how to build in shelves cottage style
 

I want to build in shelves along a 10' long wall, floor to ceiling shelves.
I want them to be cottage/country style. I also want them to be cheap but
look really good. Can anyone guide me to online resources with pictures of
something similar, or even of a different style, so I can get some idea of
how to build these? I'm thinking about using those thick construction grade
boards that are about 3" wide, and making each shelf with three or four of
them run side by side. Then painted white and maybe some sort of paint
treatment to make them look antique. I have no idea how to do vertical
supports. Don't want to buy shelf brackets. Too expensive since I would
need a large quantity. Any ideas about something I can build? Thanks.

how to build in shelves cottage style
 

In article 4xYGj.94799$yE1.63496@attbi_s21,
"J. Cameron Davis" wrote:

I want to build in shelves along a 10' long wall, floor to ceiling shelves.
I want them to be cottage/country style. I also want them to be cheap but
look really good. Can anyone guide me to online resources with pictures of
something similar, or even of a different style, so I can get some idea of
how to build these? I'm thinking about using those thick construction grade
boards that are about 3" wide, and making each shelf with three or four of
them run side by side. Then painted white and maybe some sort of paint
treatment to make them look antique. I have no idea how to do vertical
supports. Don't want to buy shelf brackets. Too expensive since I would
need a large quantity. Any ideas about something I can build? Thanks.

Huh? You're going to make shelves out of parallel 2 x 4s? That's not
cottage/country, that's Appalachian.

Look, get some concrete blocks and some 1 x 10s. Paint the blocks if you
want, or wrap them in fabric.

how to build in shelves cottage style
 

On 3/27/2008 7:00 PM Smitty Two spake thus:

In article 4xYGj.94799$yE1.63496@attbi_s21,
"J. Cameron Davis" wrote:

I want to build in shelves along a 10' long wall, floor to ceiling shelves.
I want them to be cottage/country style. I also want them to be cheap but
look really good. Can anyone guide me to online resources with pictures of
something similar, or even of a different style, so I can get some idea of
how to build these? I'm thinking about using those thick construction grade
boards that are about 3" wide, and making each shelf with three or four of
them run side by side. Then painted white and maybe some sort of paint
treatment to make them look antique. I have no idea how to do vertical
supports. Don't want to buy shelf brackets. Too expensive since I would
need a large quantity. Any ideas about something I can build? Thanks.

Huh? You're going to make shelves out of parallel 2 x 4s? That's not
cottage/country, that's Appalachian.

Yup, agreed.

Look, get some concrete blocks and some 1 x 10s. Paint the blocks if you
want, or wrap them in fabric.

Now you're going towards Clueless College Student decor, not much better.

First of all, we really need more information to give suggestions: what
are you putting on these shelves? How heavy will the stuff be? Can you
anchor the shelves to the wall/floor/ceiling?

Anyhow, here's another idea: You can probably make the whole thing out
of "1-by" lumber (that's wood that's finished to 3/4" thick). Use 1x4s
(3-1/2" wide boards) for both the uprights and the shelf supports. Use
1-by-whatever for the shelf boards themselves (1x10s would work),
depending on how deep you want the shelves to be. Can be nailed or
screwed together. No need to anchor to the floor; back uprights can be
anchored to the wall, or if you're in a basement with exposed joists
(big timbers in the ceiling that hold up the floor above), you can
anchor to them.

I've seen lots of shelves made this way, and they're plenty strong.

Keep in mind that finished lumber like this isn't exactly cheap.

The shelves can be painted, stained, or glazed with thin paint to look
"antiquey".

how to build in shelves cottage style
 

J. Cameron Davis wrote:

I want to build in shelves along a 10' long wall, floor to ceiling
shelves. I want them to be cottage/country style. I also want them to
be cheap but look really good. Can anyone guide me to online resources
with pictures of something similar, or even of a different style, so I
can get some idea of how to build these? I'm thinking about using
those thick construction grade boards that are about 3" wide, and
making each shelf with three or four of them run side by side. Then
painted white and maybe some sort of paint treatment to make them look
antique. I have no idea how to do vertical supports. Don't want to
buy shelf brackets. Too expensive since I would need a large quantity.
Any ideas about something I can build? Thanks.

A friend has some rather cool looking shelves that would be simple to
put together.....made with 1" boards with threaded rods at each corner
for support. Put a nut and a washer on the rod at appropriate spot,
drill holes in each corner of board and drop board onto the rods.
Repeat. Put an angle iron at the top of each to attach to wall stud
so's it doesn't tip over. At 10' long, you would need more rods for
support, but it is a pretty simple idea.

how to build in shelves cottage style
 

On Mar 27, 10:15*pm, "J. Cameron Davis" wrote:
I want to build in shelves along a 10' long wall, floor to ceiling shelves..
I want them to be cottage/country style. I also want them to be cheap but
look really good. Can anyone guide me to online resources with pictures of
something similar, or even of a different style, so I can get some idea of
how to build these? I'm thinking about using those thick construction grade
boards that are about 3" wide, and making each shelf with three or four of
them run side by side. Then painted white and maybe some sort of paint
treatment to make them look antique. I have no idea how to do vertical
supports. Don't want to *buy shelf brackets. Too expensive since I would
need a large quantity. Any ideas about something I can build? Thanks.

I also want them to be cheap but look really good.

Cheap...Look Good...Strong

Pick any two.

how to build in shelves cottage style
 

J. Cameron Davis wrote:
I want to build in shelves along a 10' long wall, floor to ceiling
shelves. I want them to be cottage/country style. I also want them to be
cheap but look really good. Can anyone guide me to online resources with
pictures of something similar, or even of a different style, so I can
get some idea of how to build these? I'm thinking about using those
thick construction grade boards that are about 3" wide, and making each
shelf with three or four of them run side by side. Then painted white
and maybe some sort of paint treatment to make them look antique. I have
no idea how to do vertical supports. Don't want to buy shelf brackets.
Too expensive since I would need a large quantity. Any ideas about
something I can build? Thanks.

I've done something similar.

Use 1" x 10" x 10' or 1" x 12" x 10' pine for shelves. Screw a 10' 2x4
to the underside of the rear of each to give structural support and
prevent sagging, so you can get buy with three uprights (one on each
end, and one in the middle). Screw three 3.5" sections of 2x4 to the
underside of the front of each shelf, one on each end, and one in the
middle.

At each end, and in the middle, construct vertical supports out of 93"
2x4s with front to back 2x4s (shelf depth + 3") at the top and bottom,
screwed into the vertical supports. Fasten the 96" uprights to the wall
studs somehow (the two ends should be at studs by default if they're on
each end of a wall).

Screw each shelf into place between the uprights.

You might get by with only uprights on each end if you're not loading
the shelves with stuff like books, but a 10 foot span is too much if
your heavily loading the shelves, as they'll sag.

As to "looking really good" since these are country style, I guess they
should be stained with some sort of stain that you think looks good.

As to cheap, 2x4's are cheap, but even 1"x10"x10' pine isn't all that
cheap. I guess you could use particle board, but that would really look
crappy. Your big expense will be in the shelf boards.

Look at the Sunset book on _Wall Systems and Shelving_ at the library.
There are many interesting ways to do vertical supports. One method is
floor to ceiling 2x4s with dowels front to back. You'd want four sets of
supports with a 2.5' span for each section. You can use copper tubing
and threaded rod.