| The "Pseudo-Built-In Bookshelves" Project |
Way Before:
| All images are thumbnails. Click on a picture for a larger version. |
Here is the room as it looked after all
the interior work I had done in 2006.
What I'm focused on are the shelves in
the corner. They're not bad ... but I
want something nicer.
the interior work I had done in 2006.
What I'm focused on are the shelves in
the corner. They're not bad ... but I
want something nicer.
I've always been a big fan of built-in bookcases/cabinets. Whether it's rustic looking bookshelves and cabinets made out of pine that has
been installed in a ski cabin by a do-it-yourselfer, or aged wood polished by years of cleaning in a turn-of-the-century home (I'll let you
decide which century), I've always had a special place in my heart for built-in units. Unfortunately, adding them to an existing home can
empty out a wallet in short order. In addition, my house is not exactly huge. It's not miniscule by any means, but the rooms are relatively
small, and there isn't enough free space for me to start chewing up the open areas by installing built-ins. But I really wasn't fond of those
shelves attached to the wall.
Soooooooooo ... after quite a bit of searching, I found a place where I could buy what is known as "custom mass-produced" wall units.
"Custom" because you have a gazillion different elements to choose from, and "mass produced" because you have to stick with the options
provided. This is unfinished furniture. When it arrives, I will have to decide whether I want to stain it, or paint it.
been installed in a ski cabin by a do-it-yourselfer, or aged wood polished by years of cleaning in a turn-of-the-century home (I'll let you
decide which century), I've always had a special place in my heart for built-in units. Unfortunately, adding them to an existing home can
empty out a wallet in short order. In addition, my house is not exactly huge. It's not miniscule by any means, but the rooms are relatively
small, and there isn't enough free space for me to start chewing up the open areas by installing built-ins. But I really wasn't fond of those
shelves attached to the wall.
Soooooooooo ... after quite a bit of searching, I found a place where I could buy what is known as "custom mass-produced" wall units.
"Custom" because you have a gazillion different elements to choose from, and "mass produced" because you have to stick with the options
provided. This is unfinished furniture. When it arrives, I will have to decide whether I want to stain it, or paint it.
The equally cheap but better looking
material is bead board panelling.
material is bead board panelling.
Back to the backing. You take the four
panels that have been removed, each
one clearly marked (except one of my
arrows for the 'right' side was pointing
to the left ... )
panels that have been removed, each
one clearly marked (except one of my
arrows for the 'right' side was pointing
to the left ... )
... set them down on the new panelling
as patterns ...
as patterns ...
... create a whole lot of sawdust in the
cellar, and 'Hey, presto!', you've got
new panels for the back of the
bookcases. The bead board in this
picture (left) has been primed.
cellar, and 'Hey, presto!', you've got
new panels for the back of the
bookcases. The bead board in this
picture (left) has been primed.
I plan to put narrow little decorative
shelves down the outside of each side
of the wall unit. Here are the first of 12
shelf supports, primed and ready to be
put in place.
shelves down the outside of each side
of the wall unit. Here are the first of 12
shelf supports, primed and ready to be
put in place.
Meanwhile, back in the living room I
have begun priming both the base
cabinet ...
have begun priming both the base
cabinet ...
... and the upper bookcase unit. So
far there's no paint on the Lazy-Crash
recliner, and no one has wanted to
come in the front door. (Good thing!)
far there's no paint on the Lazy-Crash
recliner, and no one has wanted to
come in the front door. (Good thing!)
Left: The entire unit has been primed, and I've
shoved it back in place just to get it out of the
way for a day or two. You can begin to see how
the entire thing is going to disappear into the wall
when it's done, which will allow whatever is in the
bookcase to provide the color and visual interest.
shoved it back in place just to get it out of the
way for a day or two. You can begin to see how
the entire thing is going to disappear into the wall
when it's done, which will allow whatever is in the
bookcase to provide the color and visual interest.
Right: One piece of bead board is in place, with
three coats of paint on it (one of primer, and two
finish coats). The rest of the white paint is
primer. Things are going to go together and get
painted in a specific order in order to allow me to
get a nice snug fit against the wall.
three coats of paint on it (one of primer, and two
finish coats). The rest of the white paint is
primer. Things are going to go together and get
painted in a specific order in order to allow me to
get a nice snug fit against the wall.
