Book case ideas anyone?

So we have a bunch of the cheap book cases from Amazon/target/ollies, and they're exactly that, cheap. And way too small.

I would like to build some new ones, but I'm looking for ideas or maybe somebody to poke holes in my ideas.

Materials I have on hand:

3-4 sheets 1/2" plywood NOT osb, actual plywood

3-4 sheets of 3/4" plywood, again, not OSB.

A bunch of 2x4s

A small handful of 2x6s

Time

Screws

Tools

6 pallets

Experience has shown me that 1/2" plywood tends to bow when used as a shelf, but still holds weight. It would make a decent back though, or I could maybe use some 1x or firring strips to add strength without diminishing shelf height. 

I'd like to build one that could be accessed from both sides to replace some random railing pieces between the kitchen and dining room. The easy way, I think, would be to put blocking on the sides and shelves across the middle.

But I would also like to build smaller, more "classic" looking ones.

I'm thinking 2x6 (or side by side 2x4s)sides and top, plywood back and shelves. Maybe if I can borrow a router channel the 2x6s to slide the plywood into. Maybe 4 foot square cases, because the 3x3.5ft cases we currently have are too small.

Would I be better off buying like 1x6 MDF or project wood to make shelves with instead of plywood?

Most likely they'll just wind up painted black or grey.

As usual, I'm looking at function over form. They don't need to be pretty, they just need to hold books, Lego models, and trinket trophies.

Not exactly the answer you need to use what you already have but..

I had a wild hair 20 years ago and bought myself a dovetail jig for Christmas and then some Baltic birch 3/4 plywood and made modular cubes, approx 2x1x1. The dovetails and Baltic birch ply make interesting joinery. They stack nice. I regret that my finishing (wood stain) skills berkeleyed it up but these shelves have been great to use in numerous configurations. I screw them together to prevent them falling. I think I posted them fairly early in "show us something you made" but can grab a new photo tomorrow if interested. 

I would say it's time to visit your local pawn shop or amazon marketplace and grab a router.   I got a pretty nice Bosch used for $80 with bits (retail was probably in the $150 range or so) about 10 years ago, and while I only break it out 3 or 4 times a year, every job that I use it on is WAY more professional than it otherwise would have been. 

Yes, 1/2 ply would definitely bow over that distance, especially with books.   I would probably try grabbing some hardwood 1 x 3, and routing a nice shelf/lip that the 3/4 ply can rest on, so the edges look finished.  Glue and nail/screw the ply onto it.  That way there's a frame holding the plywood all the way through.   If it's only going to be 6 or 8" wide, I think that would probably work without breaking the bank?  I dunno.. I've only ever used maple, oak, or other hardwoods for bookshelves. 

If it would work with your motif, a 1/2x1/2 square frame works really well for supporting bookshelves, and I find metal more fun than wood.  Here's something I slapped together to hold all of our textbooks and such for home schooling:

'

In reply to WonkoTheSane :

That back leg had me puzzled until I saw the baseboard heater. Looks great. 

To prevent sag in plywood shelves, I've had good luck with gluing and nailing a 1" strip of solid wood to the front edge.  It stiffens up the shelf considerably plus gives it a look of greater thickness.

edited to add:  you mentioned building the sides and top out of 2x6 material - they're only 5 1/2" wide, which unless your books are paperbacks may not be adequate.

This guy used to be on PBS and could build anything with a router and a router table. 

RouterWorkShop.com

YouTube.com: Router Guy Router Workshop

I built a 4' tall stereo shelf for my freshman college dorm with PT 4x4 full height leg at each corner and 3/4" plywood sides and shelves. One thing it was was... heavy. 

In reply to WonkoTheSane :

Ok, that would be perfect for our place until I pull all the radiators. I briefly considered doing that design with wood but I know me and I would definitely screw it up. 

in reply to Stuart:

ya, I just took my tape measure to them, my cheap cases are deeper than I thought, coming in at 8.5". While most of the books are paperback, there would still be a bunch that wouldn't fit.

Back to the drawing board. 

