Built In Bookcases

"Custom built-in bookcase don't have to be expensive to look good and be practical too!"

Built in bookcases are very popular. Reasons for that?

- They simply create additional storage and hide clutter in small spaces or spare rooms, can be customized to fit with an existing room decor, you can show off your most treasured items and the best of all you can get a charming built in bookcase that's not expensive.

- They are a good fit in a family-room, childrens' room or a library. The overall appearance of the built in bookcases is endless since you can choose an open shelf space, a closed one or a combination of both.

Tip: Create storage space on an open shelf displaying woven or canvas decorative baskets. They look awesome and they're not expensive!

Built In Bookcases: Tips to Build Them the Easy Way

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How Did I Make My Built in Bookcase

We( me and my husband) wanted to take advantage of the wallspace "niche" in the family room, space that otherwise wouldn't have been fully utilized; I thought it will save us money to do a built in bookcase instead of having a TV table and then I will be left to find storage for all the books and nick-nacks in the house.

To get the look of the built-in bookcases but with an even lower cost, we decided not to built it from scratch. We bought an used wall unit from Craigslist.
It took a long time to find one that would fit in the space I had, but with patience I found the perfect one. It had no scratches, and the middle section had enough space to fit our 36" TV, and best of all, it was solid wood. Cost: $250( including the transport to our house :)).

We started by building 3 bases, because the wall unit had 3 cases. Each base was a made of 2 by 4 lumber. Bases were assembled with butt joints. We checked for level right to left and front to back, and then attached all 3 bases together with drywall screws and secured them to the walls.

We lifted the bookcases on the bases, and fastened them to the walls with nails. Before lifting them, we took all shelves and doors to make it easier for final assembly. To visually tie all elements together, I used the same baseboard molding as I used for the other rooms.

As you can see from the pic, the central part was wider than the other two, so the central base had to be wider too. My husband had the idea to align them in the front, so it would be easier to mount the baseboard molding.
For built-in bookcases, is ideal to have the height of the base 1/8" inch higher than the height of the baseboard molding, so we followed the tip :) !

The original color of the wall unit was too dark for the room so I decided to change it to white. We sanded the entire piece with 100 grit sandpaper. Using a thin roller, I primed the whole surface with an oil-based primer. Then I gave it 2 fresh coats of latex gloss white paint, again using the roller.
Tip:The secret for a good looking painted surface: let the first coat dry completely before you go to the second round.

For finish, I used 2 coats of Minwax Water-Based Polycrylic Protective Finish in "Clear Gloss". It creates a durable finish, and it makes it easier to polish and take care of. We let dry thoroughly again for 2 days.

And this is the result:

A PERFECT FITTED BUILT IN BOOKCASE AT A LOW COST OF $300!!!