Once again, let's start with how the
livingroom looked when I purchased
the house. Pretty comprehensively
ugly ... but that's just my opinion.
livingroom looked when I purchased
the house. Pretty comprehensively
ugly ... but that's just my opinion.
After:
Step 1: The unit has arrived! And we
even got it inside the house without
damaging anything! This is actually
two pieces: the cabinet beneath and
the bookshelves up above.
even got it inside the house without
damaging anything! This is actually
two pieces: the cabinet beneath and
the bookshelves up above.
Step 2: This is a home improvement
project, therefore some demolition is
mandatory. Since I want this to look
like it's built in, I've yanked out the
baseboards. Note the electrical outlet.
I'll come back to that ... repeatedly.
project, therefore some demolition is
mandatory. Since I want this to look
like it's built in, I've yanked out the
baseboards. Note the electrical outlet.
I'll come back to that ... repeatedly.
Demolition continues. I've yanked the
panels off the back of both pieces.
This makes painting easier, but I also
want to replace the cheap material
they used with something equally
cheap but better looking.
panels off the back of both pieces.
This makes painting easier, but I also
want to replace the cheap material
they used with something equally
cheap but better looking.
I know I'm going to want to get power
cords down to the electrical outlet, so I
need to create some sort of access.
This makes a stupendous mess in the
livingroom.
cords down to the electrical outlet, so I
need to create some sort of access.
This makes a stupendous mess in the
livingroom.
And another hole in the upper piece.
Yes, I even got these to line up!!
Yes, I even got these to line up!!
| . |
24 November 2006 -- There is not a whole lot to show in terms of progress after three days worth of painting, sanding and scouring (I steel
wool the surfaces between coats of paint in order to give it that nice, satiny feel and to take out any errant brush marks or drippy-droolies).
wool the surfaces between coats of paint in order to give it that nice, satiny feel and to take out any errant brush marks or drippy-droolies).
The interior is almost completely painted. The two exterior sides of the entire wall unit will not get painted until I install the little shelves down
each side. I'm doing it in this order so I have a relatively clean surface (as opposed to semi-gloss paint) when I glue the shelves and shelf
supports into place, and also because I want the square "butt" end of the shelves flush to the wall. That means waiting until the unit is
"installed" in the corner before doing that last bit of construction and painting.
each side. I'm doing it in this order so I have a relatively clean surface (as opposed to semi-gloss paint) when I glue the shelves and shelf
supports into place, and also because I want the square "butt" end of the shelves flush to the wall. That means waiting until the unit is
"installed" in the corner before doing that last bit of construction and painting.
In the meantime, down in the cellar, the doors to the cabinets and the adjustable shelves for the bookcase are being painted. The doors
need one more coat of paint, and they'll be ready to be put back in place.
need one more coat of paint, and they'll be ready to be put back in place.
30 November 2006 -- It's finally starting to look like I'm getting somewhere.
Three out of four pieces of the backing
have been installed, and the unit is in
place for its first "fit". Notice the little
"ears" above the two outer corners.
have been installed, and the unit is in
place for its first "fit". Notice the little
"ears" above the two outer corners.
These are the 'spacers', which will take
up some of the gap between the back
of the bookcase and the wall in order
to compensate for the not-so-perfect fit.
up some of the gap between the back
of the bookcase and the wall in order
to compensate for the not-so-perfect fit.
At this point, the hole for the electrical
outlet gets cut. Now I can take that
piece of backing off and put the two
finish coats of paint on it.
outlet gets cut. Now I can take that
piece of backing off and put the two
finish coats of paint on it.
It's easier to attach the spacers to the
wall. They will get primed before I put
the bookcase back in place.
wall. They will get primed before I put
the bookcase back in place.
The remaining gap between the unit
and the wall has been caulked to make
it nice and even where it meets the
wall. I have marked where the exterior
shelves will be placed. (Only 4 out of
12 have the little red arrows.)
and the wall has been caulked to make
it nice and even where it meets the
wall. I have marked where the exterior
shelves will be placed. (Only 4 out of
12 have the little red arrows.)
The cupboard doors are finished and
are back in place on the lower cabinet.
For the first time, it begins to look
similar to how the finished product will
(hopefully) look when it's all done.
are back in place on the lower cabinet.
For the first time, it begins to look
similar to how the finished product will
(hopefully) look when it's all done.
