paperback book storage

[juldea]

Can the kind people on my friends list assist me in finding easy solutions for paperback book storage?

I scoured Craigslist for bookshelves, but every single result was for bookshelves that are deeper and have taller shelves than required for paperbacks. While I do have hardcover and otherly-sized books, the majority of the books I own are the standard seven inches tall, five inches deep paperbacks. They're currently in boxes under my bed, and that's fine, but if there is a cheap and easy way to instead put them on a bookshelf in the living room, I would like to pursue that. However, I don't want to pay a bunch of money, where a bunch might be over $30 but is not set in stone, and I don't want to get bookshelves not fit for paperbacks that take up too much retail space in my living room. I know that a common alternative for other thrifty folk is bricks and planks, but getting either requires (as far as I know) a car and money. I'd also prefer something that looks slightly nicer than that, honestly. ;)

So, do you have any ideas? And yes, this is an actual call for help; no yelling will occur at people who offer assistance. ;)

Comments

[redknight.livejournal.com]

I've got a table saw AND a radial arm saw (although the radial arm saw still needs to be properly set up and tuned). I could use some more paperback-sized bookshelf space, too.

If you'd like to get together and work on a bookshelf making project, let me know.

[thespian.livejournal.com]

I was reading this because we need exactly this solution in our front hallway (because my new room is too small to allow for bookcases - the front hall is pretty wide, but not so wide that I want to take 9" off it to store a pile of paperbacks that don't need that much space). So I would also be interested in doing this, and I'm wondering if enough people might be interested to get into discount areas...I need to make about 3 bookcases, and was thinking of 5x1 boards for it....though I was also thinking instead of 3 cases, doing one long case with a lot of small 8" tall supports instead.

[juldea.livejournal.com]

OK, if it turns into a big social event, I'm more interested. ;)

[redknight.livejournal.com]

I'd suggest maybe using 6" X 1" (nominal) boards, which will actually work out to 5 1/2" X 3/4" (actual dimensions) and save cutting.

My thoughts are to use a dado blade to cut grooves to hold the shelves in vertical members. We could do something similar with your idea, cutting grooves in both the long vertical ends as well as in the horizontal members (to hold the short intermediate uprights).

One concern, I'm not sure how stable such a narrow bookshelf will be, you may want to look into attaching it to the wall or including some sort of foot/leg in the design.

Why don't we take further discussion to private e-mail?

[juldea.livejournal.com]

While I totally appreciate the offer and certainly enjoy spending time with you, I seriously don't think I could be arsed to actually put the time and effort into making a bookshelf from scratch. There's a reason the books have been under the bed for four years. ;)

That said, if you are all kitted up one day and say, "Today I will start making a bookshelf," and you call/email me and say, "Want to join in?" I might be free that day and decide to come over and do it anyway! :P