Bookshelf Idea

 I saw this bookshelf at Target yesterday for $230. Way out of my budget, but it got my wheels turning. It looks fairly strong, light, and easily portable as the uprights are hinged and fold flat.


 The uprights are essentially 2 ladders hinged together. You open them up, slide in the shelving, and finish opening them as wide as they will go.


 I did some figuring on how deep and wide I can make a single shelf. I figured if I use 16″ deep shelves I would need shelves at least 30 inches wide if my “rungs” where 24″ long with 1 inch lost on each end for the Mortice and Tenon joint I want to use to put the shelf together.


 $70 at Lowes bought me 8 2″x2″ firring strips 8 foot long that look pretty clean. I only need 7. I got 6 white shelves that are 16 inches deep by 36 inches wide. I picked up 2 white finished door hinges.

I am going to pick the straightest 4 and cut them to 7 foot long for my uprights. I will mortices into these at 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 inches apart, plus 1.5 inches for each “rung”. Well, actually, the top and bottom rungs will be 2 inches from the end, and I will spread the shelves out as close to the following numbers as I can get. The next best 3 firring strips get cut into 2 foot sections. I will cut tenons into each of these. This will get assembled into 2 ladders which will be hinged together. I may try to get fancy and recess my hinge in as well. We shall see.

The finished shelving unit will be simple and open. The shelves will be easily transportable – important with my upcoming move. And I got twice the shelving for 30% less cost then the shelving I was looking at buying.