In-Wall Bookcases
Hi, So I have decided to build my own in-wall bookcase. Over the weekend, I went to home depot to look at wood. I’ve been reading up on what the best material to use is and it looks like it’s solid oak for stability and ability to hold heavier loads through time without buckling. I…
Hi,
So I have decided to build my own in-wall bookcase. Over the weekend, I went to home depot to look at wood. I’ve been reading up on what the best material to use is and it looks like it’s solid oak for stability and ability to hold heavier loads through time without buckling. I have a few questions:
1) If I buy wood like shown in the photo, do I have to treat it first? Will the wood warp overtime?
2) As you can see, for the 12 inch wide red oak wood slats, it’s $7.62 per foot. Is there any place to buy the wood cheaper in Brooklyn?
3) Would it be dumb to paint it right? I love the look of white bookcases.
Rosensweig Lumber in the S. Bronx is the best source for hard woods. They don’t hold your hand, but their prices are less than half of a Home Depot.
They have probably 40 species of hard woods in random widths and lengths. If you have the ability to rip (table saw), purchase 5/4 poplar in a width greater than your shelf. It is very strong and clear. Last year we paid 1.70/lineal foot. So 5/4 is thicker than 1X, so lineal foot of 5/4 X 10″ would work out under $2.00.
Bring your own tape measure, and grab a wagon to pick your own pieces. Pay at office and away you go.
We use 5/4 poplar for baseboards, stair treads, door jambs. It’s stronger and straighter than pine, and half the price of Dykes.
Fine Furniture building had an article not too long ago addressing this and they even have a link to something called “the Sagulator” which tells you the load capacity of different materials used for shelves. Here’s the link
http://www.finewoodworking.com/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesArticle.aspx?id=28101
I’d recommend 5/4 poplar in a high grade if you’re painting. If you go with ply, I’d include some kind of support to prevent sag if it’ll be wider than 2′ or so. For a shelf I built, I screwed 1x to the front edge of the shelf which reinforced it from sagging and avoided the need for veneer. I had this facer just the same thickness as the ply, but you could make it thicker as well. You also want to watch your grain direction, even if it means not maximizing use of the sheet. In the case I built (3′ wide or so), the shelves that have the grain the wrong way (parallel to the depth of the shelf, not the width) sag significantly even with the facers.
Thanks for the comments above. I just spoke to a few more people and everyone is recommending that the bookcases be built with professional high grade oak vaneer plywood. They say the red oak solid wood will warp over time and it does not make sense to cover that up in paint.
You should go to Dykes lumber and get some WindsorOne. It’s pre-primed fingerjointed pine. Really stable, strong stuff and it’s ready to be painted. This is the stuff for bookcases. Can’t remember the price.
The whole reasoning behind that is the strength of the wood. I wanted to prevent sag over time.
Denton’s right about the ply. I wouldn’t buy that kind of material from HD – it does warp, whereas ply would be stable. Look at other suppliers – Honerkamp,or Metropolitan or some such
If you’re just going to paint it, may as well use plywood and not waste hardwood.
If you use oak, you should finish with a clear stain. Many ways to go.
Let it dry thoroughly so it doesn’t outgas into your books.