Library shelving

Rosa_Damascena

As part of my new big build, I will be ridding my dining room of its table and turning the space into a bona-fide library. Currently its full of an eclectic range of bookshelves I've secured from Gumtree / chazzers / Freecycle and whilst it looks packed full of character, I would love to replace it with smart and uniform shelving. I'm looking at covering a total wallspace of 28' x 10'.

I didn't necessarily want to go Billy (although its hardwearing, I give it that) and any budget I have for it will be Ikea rather than Neville Johnson. It will be a finishing touch rather than a something that I must get done as a matter of urgency, so I can wait and save if I need to but want whatever I get to last the next 40 years and be able to hold a lot of books (I am talking 1,000+). It needn't be wood but nor should it look plastic - gloss is not my thing at all. Any recommendations?

FreeBear

That will be a lot of books, so a great deal of weight. Don't use chipboard (melamine faced) or MDF - Both will sag under even modest weight. Thick solid wood or steel shelving would be my choice.

Rosa_Damascena

FreeBear said:

That will be a lot of books, so a great deal of weight. Don't use chipboard (melamine faced) or MDF - Both will sag under even modest weight. Thick solid wood or steel shelving would be my choice.

Thanks, 1,000+  Its not going to be steel, so I guess that leaves solid wood

This is the kind of thing I'm after in a lighter wood shade, not too fussed about the doors but it would certainly look a bit smarter with them:

 

Rosa_Damascena

Quick back-of-the envelope calculation: I could Billy it for £1,500 without doors. I can't think of a cheaper way of getting sturdy and uniform shelves for my size.

Emmia

Rosa_Damascena said:

FreeBear said:

That will be a lot of books, so a great deal of weight. Don't use chipboard (melamine faced) or MDF - Both will sag under even modest weight. Thick solid wood or steel shelving would be my choice.

Thanks, 1,000+  Its not going to be steel, so I guess that leaves solid wood

This is the kind of thing I'm after in a lighter wood shade, not too fussed about the doors but it would certainly look a bit smarter with them:

 

That looks suspiciously like a run of Billy with the Oxberg full glazed doors to me. It's those little peg handles that are giving it away. 

We have white ones with half glazed doors (and the peg handles!) glass shelves, remote control lighting and extension bits (without doors) to make them go to the ceiling - by the looks of it, they've got a higher ceiling than us as they've stacked books on top of the extension.

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/billy-oxberg-bookcase-with-glass-doors-white-stained-oak-veneer-s29281801/

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/billy-height-extension-unit-white-stained-oak-veneer-00404280/

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/oxberg-glass-door-white-stained-oak-veneer-80404040/

Doozergirl

You simply can't beat Ikea at some things. 

If necessary, buy an extra cabinet or cabinets and get your carpenter to use it as spare pieces to fit it in for you so it's wall to wall and floor to ceiling.  It will look more expensive.   You'll want to carpenter to secure it all nicely for you anyway.  

GDB2222

Is the ceiling height really 10 feet? We have tall ceilings and the IKEA stuff doesn’t really fit height wise. For example, Billy bookcases are 2m tall and you need 3m. 

I’ve been looking at their Kallax range but can’t get that to work for us.

GDB2222

I’m thinking of making something myself using thick plywood.

https://www.builderdepot.co.uk/25mm-hardwood-external-grade-wbp-plywood-b-bb-2440mm-x-1220mm-8ft-x-4ft

That should look great when varnished.

Doozergirl

GDB2222 said:

Is the ceiling height really 10 feet? We have tall ceilings and the IKEA stuff doesn’t really fit height wise. For example, Billy bookcases are 2m tall and you need 3m. 

I’ve been looking at their Kallax range but can’t get that to work for us.

It's called Ikea Hacking.   You can do it modestly, or really go for it on the finishing carpentry, but it works on the premise of Ikea offering the best value for money for items which you subsequently build in.  A £35 cabinet is less than the ply you'd need to start creating one from scratch.  

They do four different heights of unit/extension and different widths, so you arrange them as symmetrically as the units will allow, you then bring the walls in and/or create spaces to fill in, starting to turn it into something bespoke.  

Rosa could use 237cm units with a 35cm extension and fill with skirting and a pelmet.  Or perhaps a 202 with a 106 turned upside down and cut down to meet the ceiling.  

I'd probably opt for the first, as it can be more decorative.  I guess were's talking period property with 3m ceilings.  

Examples.  There will be so many more.  The third one looks amazing.  

https://pin.it/SukKVr6

https://pin.it/14jiIvZ

https://abeautifulmess.com/built-in-ikea-billy-bookcase-hack/

Doozergirl

There's the whole of the Ikea Hackers website too.  

They have a search function. Someone has even put in a library rail. 

https://www.ikeahackers.net/2020/05/ikea-bookshelves-with-ladder.html

pollypenny

We had a local woodworking firm, Truwood, to build our bookcases and television bench into a big alcove.  We had had a Neville Johnson brochure, then a visit. However, we found the guy to be the most obnoxious person so got rid of him sharpish by telling him we could afford £2,000. 

In our experience, it's always worth trying the local firms.