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A tall cubby bookcase whose face-framed dividers lay out like a subway-tile grid. Pocket-hole construction; the face frames do double duty as structure and style.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sides | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 63 1/2" | 1x12 | ☐ |
| Shelves | 6 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 34 1/2" | 1x12 | ☐ |
| Vertical dividers | 6 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 11 1/2" | 1x12 | ☐ |
| Top vertical divider | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 12 1/4" | 1x12 | ☐ |
| Side trim | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 63 1/2" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Top/bottom trim | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 33" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Cubby backs | 2 | 1/4" × 12 1/2" × 17 1/2" | 1/4 in plywood | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1x12, 8 ft Sides, shelves, dividers. | 4 each | ☐ |
| 1x2, 8 ft Front and back face frames and trim. | 6 each | ☐ |
| Plywood, 1/4 in (quarter sheet or scraps) Middle cubby backs. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4 in | 1 box | ☐ |
| Brad nails, 3/4 in and 1-1/4 in | 1 box | ☐ |
| Wood glue | 1 bottle | ☐ |
| Paint | 1 quart | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Circular Saw, Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig, Speed Square. Materials: 1x12, 8 ft, Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4 in, Wood glue
Build the basic bookshelf by attaching the shelves between the two sides. Use pocket holes — the back isn't fully covered, which helps prevent racking but also means screws through the back would have nothing to grip. If you don't have a jig, 2" countersunk screws and glue will do; they just show. Keep the whole box square.
Tools: Brad Nailer. Materials: 1x12, 8 ft, Brad nails, 3/4 in and 1-1/4 in, Wood glue
With the basic box built, add the dividers between the shelves to create the cubby grid. The top divider is taller than the rest. These are glued and nailed in place — they're not structural, so they go in quickly and don't need pocket holes.
Tools: Brad Nailer, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 1x2, 8 ft, Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4 in, Brad nails, 3/4 in and 1-1/4 in, Wood glue
Face frames on both the front and back beef up the bookcase and lock the grid against racking. If you have a jig, build the frames first, then attach with glue and 1-1/4" nails. Otherwise attach the long pieces first, then fit the short ones between them. Nail and glue the frames to every shelf and the top divider too, so the whole thing ties together.
Tools: Brad Nailer, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: Plywood, 1/4 in (quarter sheet or scraps), Brad nails, 3/4 in and 1-1/4 in, Wood glue, Paint
Add the 1/4" plywood backs to the middle cubbies with glue and 3/4" nails — short nails are ideal here so nothing blows through the thin plywood. Fill nail holes, sand, and paint. Paint suits the subway-tile look better than stain, which would fight the clean grid.