Ivan Vegvary wrote:

Daughter wants to put 3 to 4 'peninsulas' into the attic/apartment to
break up the 50 foot length. These would be built perpendicular to the
wall, stick out 3.5 feet and be about 28-30 inches high.
I would like to build a box out of 2x10 lumber and screw it to the floor
joists and adjacent wall for stability. The final look should be white
melamine or equivalent. Top will get a 2x12x1/2" board. Everything will
need to end up white.

What's the easiest way to go from a "2x10" box to a decent looking
bookcase. A shelf midway up from the bottom would also be nice. The
back
can be 1/4" melamine panel. What's next? False horizontal member to get
the books 3-5 inches off the floor? Build a face frame? Line all the
2-by material with 1/4" melamine? Help !!

Thanks, Ivan Vegvary

Ivan, it looks to me like you are over building by several hundred percent.
Quite often when you go heavier, all you get is heavier - and could wind up
with something very much less usable than you might think.

Remember, we are talking "bookcase/shelves" here, not something to hold
an M1 tank.

If it were me, I would build the carcass out of 3/4 melamine with a 3" toe
kick, one or two shelves and a face frame.

Deb