Looking for storage that is customizable to fit any space? This large bookcase is 4′ x 7′ and very simple to build – PLUS much cheaper than even IKEA alternatives!
Work has been so much fun! I actually CREATED a job for myself, by coming up with improvements (maintenance, repairs and new builds) for my workplace and the before and afters have been so gratifying!
I started with this simple, but very large bookcase for the storage room, to amalgamate all of the toys and books from other spaces.
You can make this 4′ x 7′, very large bookcase for roughly $150 in lumber/MDF – MUCH cheaper, and far more solid, than the IKEA shelves so many recommend for their affordability.
Supplies:
- (2) ¾” x 4′ x 8′ MDF sheets. (You can get away with one 49×97 sheet and a half sheet)
- (1) 1/8″ sheet of MDF as a backer (optional, but it will help keep your unit square)
- ¾” plywood – I used scraps cut to ¾” square for side supports and 1 ½” for back supports
- ½” x 1 ½” x (the length you choose) for front trim.
- wood glue
- finishing nails
- 1 ¼” pocket screws
- wood filler
- sandpaper
- primer
- paint (I used Benjamin Moore’s Scuff-X for durability – untinted)
Large bookcase parameters:
After I’d measured the space I wanted to put the bookcase in – and took into account allowances for an overhead heating vent and a door that would swing open onto its – I decided to build a 7′ tall bookcase, 4′ wide, with shelves that were 12″ deep and spaced 12″ apart… sort of standard book/binder height and depth.
But, shelves will sag over any long span of space. This “Sagulator” will give you an idea of how much sag to expect (over time) based on the width of the shelves you plan to build. To counter the expected sag over time, I reinforced all of my shelves with ¾” strips of plywood and ½” thick trim on the fronts.
Large bookcase supports:
Start by ripping down your ¾” plywood to ¾” strips; like square dowels. Then cut to the length you want your shelves to be. For a 4′ wide bookcase (to maximize the MDF sheets which are actually 49″), you’ll cut the dowels to 49″ – ¾” – ¾” = 47 ½”
Next cut some smaller ¾” “square dowels” down to the depth of your large bookcase; in my case, the overall depth of my bookcase was 12″ less the ¾” back support that is holding the shelf straight 11 ¼”.
You can have the home improvement store cut down your MDF sheets to 11 ½” strips at the store (but they are rarely accurate), or rip them down with a circular saw at home.
Above you’ll see the waste on the second sheet of MDF. You really only need a sheet and a half, and then cut your ½ sheet along the 49″ length.
Supports:
Using wood glue and finishing nails, attach the ¾” strips to the back of each shelf.
As a side note, did you know that wood glue is stronger than nails or screws? It’s true! If you nail it, or clamp it in place the glue is able to penetrate the millions of pores in the wood or MDF and adhere much better than almost any other method.
Once your shelves have the rear supports attached, line up your large bookcase shelves and mark lines where you would like your shelves to sit. Remember to take into account the thickness of your shelves when spacing. Attach to the sides using wood glue and finishing nails. Your side supports will sit ¾” short of the full width of the sides – this is where the back of the shelf support will tuck in.
In order to transport my storage shelves, and fit them through the door of my work easier, I decided to build my large bookcase in two parts. A base unit, then a separate upper that will be attached later with pocket screws.
Assembly:
Start your large bookcase build by gluing and nailing your 2″ high footer piece to the bottom of the unit. I inset mine slightly, but you don’t have to – it’s just aesthetics.
Next, use wood glue and finishing nails to attach your shelves. Rest the shelf on the side supports with the back support tucked in the ¾” space that we left open.
Clamps will help the glue make the best contact and will help keep your bookcase square as you attach each shelf.
This is what your unit will look like (again, I made mine in 2 sections for easy transportation):
My upper section will sit on top of this base and will be attached using 1 ¼” pocket screws.
Patch any visible nail holes with wood filler, sand and then prime your large bookcase. It is much easier to do BEFORE you attach the backer.
Trimming:
I had some leftover ½” by 5″ pre-primed baseboards in the garage, so I ripped them down to 1 ½” strips.
Cut your trim pieces for the sides first, and then for the shelves. Attach using wood glue and finishing nails.
The trim pieces will give the shelves additional support to stop them from sagging over time, and they hide the side supports you can see in the photos above.
Fill the nail holes and any gaps between the trim pieces with wood filler and let dry before sanding.
For durability, I painted my entire large bookcase with 3 coats of Benjamin Moore’s Scuff-X paint in satin with no tint. I usually recommend their Advance formula paint, but I was told this is better for commercial or high-traffic areas. It also has a MUCH shorter re-coat time which takes my projects from 24 hours between coats, to 4 or 5. This stuff might be my go-to going forward. (Just waiting to see how it washes up before I fully commit)
Once my large bookcase was fully painted – with a 320 grit light sanding between coats – I attached my backer.
You can use finishing nails, but I went with 1″ pocket screws so that the flat head anchored the backboard in place. PLEASE PRE-DRILL YOUR HOLES before using the screws!! MDF is horrible for cracking, splitting and expanding if screw holes aren’t pre-drilled first.
That’s it guys! I know that was a lot of words for a simple project – but really all it comes down to is a few cuts, shelf supports and trim. Easy peasy I promise!
Now for the why:
There is a very tiny supply room at my workplace; maybe 9′ ½” by 12′. This large bookshelf was sized so that it didn’t reach the ceiling to allow movement from the air vent, and to allow 18″ between the edge of the unit and the door hinges so that the door could swing open almost all the way.
The items you see stored here actually took up a full 6′ plastic shelving unit and a secondary pantry cupboard. Now it’s all neat and organized in a taller and wider, but shallower, footprint!
So if you remember how I started this blog post, then you might ask “how did you create a job for yourself from this?”
Well… the bosses were impressed that I took the initiative to make the workplace better for everyone, and I was able to show them definitively that I could plan, build, execute and organize, that they offered me a carpentry/maintenance role for not just this space, but ALL FOUR of their locations!!
So you are likely going to see many more storage and organization projects over the next weeks.
Pin it for later:
Have a great one!