2 December 2006 -- Over the past several days, I managed to find the time to sand down the sides of the bookcase and the walls where I
smeared excess caulk and filler. Yesterday and this morning, I painted over the filler, and then painted the walls, which had been scuffed
and pretty comprehensively beat up along each side of the bookcases.
smeared excess caulk and filler. Yesterday and this morning, I painted over the filler, and then painted the walls, which had been scuffed
and pretty comprehensively beat up along each side of the bookcases.
The installation of the narrow exterior
shelves has begun!! These are just
the shelf supports, not the actual
shelves (They're going to be narrow ...
but not THAT narrow!)
shelves has begun!! These are just
the shelf supports, not the actual
shelves (They're going to be narrow ...
but not THAT narrow!)
Getting this stupid 'grommet' into the
hole I had cut (without damaging
anything) turned out to be one of the
most difficult tasks so far. That thing is
in there for life!
hole I had cut (without damaging
anything) turned out to be one of the
most difficult tasks so far. That thing is
in there for life!
Ready for lights, music, laptops, and
whatever else I might want when I'm
installed in the Lazy-Crash recliner.
whatever else I might want when I'm
installed in the Lazy-Crash recliner.
More Recently Before:
9 December 2006 -- This installment could probably be called "The Shelf Factory". Progress seems to have slowed to a crawl simply
because there are 12 shelves that had to be put together, and there are 14 shelves in the process of being painted. Each shelf needed to
be primed (top and bottom), and then is receiving three coats of paint on the top surface, and two on the bottom ... for a total of 7 days of
painting.
because there are 12 shelves that had to be put together, and there are 14 shelves in the process of being painted. Each shelf needed to
be primed (top and bottom), and then is receiving three coats of paint on the top surface, and two on the bottom ... for a total of 7 days of
painting.
Heaps of little shelves and itty bitty
pieces of trim. The last three shelf
supports are on the right, waiting to be
glued together.
pieces of trim. The last three shelf
supports are on the right, waiting to be
glued together.
I apologize for the blurry picture. I'm
attempting to show that each shelf is
getting three little pieces of trim. LOTS
of sawdust, and lots of glue.
attempting to show that each shelf is
getting three little pieces of trim. LOTS
of sawdust, and lots of glue.
When I began this project, I was pretty
lousy at making accurate cuts with the
miter saw. I'm a great deal better now.
lousy at making accurate cuts with the
miter saw. I'm a great deal better now.
The last two interior shelves. These
need one more coat of paint, and then
they will be done.
need one more coat of paint, and then
they will be done.
The Shelf Assembly Line. Paint. Let it
dry. Flip it over. Paint. Let it dry. Flip
it over. Paint. Dry. Flip. Paint. Dry.
Flip. Repeat ad nauseum. Keep little
tally scores taped near each batch.
dry. Flip it over. Paint. Let it dry. Flip
it over. Paint. Dry. Flip. Paint. Dry.
Flip. Repeat ad nauseum. Keep little
tally scores taped near each batch.
Each shelf gets individually marked
and trimmed to meet the wall as tightly
as possible. This is just a test fit.
Every shelf is marked, and has a
specific spot on the bookcase.
and trimmed to meet the wall as tightly
as possible. This is just a test fit.
Every shelf is marked, and has a
specific spot on the bookcase.
12 December 2006 -- Getting there. Nine of the small exterior shelves are attached for good. The remaining 3 are still in the cellar, with just
one more coat of paint needed to finish them.
one more coat of paint needed to finish them.
15 December 2006 -- DONE!! (Well ... almost.) The last tiny bit of finish work remaining is to nail the small pieces of baseboard back in place,
and touch up the paint. You can see one of the two pieces of baseboard to the left of the wall unit. That's just sitting there. It hasn't been
nailed yet. But the bookcase is done, and I've collected all sorts of various colorful junk from around the house to clutter up the small exterior
shelves and collect dust. For a before and after comparison, go back to the top of the page.
and touch up the paint. You can see one of the two pieces of baseboard to the left of the wall unit. That's just sitting there. It hasn't been
nailed yet. But the bookcase is done, and I've collected all sorts of various colorful junk from around the house to clutter up the small exterior
shelves and collect dust. For a before and after comparison, go back to the top of the page.
The end result. Now I can go dream
up another house improvement project!
up another house improvement project!
