How to Build Wall Mounted Shelving for Books

shelves above a bed with books and candles

Wall-mounted shelving is a great way to keep your books neat and tidy. It does not matter how big or small your book collection is. You can keep these books in better condition for years to come with proper shelving. If you are tired of your books stacked everywhere, you can start this project. It does not require much skill to build wall-mounted shelving.

Plan the Design

Decide where you want to place your wall-mounted shelving and how long you want the shelf to be. Be sure the shelf has enough depth to place your books on. You can choose any species of lumber except plywood as it is not strong enough to carry the weight of books. Oak is the preferred choice for shelving.

Find the Studs on the Wall

marking a stud using a stud finder

In order to secure the wall-mounted shelving on the wall, you should find the position of the studs in the wall. Mounting your shelf to the studs will provide stability and strength to the shelf. Place the stud finder on the wall and mark the position of the studs with a pencil.

Take Measurements

To build the wall-mounted shelving, you will need one long piece of lumber and two smaller pieces to make the book ends. The dimensions of your shelf will be dependent on the size of the books that will sit on the shelf. Take the measurements of the book height and depth using the measuring tape.

Cut the Wood

Transfer and mark all the measurements on the lumber and cut the wood to size. You can use a circular saw to do this. Before cutting, make sure all the measurements are correct.

Pre-drill the Holes

dog watching a man drill a hole

Take one of the bookends and drill two holes on the lower end of the wood where it will be attached to the longer piece of wood. Repeat the same process on the other bookend. Drill four holes on the wide edge of the longer piece of wood, two on each side. This is where the wood is attached to the wall brackets.

Assemble the Parts of the Shelf

Take the long piece of wood and lay it on the workbench. Attach the bookends to it. Take the two smaller pieces of wood and apply wood glue on the lower end. Attach it to the longer piece of wood and screw it in place using the self–drilling screws. You can use two screws on each side.

Attach the Wall Brackets

The wall brackets usually come with their own set of screws. Screw wall brackets into the wall and studs. Use a level to make sure both brackets are at the same level. Screw the shelf onto the brackets using the rest of the screws. You can add finishing touches to hide the brackets if you like. Your wall-mounted shelving is now ready to use.