CORNER BOOKCASE

Word to the wise – always check the small print before you sign up for anything!

Ssshh, don't tell the kids but how we’re going to make a corner bookcase is anyone’s guess but we love a challenge, don’t we? What do you mean NO?

If Liz Truss can tank the economy in the blink of an eye then I’m sure that with a bit of thought, some scrap paper and a bucketful of tea, we can come up with a plan of action. It’s green for go, go, go!

Now in my addled mind, there’s 2 potential ways forward; we can either cut L shaped shelves or make two tall bookcases then butt these together.

The first path sounds like a complete major headache. The scope for build errors if L shaped shelves are not all identical is enough to put you right off. Keep it simple, stupid especially when your joinery skills are on a par with that of a napping sloth. Me thinks the easiest way forward is to build two units beginning with the one along the back wall of the alcove.

Lucky for us, it’s a three-sided alcove but we soon discovered that not only did the walls taper inwards but that only one of the three sides was masonry, the others are stud walls. I love that term ‘stud’ walls. Phwoarr! Sounds like something out of a builder bodice-ripper novel. Wonder what the opposite would be – wimp walls?

Mapping out the work area

To spice things up further, behind one of the stud walls is a cupboard containing a maze of pipes leading down to an immersion heater tank. Bugger! That means anchorage to the brick wall only on one side. Hmmm – will that be enough?

To make best use of the space and accommodate the growing collection of books amassed during my son’s short lifespan, the first unit will be fashioned out of 300 mm wide pineboard planks. We used the same width to make our bookcases and found that this size is good for most books plus allows enough empty space for all those dust-gathering knick-knacks everyone loves to accumulate.

Having measured every inch of the work area and identified the book sizes to go on each shelf, it’s ready, steady, pencil for a bit of technical drawing. Hours later, a build plan is devised complete with measurements.

Behold - a shelving plan is born

Now all we need to do is go timber shopping then spend the next few days priming, painting and varnishing – the perfect summertime sport.