How to Make a Modern Bookshelf

Description:

This week I’m building a bookshelf for a buddy of mine at school. He didn’t want anything fancy just something fairly big. I began by cutting all my pieces of plywood out on my table saw. Next, I went ahead and joined the frame of the shelf together using dowel joinery. This gives me a durable joint that leaves no marks from fasteners. Using the Kreg Shelf Pin Jig, I drilled holes for the shelves to go. These holes allow me to put pins into the wood that support the shelves. The great thing about the jig is you can easily adjust the height of the shelves since you’ve drilled multiple holes. My buddy wanted the shelf to be stained a dark color so I went ahead and applied stain and finished it off with a few coats of spray lacquer. Now it’s just a matter of setting the shelves into place and it was all done. I’m sure he’s gonna love the way this project came out when I give it to him later this week. If you’d like to build this bookshelf, I’ve left a shopping/cut list down below as well as a 3D model of the project.

Shopping List:

2- 4’x8′ Sheets of 3/4″ Oak Plywood

1- Box of 5/16″ Dowels (Dowel joinery tools required)

16- Shelf Pins

2- 25′ Rolls of Edge Banding

2- Quarts of Stain (I used Ebony)

4- Cans of Lacquer

Cut List:

2- 12″x78″ (Sides)

5- 34.5″X11.25″ (Shelves)

1- 34.5″x12″ (Top Shelf)

2- 34.5″x3″ (Top and Bottom fronts)

1- 35.25″x77 5/8″ (Back)

Dado Cuts:

-Top shelf (Back Edge) 3/4″ wide and 3/8″ deep

-Sides (Back Edge) 3/4″ wide and 3/8″ deep (The top of the dado can’t go through on one side or else it will show)