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This bookcase is deliberately shallow and wide rather than tall — 15-1/4" deep — which is what makes it work as a desk base as easily as a bookcase; a shallower box gives you legroom underneath if you set a desktop across two of these. The double-thickness trim at the top and bottom (a 1x2 layered with a 1x3) is what gives the edges enough visual weight that the case doesn't read as a plain plywood box, and it's applied inside the front opening as well as around the outside.
Rip your whole sheet of plywood to 15-1/4" wide before cutting anything to length — every solid panel in this case shares that depth, so getting the rip consistent up front saves you from chasing small width mismatches between parts later.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 3/4" MDF or A1 plywood, ripped 15-1/4" wide, 8 ft sheet | 1 each |
| 1/4" MDF or plywood, full sheet | 1 each |
| 1x2 board, 8 ft | 2 each |
| 1x3 board, 8 ft | 2 each |
| Wood glue | 4 oz |
| Wood filler | 1 each |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4" | 60 each |
| Self-tapping wood screws, 2" | 30 each |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Top3/4" MDF or plywood | 1 | 3/4" × 15 1/4" × 40" |
| Sides3/4" MDF or plywood | 2 | 3/4" × 15 1/4" × 29" |
| Shelves3/4" MDF or plywood | 2 | 3/4" × 15 1/4" × 38 1/2" |
| Back1/4" MDF or plywood | 1 | 1/4" × 29 3/4" × 40" |
| Top trim piece1x2 | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 38 1/2" |
| Bottom trim piece1x3 | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 38 1/2" |
| Top side trim1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 15 1/2" |
| Bottom side trim1x3 | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 15 1/2" |
| Top front trim1x2 | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 41 1/2" |
| Bottom front trim1x3 | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 41 1/2" |
Buy 8 boards at 8 ft.
3 boards
2 boards
2 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 sides, then fasten the top to the sides, using 2" self-tapping screws (or 3/4" pocket holes with 1-1/4" pocket hole screws).
Fasten the back to the bookcase with 1-1/4" nails and glue.
Fasten the top and bottom inside front trim pieces. Use 2" finish nails, nailing through the sides and top/bottom shelves into the edges of the trim pieces.
Fasten the top and bottom side trim pieces, then the top and bottom front trim pieces the same way, keeping the layered 1x2-over-1x3 look consistent all the way around. Fill nail holes with wood filler, sand, and finish.
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