Introduction: Easy Eco Bookshelf

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Do you have a pile of wood lying around that you don't want to throw away, but can't think of anything to do with? Here is a project for you to do with that wood using only relatively simple tools and components. The wood I used came entirely from the remains of a large delivery crate. Reusing the wood helped to reduce both the waste from the crate and the cost of this project. In fact, I would estimate that the project cost only about 10 USD in components(Screws, glue, stain etc.).

The bookshelf is about 35x35x8 inches in size(about 90x90x20cm) and has three main parts: the frame, the shelves, and the back.

Note: My boards were scaled in metric which normally would be great, except that my tape measure and square were both in imperial(inches). I therefore did not realize why the board's dimensions were so strange until after I had finished the project. In order to make it less confusing I will give dimensions in both metric and imperial systems. Also, if you haven't seen it before '' is an abbreviation for inch.

Supplies


  1. Wood
  2. Wood glue (Optional but highly recommended as glue creates an extremely strong joint)
  3. Some kind of saw, preferably a power saw
  4. Handheld power drill
  5. Drill and screwdriver bits for the drill
  6. Assorted screws(Around eighty 1.5''/3.8cm long)
  7. Sandpaper/Power sander (Optional)
  8. Clamps(Optional)
  9. Paint or stain to finish the wood(Optional)

You will also need some standard tools like a tape measure and a square.

Step 1: Prepare

If your wood has been left outside it will most likely need to be cleaned before you can use it. If you have a sander this step is easy, just remove any big chunks of dirt with a wet towel and sand off everything else after the wood has dried. Also check the wood to see if any sections are rotten, cracked, or otherwise unusable.

After everything is clean, mark all the cuts with a pencil. You will need to cut two 35x7.9''(88.9x20cm) boards, four 34x7.9''(86.4x20cm) boards, four 5.9x34''(86.4x15cm) boards, eight approximately 1x1x7''(2.5x2.5x18cm) blocks* and one 14x7.9''(36x20cm). I would recommend cutting the last board three or four inches(8-11cm) long and trimming it later. Its length will depend will depend on the exact height of the shelf below it and how bent your boards are.

If you don't have enough wood you can probably still make this project; you will just need to adapt it to fit what you have.

*The blocks will be attached to the shelves and frame to provide a stronger joint. Their dimensions do not matter that much as long they are have mostly square corners and are around the 1x1x7''(2.5x2.5x18cm). The one exception to this is the two blocks that will be attached to the bottom of the frame. They should be around 7''/18cm long, 1-3''3-8cm wide and almost exactly 1.22''/3.1cm tall.

Step 2: Frame: Part One

The frame is made up the two 35x7.9''(88.9x20cm) boards, two of the 34x7.9''(86.4x20cm) boards and four of the blocks. Two of the blocks should be the ones that were 1.22''/3.1cm tall. The two 34''/86cm boards will be the top and bottom of the bookshelf and the 35''/88cm boards will be the sides.

First, apply glue to and clamp one of the 1.2''/3.1cm tall blocks with its long edge aligned with the end of one of the 34''/86cm boards. Then, flip the board over and screw through the board into the block twice. Since this will be exposed, make sure to sink the screws slightly(This applies to all other screws in this project as well). Do the same thing to the other side of the board using the other 1.2''/3.1cm block. Make sure to attach the blocks to the same side of the board. This will be the bottom of your bookshelf. Wipe up any excess glue with a wet towel.

Repeat this with the remaining 34''/86cm board and the other two blocks. This will be the top.

The next step is to attach the sides.

Align the short side of one of the 35''/88cm boards with one of the blocks on the bottom(The board with the 1.22''/3.1cm tall blocks). The 35''/88cm board should be aligned with the bottom edge of the block. Mark its position with a pencil, remove the side and apply glue to the joint. Replace the board and screw it into place.

Do the same thing with the other two boards except this time the 35''/88cm board should be aligned with the top edge of the 34''/86cm block.

Step 3: Frame: Part Two

After the two sections are finished they need to be put together. Essentially you are attaching the board connected to the top to the empty block on the bottom and vice versa.

Before attaching the two sections together make sure that you haven't made any major mistakes by checking if they fit together easily without any huge gaps. If there doesn't seem to be any problems spread glue on both blocks and screw the two sections together.

Step 4: Shelves

The shelves are constructed out of the other two 34''/86cm boards, the rest of the blocks, and the ≈14x7.9''(36x20cm) board. The shelves' heights do not need to be extremely accurate as long as they are within about ±1''(±3cm) of 8''(20cm) apart. I chose this height partially because most the boards are 7.9''/20cm wide, allowing me to use leftover wood as a spacer and partially because it is actually a pretty good height for a shelf.

First, attach the blocks to the bottom of both shelves. This is done in the exact same way that you attached blocks to the top and bottom boards earlier. Next, place the shelf approximately 8''/20cm above the shelf below it. Now, make sure that the shelf is square with both sides. Mark the position of the shelf with a pencil and take it out of the frame. Spread glue on the areas of the shelf that will be in contact with the side and place it back into the position you marked. My shelves fit very snug and did not slide down but if yours are not as tight you could probably place clamps underneath to support them. Screw into the block through the sides two or three times on both ends.

Repeat for the other shelf.

After both shelves are in place you need to attach the ≈14x7.9''(36x20cm) board that I suggested cutting long earlier in the project. It should be placed approximately in the middle of the top shelf which is about 17.5''/44.5cm from the outside edge of the bookshelf. Mark the approximate position that the board should be in and trim the board until it fits perfectly. Now, place the board in the correct position making sure to align the center and not the edge of the board with the center of shelf. Square the board with the shelf and the top and mark its position with a pencil. Take the board out, spread glue on both sides of its sides and replace it. Then screw the board into the shelves. You should pre-drill a hole slightly smaller in diameter than the screw. This allows you to screw into very thin wood without cracking it.

Step 5: Back

The back of this bookcase is made up the four 5.9x34''(86.4x15cm) boards. They will screwed onto the back with 3.6''/9.3cm spacing in between them.

Lay the bookshelf with whatever side you want to be the front on the ground. Position all of the boards on the back with correct spacing between them and aligned so that they are even with the top. They will be slightly long and extend below the bottom; you trim them later, but isn't entirely necessary. Mark their positions with a pencil.

Repeat the following section for each board:

Remove the board. Spread glue on the areas of the shelves and frame that will be touching the board. Place the board back and align it with the pencil markings. While holding the board down firmly, screw the board into the bookshelf on two opposite corners. As with the vertical board you should pre-drill for all screws. After you have two screws in you can release the board and install enough screws to keep the board tightly in place until the glue sets.

Step 6: Finish

At this point you should go over the bookshelf with a sander and remove any sharp corners. You can also paint or stain the bookshelf if you wish. I used a carbon grey stain by Behr. Congratulations! If you have followed all of my instructions, you should have a finished bookshelf. Thanks for looking at my Instructable.

Most of the images in this project were upscaled(raised to a higher resolution) with imgupscaler.