Built in bookcase floor to 10 ft ceiling project and thinking to make the shelving 48 inches width and 12 inches deep.

frankom

New User
frank
Any advice would be much appreciated. I will build in sections of 4 feet width or 8 feet width for a total of 16ft. This will be painted so is baltic birch plywood the choice for better edges and add hardwood vs tape banding on the edge? Should I use the same plywood for shelving or poplar wood? Another issue is how to get sides for 10 ft as the plywood is 8 ft. Thinking it may work to build for 8 feet and then add the difference. For plywood and lumber I am thinking Steve Wall or the Hardwood Company in Gibsonville. I live in Huntersville and surprised closer lumber supplier does not comes up in a search.
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
First, I would limit sections to 32" wide. Second, I would make it as a set back upper case, mounted on a lower case. How are you going to support the shelves? For sheet goods, I would check out HD's Columbia Forest Products Birch plywood. Over the years, I've built a bunch of cabinets using it. All cabinets were clear finished, so ply had to look good. Sure I had some waste, but even with waste, it was cheaper than buying from Wurth.
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
Ok couple of things. If it were me doing this, I would make them 4' wise x 4 - 16 ft wide. That way, it is easier to install. On the 2 inner units and the book case walls stiles that touch the inner case stiles I would make out of 1/2 inch. The 2 outer vertical stiles I would make out of 10'playwood 3/4 thick. You can buy 10'material from a countertop supplier. Ususally 3/4 maple. Once assembled then use trim to hide the vertical seams.
 

frankom

New User
frank
So I measured the ceiling and it is 9 ft as opposed to 10 ft. Sorry. I think with a base and some trim at the top I can make it look built in. I plan on dado for the shelf support at 12 inch height of each. We have had several bookcases at 12 inch and it works for us.
Should I plan on using the Home Depot Birch Plywood for shelves as well as sides?
Thank you both for input as I have struggled with this for a couple of days.
 

SteveHall

Steve
Corporate Member
I would steer clear of the big box store plywood. Often it is imported, has thicker and fewer plys, and made of species with less density than is ideal for woodworking. I have disappointed myself a few times by doing this for "shop" items and have learned that spending a few dollars more results in more joy during the process of making as well as more joy in the results. Prices continue to climb but NCWW lists multiple sources for true Baltic Birch or domestic hardwood plywood. Even painted finish carpentry benefits from quality materials.

I generally don't design plywood shelving >36" wide because they will sag. The exception is when the shelves incorporate a hardwood (proper maple, oak, walnut, cherry... not birch or poplar) lip/edge at the front with good joinery (spline, rabbet, T&G, biscuit, tenon, dowel, etc.). A minimum 1-1/2"D x 3/4" wide lip/edge can safely span to 48" but this certainly adds cost and labor to the construction and needs a framed design on the verticals to look appropriate. Sounds like you're using base and crown, so that should work with the style.

I never expect to get actual 12" deep shelving. The industry usually designs them 11" to maximize material after the kerf in ripping a 48" wide piece of plywood into four lengths. Maximizing materials via computer cut diagrams tweaks everything a tiny bit.
 

Gotcha6

Dennis
Staff member
Corporate Member
If you insist on making them 48" wide then look at 2 plies of 5/8" BB glued together with a face and back band of appropriate thickness. This should mitigate any sagging.
 

frankom

New User
frank
If you insist on making them 48" wide then look at 2 plies of 5/8" BB glued together with a face and back band of appropriate thickness. This should mitigate any sagging.
What do you think of 36 inches and using 3/4 BB for shelves. Or using the hardwood for shelves as Steve Hall suggested. So if I use hardwood as in maple, oak, walnut or cherry for the shelves would I need the lip you describe to go 48" or 36". I used 3/4 Baltic Birch plywood from Steve Wall Lumber for my shop tool boards and it was a pleasure to work. I cannot imagine the 3/4 Baltic Birch sagging, however, I will not take the chance after reading Steve's advice.
 

