Build This Book Nook & Window Seat
(Page 2 of 5)
August/September 2007
By Steve Maxwell
Our guideline plan (see Image Gallery) assumes the use of reclaimed lower kitchen cabinets for both the bench and shelf bases. These are ideal because they include doors and kick bases. Our shelves are modified versions of ready-made bookcases, or you could use reclaimed shelves there, too.
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The two shelf bases create a “nook” effect by being taller than the bench. If you can find a matching pair of narrow cabinets as salvage, terrific. If not, slice them from a longer cabinet assembly using the techniques found in “Cutting on a Dime,” below. The bench also is easy to make from reclaimed lower kitchen cabinets, though you’ll have to cut them down in height. Aim for an overall sitting height of 16 to 18 inches, or whatever’s comfortable given the cushions you’ll be using.
Each construction will be different, but all designs depend on three things: the salvageable cabinets you have access to, the size of these cabinets in relation to your available wall space, and the level of modification or building techniques you feel comfortable completing with the tools you have.
Got a motley combination of different cabinets and shelves coming together to create your book nook? No problem — the shelves, seat and shelf bases will almost certainly look different from one another as you mix and match these parts. Also, there will probably be a few new screw heads to hide, and perhaps a few less-than-perfect cuts from trimming operations where you sliced the cabinets down to size.
Fix these flaws by covering them with cabinet-grade veneered plywood that is a quarter-inch-thick. Saw whatever pieces are needed to cover all visible cabinet surfaces, then glue them on. Add new, solid-wood face frames to cover the front edge of the cabinets and shelves, and you’re ready to finish.
STEP 3: DESIGN FOR STRENGTH
It’s one thing to have a book nook that looks good, but safety should be the top priority. The main issue is ensuring that fully loaded bookshelves don’t topple forward. This is especially important when working with ready-made or salvaged cabinets.
All three parts of your book nook must be fastened to the wall, but the upper shelves in particular must be solid and stable. To be certain, you’ll need to do more than just drive screws through the thin back panels you’ll find on most ready-made shelves. The plan below shows how two anchor strips are incorporated into the shelf design. This is key. They’re typically made of three-quarter-inch-thick by 4-inch-wide pieces of solid wood that provide a strong foundation for mounting screws that extend into wall studs.
Mounting strips must fit into notches cut in the top and bottom back corners of the shelf sides, and secured with two screws at each end (see plan for details). In fact, mounting strips like these should be installed along the back of all three components: the bench, the shelf bases and the shelves.
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