Have Books – Need Shelves!

We are avid readers in our household and have a book in our hands way more often than the TV is on or a movie watched.  As part of Stella’s homework each evening she is to read for at least 20 minutes and write about what she reads, but in addition to that she reads for 30 minutes each evening after getting into bed.  The problem is that Stella has a loft bed and when it is time for lights out the books either end up under her pillow or somewhere in her bed or they land on the floor which always makes me jump when I hear it hit and think did she fell out of bed!  I, myself, have to read each night before turning my light off – even if it is 2am when I am climbing between the sheets – but I place my books on my nightstand – the pile being quite high since I usually am reading several things at once.

I have been in search for several months for something to hold Stella’s book near her bed and was not able to find anything, so I decided I would build something, but what?  I searched and searched and as I was looking for building plans for something else I stumbled across a wonderful site www.ana-white.com .  This site has building plans for almost everything and the great thing is that they give you a shopping list, cut directions and step by step instructions.  Going through page by page, there it was, the shelves I had envisioned!!!!  I printed off the directions, went to Home Depot and was ready, but all my saws I had left in Colorado when we moved, ah my handy dandy neighbor – a call was made, the time was set and the excitement was building.

I went to my neighbors to cut the wood, but ended up staying and building the shelves with him – he wanted to see how they turned out – loved them and will be building some for their bathroom.

Flat Wall Book Shelves (http://ana-white.com/2009/11/plan-collector-shelf-knock-off-of_11.html)

Items needed (we made 3 shelves)

2 – 1×4 @ 8ft long
1 – 1×2 @ 8ft long
Wood glue
Wood filler
Sandpaper
Paint (I purchased the sample size paints, wish they had the eco paint that way!)
Paint brushes
Measuring tape
Hammer
Nails
Nail set
Circular saw
Jigsaw
Hanger hooks

1. Cut your wood pieces: From each of the 1×4 pieces of wood, cut (2) 2ft long pieces (back on bottom of shelf) and (2) 6.5″ pieces (sides) you will have wood left over.

2. From the leftover wood, cut (1) 6.5″ from each piece (sides) and the the other 2 pieces will be your back and bottom.

3. Glue and nail the back and bottom pieces together, set aside.

 

 

 

 

 

4. On the side pieces – measure 3″ going up side, mark.  From the top, opposite side of other mark, measure 1 1/2″ going across.  These are your guide marks.  Find a lid or plate and line up with marks – draw arch.  Using a jigsaw cut the curved line.  Do all other side pieces the same way using the first piece as your template.

 

 

 

 

5. Glue and nail your side pieces on.  You may have to sand the seams.  Set aside.

6. From the 1×2 piece of wood you need to cut the guard rails (3 – one for each shelf).  Measure the inside of side piece to side piece and cut the wood accordingly for each shelf.

7. Sand the guard rails, then glue and nail into place.

8. Using a nail set, set all nails.

 

 

 

 

9. Fill nail holes with wood filler, allow to dry and then sand.

10. Paint your shelves.  Stella wanted her shelves purple and blue and since we had an extra shelf – I stained that one.  Stella painted her shelves.

11. Put brackets on the back of the shelves and then hang!

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3 Responses to Have Books – Need Shelves!

  1. Candace Coffin says:

    Golly, you are amazing with what you can do. (Where do you find the time?) This is a great book shelf and would be a great asset in a bathroom for reading material. : ) Love that you are readers!! What a good project.

    • simply0637 says:

      I am not sure where I find the time, but I wish I had more! I slept in Stella’s bed the other night and I loved putting my book in the shelf – they are really great and very useful. Wish my bathroom did not have tile walls.

  2. Jo says:

    You are amazing…they look great. xoxo

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