12, 8 ft, or 3/4" plywood or MDF, full sheets | 5 each |
| Wood glue | 5 oz |
| Wood filler | 3 oz |
| Finish nails, 2" | 80 each |
| Finish nails, 1-1/4" | 80 each |
| Caster wheels, 2-1/2 in | 5 each |
| Sandpaper | 5 sheet |
| Primer and paint, stain, or varnish | 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, or 3/4" plywood or MDF, full sheets | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 59 3/4" |
| Shelves1x12, 8 ft, or 3/4" plywood or MDF, full sheets | 4 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 46 1/2" |
| Top1x12, 8 ft, or 3/4" plywood or MDF, full sheets | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 48" |
| Dividers1x12, 8 ft, or 3/4" plywood or MDF, full sheets | 8 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 14" |
| Top and bottom trim1x2, 8 ft | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 48" |
| Side trim and divider trim1x2, 8 ft | 8 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 57 1/2" |
| Shelf trim1x2, 8 ft | 18 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 14" |
| Wheel supports1x2, 8 ft | 3 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 11 1/2" |
Buy 18 boards at 8 ft.
6 boards
12 boards
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 →
Choose solid pine boards, hardwood plywood ripped into 11-1/2" strips, or particle board/MDF ripped the same way, and buy consistent stock for the whole build.
Mark both sides of the sides where the shelves will be fastened. Leave a 3/4" gap under the bottom shelf. Attach shelves with 2" nails and glue.
Mark the shelves and top for divider placement. Fasten the dividers loosely in place from the bottom up with 2" nails and glue — the trim added next is what actually locks them in.
Check for square, then attach the top and bottom trim with 2" nails and glue.
Attach the side trim and divider trim pieces, locking the dividers permanently in place.
Attach the shelf trim pieces along each shelf front.
Attach the wheel supports to the base, including one at the center. Attach five caster wheels total.
Fill any nail holes with wood filler, sand all surfaces, and apply primer and paint, stain, or varnish.
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