Ideas for bookcases?

[Amy713]

I am spitting mad. I bought 4 admittedly cheap 3-shelf bookcases from Walmart and spent a frustrating few hours trying to put one together. Presumably they can be put together, as one was on display in the store. I called DH and asked him to help me when he got home, and we proceeded to open another box: broken. We opened another box: scratched and dented. Ugh!

 

So, I'm doing what I should have done in the first place. Any ideas/suggestions for bookcases? I'm tired of using the floor...

 

Thanks for letting me vent!!!

[golfcartmama]

I got the ones at Target...they were $19 regular and have been $10-15 on sale. They're not high end furniture, but they're doing the job. Definately return those and get your money back!

[Truscifi]

:lurk5:

 

I've been looking for bookshelf ideas as well.

[Cindyz]

Ikea has lots of inexpensive book cases. Of course you do have to put them together though.

[Gooblink]

I bought some really nice ones through Craig's List - $50 each that were $200 new. We're also using the cheapo Walmart ones and I did have to return/exchange one because we found a broken shelf on opening the box.

 

If you want better quality for the price, I'd keep an eye on Craig's List, thrift stores or even Freecycle.

[DarlaS]

Build some of these! I'm planning to make 3 of the tall narrow ones this weekend. IKEA is a 2 hr drive one way for me, making this actually less time consuming.

 

http://www.knock-offwood.com/2010/03/plans-simple-bookcases-in-4-sizes-willy.html

 

As long as you have to put them together anyway, why not? :001_smile:

[mom31257]

For a temporary fix, until you can find what you want or build it, you buy crates like this and stack them on their sides. Walmart has some really colorful ones in the school supplies right now. I don't remember the price, but I bet they are not more than $5.

 

I'd put the heaviest books in the crates on the floor, then go lighter as you go up. I probably wouldn't put them more than 3 high, either.

Edited July 24, 2010 by mom31257

[Alyce]

We bought square concrete block that were about 4-5 inch deep (ours were decorative but they are hard to find now). We bought one for each side of the bottom shelf, one for each side for the second shelf and one on each side of the 3rd shelf. We bought thin pieces of wood the width of a normal shelf and had them cut them to length for us (I think we used Home Depot but I've seen some already cut into the size we used. Place one board on top of the two blocks, then 2 blocks on top of the wood, 1 piece of wood on top of that, 2 more blocks on that and for the top a final piece of wood. They didn't cost a lot to make and they have lasted us for over 25 years. They have held very heavy books without breaking or bowing.

If you want longer shelves just put an extra block down the middle of the existing shelves.

[Karenciavo]

Another vote for Ikea. I've had my Ikea book cases for 3 years and they still look great (books stacked 2 deep.) I purchased the Liatorp line which has many options such as doors, drawers, and baskets.

[nd293]

Ikea always gets my vote!

[MyThreeSons]

A family I know turned their hallway into a giant bookcase by opening up the walls (removing the sheetrock) and installing shelves between the vertical studs.

[Gooblink]

A family I know turned their hallway into a giant bookcase by opening up the walls (removing the sheetrock) and installing shelves between the vertical studs.

 

Ooh, I like that. :)

[familyofsix]

I bought some pine boards at Lowe's. I bought some 8in wide and some 12in wide. I also bought some inexpensive metal shelf brackets. I then mounted the brackets into studs (so they would hold the weight of books). You can mount two or three on one wall to hold all of your books.

Deana

[ChristusG]

I furnished our whole school room with the 3 shelf bookshelves from Wal-Mart. Maybe you got a bad load of them or something.....we have like 8 of them in our home and it took maybe 20 minutes per shelf to put together. The most time consuming part was nailing the backboard onto the shelves. They are all in great condition and have served us well. We bought the first three shelves and had them for years and then went back to purchase 5 more to complete our school room. You can see them in this blog post about my school room: http://christusg.typepad.com/thecarlsons/2010/07/the-finished-product.html

[Mallorie]

I bought some pine boards at Lowe's. I bought some 8in wide and some 12in wide. I also bought some inexpensive metal shelf brackets. I then mounted the brackets into studs (so they would hold the weight of books). You can mount two or three on one wall to hold all of your books.

Deana

 

I did the same basic thing, only I bought long 10" wide oak boards, unfinished. I cut them to size, routered the edge to a corner, sanded, stained and sealed and hung them with raught (sp?) iron brackets. Way cheaper than a bookshelf, they do not warp, and when you mount them to the studs, they are solid.

[DarlaS]

A family I know turned their hallway into a giant bookcase by opening up the walls (removing the sheetrock) and installing shelves between the vertical studs.

 

I'm having a hard time visualizing this. I've seen the insides of my walls and they aren't pretty (2x4 studs, the wrong side of drywall and wiring).

 

I think it would take a lot of work to make that even a little bit attractive. More work than building shelves. It does sound cool--but it really sounds like work! :tongue_smilie:

[DarlaS]

I furnished our whole school room with the 3 shelf bookshelves from Wal-Mart. Maybe you got a bad load of them or something.....we have like 8 of them in our home and it took maybe 20 minutes per shelf to put together. The most time consuming part was nailing the backboard onto the shelves. They are all in great condition and have served us well. We bought the first three shelves and had them for years and then went back to purchase 5 more to complete our school room. You can see them in this blog post about my school room: http://christusg.typepad.com/thecarlsons/2010/07/the-finished-product.html

 

I have three of the tall ones in my home. Each one is slightly worse quality than the last. The most recent (a dark finish) ones really stank. Literally!

[MyThreeSons]

I'm having a hard time visualizing this. I've seen the insides of my walls and they aren't pretty (2x4 studs, the wrong side of drywall and wiring).

 

 

They were so packed with books, I didn't see any ugliness behind them. I agree, though, that it does sound like a lot of work. And you'd have to know where the electrical and plumbing lines are to avoid them. It might be more feasible if you planned it into the initial build of the home.

[Robin's Song]

Try Price Point in Rivergate.

[ChristusG]

I have three of the tall ones in my home. Each one is slightly worse quality than the last. The most recent (a dark finish) ones really stank. Literally!

 

I agree....I don't like the tall ones either. We have one of those in our school room but I don't particularly like it. That's why we used the shorter ones....and also so that I can set stuff up on top of them.

[DarlaS]

I agree....I don't like the tall ones either. We have one of those in our school room but I don't particularly like it. That's why we used the shorter ones....and also so that I can set stuff up on top of them.

 

I'm doing that now with some IKEA kitchen wall cabinets I've removed from the living room wall (They were pretending to be a hutch over my desk area.). It's handy.

 

The tall ones from Walmart are outta here as soon as I get some decent shelving built. I'm figuring on a mix of tall and shorter shelves.

[Mommyof4ks]

If you have a saw it is easier to build them than put those crazy things together from the store IMO. My dh has no construction background, but he has built bookcases, closet organizers, and cabinets from youtube.com videos lol.

[Amy713]

Great suggestions! I love the idea of built-ins. Maybe when we build our dream home...for now, I'm off to check Craig's list and probably Price Point later in the week. Thanks!