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Ecr1

Chuck
Senior User
As far as getting the 9 foot ceiling height these pictures may help. Build a ladder frame to set your eight foot tall cabinet on. Then use 1 by material and base cap to cover seam. At top use baseboard upside down and crown to ceiling. When making your face frames on the two outer cabinets make the inside styles 1/2 the outer style. That way when you put them together all the styles are the same. The two inner cabinets would use all 1/2 styles. As ex. If outer style is 2 1/2” the inner is 1 1/4.
 

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redknife

Chris
Corporate Member
I use the “sagulator” when calculating shelf construction, although after a while you know the typical scenarios. It allows entry of load, shelf material, thickness, edging strip etc. It won’t answer all of your questions but playing with numbers will be instructive.
The Sagulator
 

frankom

New User
frank
As far as getting the 9 foot ceiling height these pictures may help. Build a ladder frame to set your eight foot tall cabinet on. Then use 1 by material and base cap to cover seam. At top use baseboard upside down and crown to ceiling. When making your face frames on the two outer cabinets make the inside styles 1/2 the outer style. That way when you put them together all the styles are the same. The two inner cabinets would use all 1/2 styles. As ex. If outer style is 2 1/2” the inner is 1 1/4.
Thank you Chuck for the effort and advice. sounds good.
 

frankom

New User
frank
I use the “sagulator” when calculating shelf construction, although after a while you know the typical scenarios. It allows entry of load, shelf material, thickness, edging strip etc. It won’t answer all of your questions but playing with numbers will be instructive.
The Sagulator
Thank you Chris. Makes sense as an app.
 

Ecr1

Chuck
Senior User
Frank just read the part about dados. If you’re doing stationary shelving in a dado on three sides with oversized front edge band. You shouldn’t have any problems with sagging with 3/4 ply. If you decide to do adjustable shelves with shelve pins. I have had good success with adding shelve pins in the center back panel on long spans.
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
I would steer clear of the big box store plywood. Often it is imported, has thicker and fewer plys, and made of species with less density than is ideal for woodworking. I have disappointed myself a few times by doing this for "shop" items and have learned that spending a few dollars more results in more joy during the process of making as well as more joy in the results. Prices continue to climb but NCWW lists multiple sources for true Baltic Birch or domestic hardwood plywood. Even painted finish carpentry benefits from quality materials.

I generally don't design plywood shelving >36" wide because they will sag. The exception is when the shelves incorporate a hardwood (proper maple, oak, walnut, cherry... not birch or poplar) lip/edge at the front with good joinery (spline, rabbet, T&G, biscuit, tenon, dowel, etc.). A minimum 1-1/2"D x 3/4" wide lip/edge can safely span to 48" but this certainly adds cost and labor to the construction and needs a framed design on the verticals to look appropriate. Sounds like you're using base and crown, so that should work with the style.

I never expect to get actual 12" deep shelving. The industry usually designs them 11" to maximize material after the kerf in ripping a 48" wide piece of plywood into four lengths. Maximizing materials via computer cut diagrams tweaks everything a tiny bit.
HD's birch plywood is made at Old Fort, right here in NC. It's C-3 grade. Take someone with you, and look thru the sheets. If they only have a few sheets left, ask them to pull down another bunk. Usually when there are only a few sheets left, that means it's been picked over.
 

frankom

New User
frank
HD's birch plywood is made at Old Fort, right here in NC. It's C-3 grade. Take someone with you, and look thru the sheets. If they only have a few sheets left, ask them to pull down another bunk. Usually when there are only a few sheets left, that means it's been picked over.
Right now I think I will go with Steve Wall Lumber. They are two hours up the road from Huntersville, however, it seems there is nothing close by that has Steve's quality of material. I should say not that I am aware.
 

Rwe2156

DrBob
Senior User
Bull nose edging front and back of a shelf can strength a lot. Hardwood, 1" x 1 1/8" with a 1/4" deep rabbet for the shelf.

Yeah, I know, but I've used Sandeply from HD on a couple painted cabinet projects, and I dare anyone to tell the diff. The issue is getting flat sheets, and the B side can be a little sketchy. 3 coats of Bin shellac primer and you have an extremely good surface for painting!
 

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