What are the 2x6s and 2x4s for? Good (low-void) 3/4" plywood will have all of the structural strength you'll need for the sides and leave more room for books. 

Even 1/4" plywood is overkill for the back panel, much less 1/2". 1/8" will do the job.  It's only purpose is to prevent the assembly from racking and to prevent things from falling out the back. Most of the time, it's just pin-nailed to the stringers and top and bottom shelves, but if you need the edge to look decent, then a bit of router action will recess them.

If you want "pretty" shelves that are very fast to put together, stair tread from a home center work well.  1" thick and already have a finished front edge.  From THD, $15 ea. for pine and $35 ea. for oak. 

If you can make or buy a pin jig (they aren't expensive off Amazon), then maybe add shelf pins/pegs (also cheap from Amazon) for adjustable shelf heights.  

In my "office" I have three 3' W x 7'T x 12"D book shelf units from my old office when we moved.  They were free, but I doubt they would cost much from a used office furniture store.  Some of the shelves have maybe an 1/8" of bow from years of storing big, heavy vendor catalogs, so they handle my books easily - even when I double stack books.  

In reply to OHSCrifle :

Perhaps the plywood could hold some weight if they were supported in the middle and offset like this:

Don't use either 1/2" ply or MDF for shelves. Both will sag. 
 

Im a little confused. You said you want the shelves accessible from both sides, but then said you'd put books on them. That means 1 side will show the bindings, but the other will only show the page edges. How will you know which book to grab?

What grade plywood do you have?  Is it nice stuff, or rough sheathing material?

You said you've got some pallets...

I won't guess on the aesthetic you're going for (modern? classic?  Mid-century?) but the 3/4 is the way to go.

I often make mine by cutting the sides/top/bottom first.  Chuck up a Dado stack (or a router) and cut 3/4 x 1/4" channels in the side to hold the shelves.  If you plan to paint, go ahead and glue them in and smack some narrow crown staples or #6 flathead screws through the sides into the edge of the shelves.  You could also drill and use glue/dowels into the shelf edges.

If you get sagging, rip scrap ply to 1" or 1.5" strips and glue/nail them under the lip of the shelves.  You could also run a long strip of the same thing up the faces of the shelves as a "leg" to support them.

If you have a wall to screw to, great.  You'll need some form of triangulation if you're not going to have a back on it.  A thin piece of luan is overkill.  Heck, a sheet of cardboard would likely do the trick.  You just need some way of preventing it from turning into a parallelogram.

Just re-looked at the picture.

How about using the mostly-pretty structure you already have?  Bust out the spindle/ballusters, cut 10" strips of ply, screw it to the cross pieces as shelves.  Radius the edges of the ply (so you don't rip your thigh open after two beers), some edge banding and a couple pieces of millwork and you have a lovely yet easy bookshelf.

Bust out the ballusters, cut ply (or MDF, or 1x8, or whatever) and screw it down on the existing cross pieces.  I think it would look unique, tidy, and be an easy project.

Kinda like this:

I built my garage and basement shelving from 1X12 pine sheeting, screwed together by drywall screws. The backing is luan. They are quite sturdy. I was quite picky in selecting them.

Screwed to wall studs in the garage and under floor joists in the basement.

I see no reason why they couldn't be used in an upright unit, but I'd probably add feet for greater stability.

SV reX said:

Don't use either 1/2" ply or MDF for shelves. Both will sag. 
 

Im a little confused. You said you want the shelves accessible from both sides, but then said you'd put books on them. That means 1 side will show the bindings, but the other will only show the page edges. How will you know which book to grab?

Color coded binders. The shelf set i want to put in where the railing segment is is for cookbooks and Lego stuff. My "cookbooks" are color coded because I have stacks and stacks of recipes and that was the best way I found to organize

What grade plywood do you have?  Is it nice stuff, or rough sheathing material?

Some of each. Mostly sheathing, but a couple pieces of nicer I think maple.

Just trying to use stuff I already have on hand. This medical E36 M3 has me tapped financially, and I need  something  to do to keep my mind off things. 

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

I like that. If I keep the bottom shelf narrow, it would work really well.