Bookcase Plans – Design and Build Your Own Bookcase or Bookshelf
Most bookcase plans fall into one of two categories – the quick and easy project using MDF and plywood slapped together with nails and glue, or the more serious fine woodworking project using expensive hardwoods (and expensive tools) – something that might be handed down from generation to generation.
Both types of bookcases have a purpose – so there’s not point in arguing the merits of one or the other. What’s often missing, though, are bookcase plans that fall somewhere between these two extremes – which is probably what most DIY builders are looking for in the first place.
In regard to the fine woodworking bookcase, I can understand how DIY newbies might change their mind about building a bookcase or bookshelf all together. The methods for working with nice hardwoods, like cherry or oak, necessarily require some pretty sophisticated woodworking skills – and some pretty sophisticated tools to go along with the project. Not that people should dismiss the idea of building quality, long-lasting furniture for their home, but there might be a better place to start the journey into furniture building
Coincidently, a bookcase or bookshelf is the perfect wood project on which to start this journey. Why? Most woodworking projects start out as box, more or less, and a good bookcase plan will show you how to do make just that. What a lot plans don’t tell you is this: once you learn how the basic joinery works, you’re free to invent just about any type of bookcase design you can imagine. Makes no difference if you buy plywood, mdf, pine, or solid maple – that’s entirely up to you. The basic joinery and construction methods hold true for just about any material you’re inclined to use.
Herein lies the real value of using this set of bookcase plans to start your project. Fact is, this is not really a typical bookcase plan at all – but rather a how-to guide for discovering the basics of how a bookcase is built. Once you understand the construction – and why some wood joints are better than others, you’ll have the know-how necessary to design your own project – your way, your style.
The Bookcase Planner starts with a downloadable 3D drawing template – which lets you sketch your rough ideas in perspective. This is a good way to get a general idea for the type of bookcase design you’re after.
Next it’s on to deciding the width of the bookcase and just how high each shelf should be from the floor. The guide offers some helpful suggestions based on the height of the person using the bookcase (that makes sense).
Shelf span can be a problem with bookcase designs (bookshelves sagging in middle over time) so this guide breaks down the maximum shelf widths you can get by with depending on the material used for the shelves
Cutting Dadoes One common type of joinery for bookcases is a dado. There are several ways to go about cutting dadoes – depending mostly on personal preference. This unique set of bookcase plans explains the most popular methods for cutting dadoes – and why.
