Classroom Bookcase

My daughter is an elementary school teacher, and she recently found a bookcase in a store that would be perfect for her classroom.  Unfortunately, it cost around $400, so she asked me if I could build one for her.   She provided me with a picture of one she found on the internet, along with the rough dimensions.  This book case (or book rack) is made like a literature stand, in that the books face outward (on both sides).  According to my daughter, this makes it much easier for younger kids to select a book.

The materials used in this project were:

- 1 sheet of 1/4" plywood (with some left over)
- 1/2 sheet of 1/2" lumber core birch-veneered plywood
- about 12 feet of 1x2 pine lumber
- wood screws, finishing nails, and carpenters glue
- red oil-based enamel and clear satin polyurathane

Tools used in this project were:

- skill saw
- sabre saw
- drill & bits
- hammer
- screwdriver
- paint brush
- and, as usual, bandaids.....

Since a lot of ripping of plywood is required, a table saw or radial arm saw would have been better than the skill saw, but the skill saw is what I had to work with, so I just took my time and tried to make the cuts as straight as possible.

Step 1: Building the inside part

For the inside part of the bookcase, you will need to rip the 1/4 inch plywood to provide 8 7"x30" panels, and 2 5"x30" panels.

Basically you are going to assemble these pieces into a pair of stairsteps, with the plywood overlapping the 1/2" lumber at the top of each stairstep.

Once all the pieces are cut, glue and nail the pieces per the photo.  Notice the 2" overlap shown in the photo.  This provides a sort of enclosed "slot" that the books will rest in. 

Since this bookcase will hold books on both sides, you will need to make two of these interior units.

Comments

[Eye Poker]

Similar to what they use in comic book shops.

[Kiteman]

#2 son just walked past the computer and said they had one like that in his first classroom, but with a dinosaur painted on each end.

Nice project, BTW.

[knife141]

Thanks for the kind words! My daughter tells me her class really likes the bookcase. It was a fun project.

[Kiteman]

If they're worth doing, aren't they all fun?

[caitlinsdad]

Awwww, this is great. I loved building stuff for my kid's teachers. These projects are the most worthwhile because you know it will get used (and abused - dare the kids to jump on it because you overengineered it) and you can make something that the class could not afford. All that a teacher needs to do is ask, and someone with a garage full of tools is out there ready and willing to make something.

[mackamitsu]

My favourite past time is building stuff for the local kindergarten class. I'm going to make another rack for the inside and put it on hinges so the teacher has more storage. Castors is also a great idea I'll make use of too.

[omnibot]

"All that a teacher needs to do is ask, and someone with a garage full of tools is out there ready and willing to make something."
That is the most quotable line I've read all day.

Also, nice instructable.

[demonfurbie]

very nice idea i may make one for the church preschool it would also be cool to paint the sides with chalkboard paint so the teachers can write on them