The Impossible Bookshelf

Intro: The Impossible Bookshelf

This impossible looking bookshelf is actually very easy to make!

Part illusion-part serious bookshelf, it creates an effect that will have your friends and family trying to figure out how all the books stay on it.

It's also very versatile, so you can easily make it bigger (or smaller) should you need to.

Let's begin...

STEP 1: Plan It Out

First, it's important to start with the design of your impossible bookshelf.

The impossible bookshelf is basically as many alternating 90 degree shelves as you want. The first shelf will be at a 90 degree angle from the perpendicular shelf below it. The second shelf (the one that is perpendicular to the first shelf) will be at a 90 degree angle from the perpendicular shelf below it. And so forth...

When you are done, it will kind of resemble stairs in its appearance (see the drawing for clarity).

To make this exact bookshelf, I planned for the following:
3 - 17" long x 10" deep x 3/4" thick shelves

3 - 4.5" long (by a shorter width than your books) strong metal holders

STEP 2: Mark Your Wood for Cutting

The wood I used was 17" wide and had a break in the middle. So I planned 10" sections around the break along the longest edge. This gave me three 10" wide x 17" long shelves.

STEP 3: Clamp It

Clamp your wood down to a workbench if possible to prepare it for cutting.

STEP 4: Add the Cut Lines

On my measuring tape, I already have the saw line pre-marked for cutting with my circular saw.

This line is around 1-1/2" (technically it's at 1-17/32"). This line represents where I will add my straight edge to so when the circular saw's shoe brushes up against the straight edge it makes a perfectly straight cut.

STEP 5: Add the Straight Edge

Add and clamp down the straight edge on top of the wood to be cut. This will line up with the cut lines you made in the previous step.

STEP 6: Cut

Cut along the straight edge. This is shelf number one. Repeat steps 4-6 until you have all your shelf pieces cut.

STEP 7: Glue It Together

Add a good amount of wood glue to the first edge of your first shelf (the horizontal one that will attach to the vertical shelf below it at a 90 degree angle).

Use a speed square to ensure the boards meet at a perfect 90 degree angle. Tape it together to hold it up, and wipe off the excess wood glue with a lightly damp cloth (or your finger).

STEP 8: Add Screws or Nails

If you want to further stabilize your shelves, you can add screws or nails now.

If you can get them to indent a little bit into the wood, you can fill them to flush with wood filler later for a completely unnoticeable joining. However, most everyone will be so interested in the illusion of the books on the shelf that they probably won't notice the screws anyways (mine aren't noticeable barely at all in the finished piece).

Repeat the gluing and screwing steps until all shelves are joined.

STEP 9: Allow to Dry

Allow the glue to dry for at least 24 hours while you proceed with the next steps.

STEP 10: OPTIONAL: Making Metal Flats

The next few steps are optional.

If you don't have pre-fabricated metal flats, now is the time to make them from whatever metal you are using.

I used this napkin holder because the metal was already in the perfect shape that I needed, and was very sturdy.

First, I found the center of the base and marked it.

STEP 11: Clamp It

Then, I clamped it down to the top of a sawhorse. I kept the base raised up a few inches so the saw's blade wouldn't hit the sawhorse as it cut.

STEP 12: Cut

Using a "metal-thick" blade in my jigsaw, I cut the base of the napkin holder in half lengthwise.

NOTE: Use safety goggles and worker's gloves (with grips) when cutting metal and handling cut metal.

STEP 13: Cut in Thirds

Next, I clamped the half of the napkin holder to my workbench corner and prepared to cut it in thirds.

Mark roughly the 1/3 and 2/3 marks. (To have each be an exact match in width to the next isn't crucial as no one will see these metal flats because the books will fully conceal them.) Then, carefully cut the metal vertically with the same jigsaw and blade.

NOTE: The lack of a great way to secure this metal piece to the workbench may cause the clamps to violently shake off and the metal to flail around. Use extreme caution when proceeding with this step and take your time! Also, it may be necessary to re-clamp the metal several times until it is fully cut.

STEP 14: Finished Pieces

Here are my three cut pieces. The first picture shows a before and after.

STEP 15: Remove Danglers

Anywhere you find a metal "dangler," remove it now. I used needle-nosed pliers for this.

STEP 16: Smooth Sharp Edges

I used 150 grit sandpaper to sand down the sharp edges along cut lines on each piece. It may not be the perfect grit or type of sandpaper, but it worked great.

STEP 17: Trace the Bases

Trace the bases of the metal flats onto each shelf, and label them 1-3 on the corresponding shelves and metal flats.

I also added an arrow pointing in the direction I wanted the base flap to go on each shelf. This was basically pointing away from the edge of each shelf.

