DIY Book Nook

I can not take credit for a single second of this DIY. The Duck is a damn genius and a tool master. He has become "captain builds all" so quickly it's almost crazy to think he had never built anything more than Ikea furniture up until January THIS YEAR....like 2011,,, and so far he has built some pretty astounding things.
seen here, here and here.


When we re-built our kitchen we had this weird extra wall area that did nothing but annoy me....We decided to build a nook and one day fill it with built in bookshelves. It has sat there empty until today...WOOHOO! 

BEFORE:

The Duck has built some really cool floating shelves and I will give you a little how to here:


Materials for one shelf...{then repeat the steps to make multiple shelves}


3/4 inch pine planks for the top of each shelf


1/4 inch MDF panels for the bottom...this gives the shelf an overall thickness of 1 3/4" 


3/4" square poplar batons...square pieces of wood you screw into the studs to use as support for floating shelves


3" screws


drywall anchors and screws


Wood glue


Dap painters caulk


Wood Filler and Sandpaper


How to Steps.....


We framed out the bottom to have the bottom shelf be the same height as our 5 1/2" moulding using 2x6" and a piece of moulding...Then the Duck found the studs and screwed the poplar baton to the wall using 3" screws. On the side of our book nook there were no studs so this is where the drywall anchors were used. The length of the side batons should be the width of the shelf minus the front and rear batons


After cutting the pine to the correct length, he attached a piece of the poplar to the underside of the front using wood glue and 18gauge finishing nails. 


This piece will then sit on the batons that have been screwed into the wall. He drilled 6 countersink holes in the shelf. 2 on each side and 2 on the rear. Using 1" wood screws he attached the shelf to the batons.. then used finishing nails every 2-3 inches around the shelf to secure it.


He then cut the MDF panel to size, clamped it to the front of the shelf and secured this using finishing nails. The shelf is now complete and in place. The front needed sanding to get the 3 pieces of wood flat. we used a finishing sander with 80 grit paper. Then we filled all the gaps, screw and nail holes with wood filler and sanded it all with 150 grit paper until baby bum smooth. 

AFTER:

I will show you pictures of what is looks like later today once the paint has dried and the books and Chachkis are on it....Sorry for the LONG ass DIY tutorial.. I get slammed when I don't give  your lovers enough info.