An easy way to make bookshelves

[AndyT]

I visited Dunster Castle last summer and spotted an easy way to make some smart shelves. I thought it might be of interest. This is a general view of the room, showing how the shelves are nicely fitted around the corners:

But in this close-up you can see that structurally it's as simple as stacking floorboards onto bricks:

The boards are continuous and the uprights are separate blocks.

Of course, you could make these as elaborate or as simple as you like. Plain square edges or moulded to taste. The blocks could be solid or hollow. I expect that they have at least a dowel to sit in a hole to keep them positioned properly but wasn't able to check . (A simple screw down through the shelf into the upright would work ok - the last screw would be on the top shelf and out of sight.)

It would also lend itself to batch production and might make a commercial product quite readily.

 

[wallace]

Do you think the old timers new how to create an affect with as little effort as possible. I visited Lumley castle for my wedding anniversary recently and whilst walking around admiring the oak panelling I noticed it wasn't oak but a paint affect. You realy could not tell from 1m away

 

[MrYorke]

Do you think the old timers new how to create an affect with as little effort as possible. I visited Lumley castle for my wedding anniversary recently and whilst walking around admiring the oak panelling I noticed it wasn't oak but a paint affect. You realy could not tell from 1m away

Think they called it feathering......as the name suggests, it was created by painting with feathers!

 

[No skills]

Like it a lot.

I think craftsmen of yore had common sense by the bucket load, its a shelf so build it like a shelf - save the fiddly work for the new bureau in the study.

 

[Cottonwood]

Do you think the old timers new how to create an affect with as little effort as possible. I visited Lumley castle for my wedding anniversary recently and whilst walking around admiring the oak panelling I noticed it wasn't oak but a paint affect. You realy could not tell from 1m away

Think they called it feathering......as the name suggests, it was created by painting with feathers!

I once lived in South West Durham, where there are some interesting examplles of vernacular architecture. I often saw that painted oak effect on front doors, featuring the quarter sawn fleck effect. Apparently at one time that was part of the trade of painter and decorator.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Those shelves look to be quite substantial - 1 1/2" or 2". Even with the spacer blocks made up from thinner stuff, there's quite a lot of prime timber in that library!

 

[twothumbs]

Thank you Andy T. This is a good one and should give food for thought to anyone doing shelves or cupboards even. We can learn a lot from times gone by. For many things, someone has thoght about it before you, or had the same problem. Using hand tools with no electric must focus the mind on making it easier, but not less standard. I can see the use of screwed rods dropped down through the blocks would ensure total stability, although when loaded up the books would do that and the shelves will not be light either. Perhaps a back panel does it. We have all lifted a small box of books to find that out. Stack books , stack shelves. Ieka is not new or the joiner didn't have a cart to carry them in, or he had to climb the back stairs, or was not allowed to make a noise...as if. I think this is a good one. Best wishes and thanks for showing.