DIY Bookshelf
We are in the process of updating my son’s room to a big boy room. He has an airplane theme and we are adding items to go with that theme. Our latest project is this DIY Bookshelf.
We decided to go this route so he can see all the covers and put his books away easily. Instead of wood, we used a 10′ vinyl gutter cut in half. Make sure the gutter is vinyl, not metal. You can cut the vinyl gutter down to size using a chopsaw. To match the decor of his room, I spray painted the gutter metallic silver. Before spraypainting, be sure to remove all dust and debris from the gutter so you get a clean finish. You can see in the photo below that I missed a bit on the end of the gutter.
The grooves in the bottom of the gutter work well to hold the books upright and keep them from sliding.
When attaching the bookshelf to the wall, measure to make sure you screw into the studs. They are 16″ apart. Use a studfinder to locate them accurately. Drill pilot holes through the gutter and also into the wall. Then attach the bookshelf to the wall by screwing through the flat part of the gutter as shown in the photo below.
The bookshelf will bend out slightly when you put books on it. If you want more stability, you can use end caps. I’m so happy with the way these turned out and can’t wait to show you more of his bedroom projects.
I’ve debated something like this in my new office. I’m not sure yet, but they are definitely on my “potential project” list!
I remember reading somewhere that it’s much better for little ones if they can see then front of books, that’s why schools have displays like this. This looks so good, what a clever idea to do at home.
Thanks so much, Julie!
I love using things for something other than the original purpose. The gutters make a wonderful shelf option.
Such an awesome idea Kelly! Yours turned out great!
these are so cute!
I love these. We did book slings which I also love, but anything to display book covers makes me happy. My two year old has an easier time putting away forward facing books too than he does on a book shelf so we get a bit more help that way. 🙂
Are the edges sharp at all?
The edges on ours are not sharp. You can buy endcaps to cover the ends just in case.
Very cute idea! I need something for my kids books. Currently they sit in a cardboard box on the floor of their closet. Not exactly the best system.