Building a bookcase question

[Richard]

Looking at buying/building a bookcase.

Long question cut short....

Is it better to use plywood or can I use solid wood (oak, maple, other?) for the vertical sides?

I'm guessing that it' better to use plywood for the actual shelves so they don't warp over time.

 

[/pine]

How deep is the case you're wanting?

It's more work but gluing up boards eliminates typical warping that can occur with single wide boards etc...

You can do a lot with solid face frames and edge veneer tapes over plywood...painted or stained you can turn out a piece that is hard to tell it's not all solid wood...

Good Luck...

 

[newbury]

Looking at buying/building a bookcase.

Long question cut short....

Is it better to use plywood or can I use solid wood (oak, maple, other?) for the vertical sides?

I'm guessing that it' better to use plywood for the actual shelves so they don't warp over time.

If you know what your doing solid wood is better. But since your asking use plywood.

I bought SWMBO's bookcases for about $350.

/edit the couple of pictures on the right show them when I got them.



Similar is on sale Public Surplus: Auction #1223876 presently bid up to $28.00, that's twenty and eight dollars.

Trouble is that there is about 200 foot of double sided bookcases, about 180 feet more than I need

/edit2 - and it's all solid oak, except for the partition for between the double sides. A single unit now starts at over $1,500 Gaylord® Bookcraft® 82"H Double-Faced Wood Shelving (Starter) | Book Shelving | Shelving | Furniture | Gaylord.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I use oak veneer plywood, and then face the edges with solid 1x2 with edges routed. Also use plywood for shelves and face the front with 1x2, which also help keep shelf from sagging.

 

[oosik]

All the shelves on my bookshelves start out as 5/4 solid pine. I run them thru my planer and end up with 1" shelf material. The one I like the most has verticals from weather 4" x 11" weathered cedar planking. I have a Pan Abode cedar home and attach shelving directly to the walls with angle brackets.

 

[KiwiBro]

Looking at buying/building a bookcase.

Long question cut short....

Is it better to use plywood or can I use solid wood (oak, maple, other?) for the vertical sides?

I'm guessing that it' better to use plywood for the actual shelves so they don't warp over time.

It would depend on the design of the bookcase and your experience/machinery. I've seen some wonderful bookcases made from plywood, and I am partial to solid wood, mainly reclaimed. Here's a few I've made. The lighter one from decking that I had to replace as much of it was rotting away. The darker one from the flooring of a house that burned down.

 

[EddieWalker]

Why Oak? It's become a very outdated wood in homes that people are replacing with other species. Just like brass and pastel colors, it screams out then 1980's.

As for your question about using solid oak, it's very stable if you buy it from a supplier, as compared to milling it yourself and waiting for it to dry out. Once done you wont be able to tell the difference between solid oak or oak veneer plywood. The cost savings is significant over buying sheets of 3/4 plywood and ripping it to size. With solid wood, you pay a fortune for boards a foot wide, or you have to join them together, plane them flat and sand them. Build the sides and shelves from 3/4 plywood, use 1/4 for the back and solid wood for the edges.

Eddie

 

[newbury]

Why Oak? It's become a very outdated wood in homes that people are replacing with other species. Just like brass and pastel colors, it screams out then 1980's. <snip>

Actually I believe it screams out "LIBRARY" Especially if you have enough of it one room.

 

[PapaPerk]

Why Oak? It's become a very outdated wood in homes that people are replacing with other species. Just like brass and pastel colors, it screams out then 1980's.

As for your question about using solid oak, it's very stable if you buy it from a supplier, as compared to milling it yourself and waiting for it to dry out. Once done you wont be able to tell the difference between solid oak or oak veneer plywood. The cost savings is significant over buying sheets of 3/4 plywood and ripping it to size. With solid wood, you pay a fortune for boards a foot wide, or you have to join them together, plane them flat and sand them. Build the sides and shelves from 3/4 plywood, use 1/4 for the back and solid wood for the edges.

Eddie

If you want some classy oak... Quarter saw it!

 

[Scrambler82]

Use which ever wood you have available.
No matter which wood you use the main concern will be the shelf sagging.

Use a strip, 1x2, along the front edge and secure the rear of the shelf to the rear panel, this again will stop sagging and make the overall shelving more solid.

The front edge molding on the shelves can be extended to a front edge molding for the whole front of the book shelf and will give a more finished off look.

Post up some picture, would enjoy seeing your process and the finished product.

Luck...