STEP 18: Glue and Tape

I used E6000 glue to adhere the metal flats to the wooden shelves. Then I used painter's tape to keep it held down while I proceeded quickly with the next step...

OPTIONAL: you can additionally add 1/2" screws through the bases of the metal flats into the plywood (so it doesn't come out the other end) if you want the extra stability or assurance. But I didn't use anything except E6000 glue.

STEP 19: Move It Inside & Heat It Up

Because it's winter, the garage was too cold to allow for a quick seal to be had, so I moved the project inside the house. Then I used a hairdryer (while pushing down on the flaps over the tape to give it a tight seal) to set the glue quicker so I didn't have to try to clamp it down while it cured completely.

STEP 20: Let Dry

Allow the glue 72 hours to cure completely for the absolute, maximum strength. I didn't want to take any chances of the metal flats coming off of the shelves with the weight of the books. So, I let the glue cure as long as possible. You can remove the painter's tape (that's holding the metal flats to the shelves) after the first 24 hours.

STEP 21: Mark the Back and Top

While it was drying, I made sure to add "Back" to the backside of the shelf that would be mounted to the wall (since both sides look alike). I also labeled the top edge that would be mounted at the tallest point on the wall.

STEP 22: Sand

OPTIONAL: add wood filler to the screw/nail holes, if desired, before proceeding with this step.

I waited until now to sand the shelves and edges of this project. In hind sight, I could've done this before adding the metal flats, but it worked fine for me at this point too. I used 150 - 220 grit sandpaper. Wipe off excess sawdust with a lightly damp cloth.

STEP 23: Test It!

Once the glue has fully cured, it's time to test the shelves.

This is the slightly nerve-wracking, slightly exciting part! Will all that hard work pay off?

As you can see from the picture, IT DID!!

To add the books to the metal flats:

• Use a hard cover book that is roughly one to two inches taller than the top of the metal.
• Open it to the very front or very back cover (dependent on which way your books will face on the shelf)
• Close the book around the metal flat and slide the book until the binding of the book is about an inch away from the metal flat (that makes the cover stay pushed up against the book so it doesn't hang open).
• Stack your other books down against the first book (making sure that they are of equal or lesser size to the first book).

That's it!

*No books have been harmed in the making of this bookshelf! :)*

NOTE: You can add more metal flats along each shelf so that you can keep adding book stacks to the same shelf and it will look like a continuous book group, but it won't put all the weight onto one metal flat. For example, you could have 3 metal flats per 17" long shelf so that the entire shelf could be filled with books, giving an even greater illusion to the finished bookshelf.

STEP 24: Mount It

I used keyhole fasteners (aka keyhole hangers or keyhole switches) to mount the bookshelf to studs in my wall. These have a maximum weight limit of 17-22 pounds each and come in packs of 2 for $1.98 at my local Lowes (they only come with the screws to mount the fasteners to the bookshelf, so you will need two #8 1-1/2" construction/wood screws to mount the bookshelf on to the wall).

1. Choose a great spot to hang your bookshelf. Preferably one where you can brag about it! ;)
2. Attach the keyhole fasteners to the bookshelf where the points/corners are directly over each other. See picture for clarity. Make sure to hang them with the smallest end of the hole facing up so the keyhole fastener can sit "down" on to the screw in the wall.
3. Find a stud in the area of where you want to hang it. You can find a stud: with a stud finder; via the ole knock and listen tactic (less accurate); by finding an outlet and going directly to the left of it (outlets typically are secured into studs where the left of the outlet is in a stud); or even by looking closely at the trim (typically the trim is secured into studs, so find the filled-in holes where it was nailed into the studs at).
4. Once you've located the stud, mark where your screws (that will connect with the keyhole fasteners on your bookshelf) will be. First, measure the distance between the two keyhole fasteners. Make sure to measure from the top (aka the middle of the smallest part of the hole) of the first fastener to the top of the second fastener. Then, transfer these dimensions along the line of the stud.
5. Drill the screws into the wall at the points you marked. Leave a little "lip" of the screw out (for hanging in the keyhole fasteners).
6. Carefully (it will be easier with two people), hold up the bookshelf over these screws, line up the keyhole fastener holes with the screws (the big hole bottoms to the screw heads) and slide the bookshelf down onto these fasteners.
7. Done!

STEP 25: Admire!

Simply replace the books and admire your Impossible Bookshelf!

Now we have a wonderful book nook for our kids to enjoy their library books. :)

Comments

[Itsmrfish]

Looking at your design you could cut a block of wood the size and shape of a book and wrap it in a dust jacket. It would achieve the desired effect of floating books with a little more rigidity.

