Kids Book Storage

Something that drives me crazy is my kids books all over the floor, their toys do too but maybe another day we can organize that. It drives me crazy because then the books get stepped on, then ripped, then destroyed. Almost all of their books are taped back together. It’s always amazing that a used book store has kids book in amazing condition, please tell me how!!

After trying to keep the books in our hallways drawer and finding that was not working. We are trying another option, build a book storage for the kids room. This could be trouble but at least they will be off the living room floor. Here is the book storage we came up with.

Eric was teasing me because it looks like a baby crib but I think it looks pretty close to my inspiration but for a fraction of the cost.

source

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Want to make your own? Here is a tutorial on how we made ours.

Materials:
2 – 1″x2″x8′(ft)
1 – 1″x3″x8′(ft)
wood glue
1.25″ nails
1.25″ screws
paint (optional)
wood filler (optional)

Supplies:
miter saw
ruler
orbital sander
clamp
pencil

Cut List:
#1 – 1″x2″x8′ : 20 1/2″ – 20 1/2″ – 9 1/2″ – 9 1/2″ – 9 1/2″ – 9 1/2″ – 14 1/4″
#2 – 1″x2″x8′ : 20 1/2″ – 20 1/2″ – 9 1/2″ – 9 1/2″ – 9 1/2″ – 9 1/2″ – 14 1/4″
#1 – 1″x3″x8′ : 23 7/8″ – 23 7/8″ – 23 7/8″ – 23 7/8″

Step 1. CUT WOOD:

Cut all the boards to the cut list above.

Step 2. CREATING LEGS:

Next I took one 1″x2″x20 1/2″ and one 1″x2″x9 1/2″, these will become the 2″ legs (really 1.5″). Place the 20 1/2″ board on the ground with the 2″ side facing you (make sure to have the side you want showing on the ground). Next take one of the 9 1/2″ boards, put glue on one side (2″ side) of the board.

Then place the board, glue side down, onto the other board, placing the ends together. After everything is flush (sides & ends) nail the boards together. TIP: Make sure the nail at the end is at least 1.5″ from the edge/end. We will be cutting the ends at a 45 degree angle. Complete this step for all the other 1″x2″x20 1/2″ boards.

After completing the last leg board take another leg and place it on top of the other leg, forming an “x”. The boards that were added will be flush with the other leg. See picture below. In this step you will be creating a pocket or notch with the wood. 

Taking another 1″x2″x9 1/2″board, add glue to one 2″ side. Then place onto legs other side that has no wood. Make sure everything is flush then nail into place, just like the last boards.

Turn the legs over and add another 9 1/2″ board to the other leg.

Complete this step for the other legs. In the end you will have something like this.

Step 3. CUTTING 45 ANGLE INTO WOOD:

Taking two of the legs we just created, we created an X with them, using the notches. Then using a pen or pencil mark the ends of the legs in the direction that an 45 angle should be. See example below. 

At the miter saw, move the saw to cut at a 45 angle. Taking one leg, place it on the saw with the marking facing the right angle. Move the end of the leg until the blade will cut off the 45 angle. Keeping the leg there get a scrap piece of board and clamp it to the saw, having the end of the scrap board meet the end of the leg. This will be a guide to have all the legs cut the exact same. Make sure again the blade will cut the right amount.

Then cut all the legs the way the marking showed.

After cutting all the legs, take the 1″x2″x14 1/4″ boards and cut 45 angles off the ends using the same guide, cut the ends at different direction. They should look like this.

Moving the saw blade back to normal, it is time to cut off the point of the top of the legs. Take the legs and again attach them together making sure the 45 is the right way. Choose the top of each leg and mark a straight line 1/2″ down from the highest point.

Then cut along that line with the saw (you will do this 4 times).

Step 4. FILLING IN HOLES AND SANDING:

If you are painting the book storage, you will want to fill in all the holes/gaps so far (I did not do this at this step but I wish I did because it would have been easier). Taking the wood filler, fill in all the cracks/nail holes. You are maybe thinking that the legs should be attached at this step and maybe you missed something but it will be easier to sand the legs with them disassembled. So you will have to fill a couple more nail holes in a minute, sorry!!!

After filling in the holes, sand all the wood. I decided to round the edges of all the boards. To do this, I used my orbital sander and placed one side of the board flush with the sander. Then I rotated the wood along the sander until it was flush with another side of the board. You could also use a router but I do not have one.

If you want to stain the book storage, now would be a good time to stain all the boards.

Step 5. BUILDING:

Now it’s time to assemble the book storage. Taking the legs place two together, making sure the angles are all facing the right way. See the example below.

Put some glue in-between the two boards.

After everything is aligned nail boards into place.

Then take the 14 1/4″ board and place at the top of the legs.  As you can see, I used extra boards to help align the wood.

When the board is where you want them, glue and nail into place.

Complete this process for the other legs.

Now it’s time to add the 1″x3″x23 7/8″ sides, I decided to place them on the outside of the legs but you could place them on the inside. To add the sides, I placed the legs the distance of the board. Then I spaced the board 3/4″ up from the cross joint, glue and nail into place. I used one of the 1″x3″x23 7/8″ boards to give me the spacing I needed. 

For the next board, I spaced it 1.5″ from the previous board, glue and nail into place also. For this spacing, I used an extra 2″ board I had on hand.

Complete this process for the other side.

Optional Step 6. PAINTING:

If you stained the storage your DONE with this step but if you wanted to paint it you will now fill in all the rest of the nail holes and sand them smooth. Next take your color of choice and paint the wood. I used Rust-Oleum spray paint in orange-red color.

Step 7. Reinforce the storage with screws:

I decided to add screws to the storage after see my son climbing all over the storage. So I adding a screw or screws to every joint that had a nail. See picture below.

What do you think of the simple kid book storage? This whole project came to the grand total of less than $10. It was cheap because I used furring strips for the boards and they are cheap, right around $2 each!!!