[Meglymoo87]

Hey there! Thanks for the idea! My project is obviously now complete and is STILL all these months later holding up just like the first day it was used (with a strong permanent hold on the metal flaps). But if you decide to make it the way you suggested, I'd love to see it! Blessings!

[Meglymoo87]

Since publishing this instructable in December of last year (has it been that long already!?), I wanted to update on the strength of the bookshelf and whether or not the glue is still holding etc. Well, when the shelves are not used for library books, we have gotten more courageous about adding all sorts of heavier books to the shelves, and it holds up tremendously! Even holding pretty much full shelves of books! I am just as surprised by the result as most, having only used fully-cured E6000 glue to hold each metal flap down. There's not even a bend or deformity in the metal flaps (as if they were starting to pull away from the shelves)! Hope this information is helpful to someone. :)

[dawncwoodworth]

What a great idea! Well done. I will have to make a couple of these for my DVD collection.

[Meglymoo87]

Great idea! I don't know if you will be able to get a DVD box to close around the metal pieces to act as your first starting DVD on each shelf. However, a couple of ideas: 1) you could sacrifice a few DVD boxes and cut into the base of them to close seamlessly around the metal pieces and stay permanently fixed to the shelves. Or, 2) you could use books around the metal pieces and add the DVDs against the books (as to not have to sacrifice any DVD cases). But, I'm sure you've already thought of something awesome to do for it! Do share pics here when you complete them! I'd love to see what you create! Blessings! :)

[Matlek]

What a great idea, I love it!

[Meglymoo87]

Thanks so much, Matlek! Blessings :)

[Meglymoo87]

I just learned about this awesome glue that may be even stronger than E6000 glue...It's called Flex Glue. My friend who is an avid and hardcore DIYer told me she used it to glue two concrete blocks together. After it had fully cured, she picked up the glued-together blocks, shook them, and hit them on the ground and she claims they did not break apart, and this was TWO YEARS AGO (they've been together two years now and counting, and they're outside exposed to all the elements)! Maybe check it out if you want to ensure the strength of glue alone without screws. I think the key to any glued piece is letting the glue fully cure to get to full strength. Often times we don't keep it clamped that long, or mess with it when it's only tacky, and it falls apart. Happy building! :)

[AnandM54]

Illusions...wow..... superb....brilliant...

[Meglymoo87]

Thanks so much! Blessings on you and your family for the new year! :)

[nzpntn]

VERY nice and eye-catching!
But looking at the pictures I can't understand: how the hard cover facing down doesn't hang downward?

[Meglymoo87]

Actually, I've discovered that when you put the books around the metal flats in the way I wrote to in this 'ible, the weight of the books leaning against that first book put pressure on the book binding kind of pulling the covers inward (it seems). But the key is to have the book mostly centered around the metal flat (with the binding an inch or so away from the metal flat) and that seems to keep the covers in! Amazing! (I'm sure there's some sort of science stuff to explain it, but that's the best I got. LOL) Thanks for the awesome comment!

[Studious_Chick]

Wow, beautiful! Though it's not as easy to make as you said.

[Meglymoo87]

Thank you for the lovely comment! Well, by "easier" I mean that as far as woodworking is concerned, this project is a walk in the park with "lesser" tools than the more advanced woodworking tutorials out there. :)

[dewey302]

Clever idea. Might even be worth a "sacrificial" book at each end-stop which is permanently secured to the base shelving. I can see all sorts of options and tweaks using this basic concept. Well done.

[Meglymoo87]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I absolutely encourage you to try it out with whatever tweaks you'd like! And if you do make this project, please share your finished pics here on this discussion thread. Blessings! (P.S. in my case we were using it for library books so I couldn't sacrifice any LOL...but most definitely a good idea if desired.)

[danzo321]

Great project.. I would not drive a screw in so close to the edge as I see here. Likely to split the wood open. If you think you must have a screw close to the edge, pre-drill it.

[Meglymoo87]

Actually if you look at the rest of the pictures in step 24, you will see I actually moved the mounting hardware down a few inches from the top so it didn't split the wood. Or if you're referring to step 8, it didn't split the wood for me. However, you are correct, you could pre-drill it! Thanks for visiting! Blessings!

[throbscottle]

That must be amazing glue you have!

[Meglymoo87]

E6000 glue fully cured (72+ hours) is extremely strong! But if you are worried about it holding, I encourage you to add screws, or as mentioned below in the comments you can use metal joints for roof trusses (that are screwed in as well). The sky's the limit! Additionally, you can add multiple metal flats to each shelf so only 5-7 books sit against one metal flat (which means each metal flat doesn't have to hold any kind of huge weight on its own). Blessings!