Floor to ceiling book case

[Jupiter01]

I have a wall which is approximately 2.3m high and 3m wide. I’d like to build a decent looking bookcase in this space and need your advice please.

This is the type of look I want to achieve. Less the doors.

Firstly which wood should I build this in? I want to eventually paint it white and be using a wood which will be easy to maintain i.e. if it gets damaged, I should be able to fill, sand and paint.
Also want to avoid expansion/contraction as much as possible.

Secondly, is it worth cutting shelves slightly short of the total depth available to allow light to flow from the top, down through all the shelves?

Thirdly, does this have trims stuck on the face of all the wood to create the wide aesthetic look?

Thanks in advance.

 

[foxhole]

Looks like 18mm mdf structure, easy to assemble, trim to edges looks like more mdf strips around 50mm wide.
Very easy to add led strip lighting to rear of trims to illuminate the contents.

 

[Jupiter01]

A few more questions please:
Is MDF spared from expansion contraction?
Will it need priming before glossing?
Should I use 18mm or 12mm in your opinion?

Thanks for your help.

 

[foxhole]

Dimensionally stable, prime and use short bristle roller for smooth finish.
18mm mdf , 12mm too thin for fixings and often more expensive than 18mm.

 

[JP_]

My bookcase from Ikea, 237cm tall.

Cost £150. Doesn't look as fancy, but probably cheaper and easier than building one ... you could add some nicer finishing edges?
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/billy-bookcase-white-s59182201/

can you squeeze another 7cm in though?

 

[Jupiter01]

Thanks for all the responses. Slight change of plan with this...
I want to build a modern bookcase and the design I have selected will allow me to use all the off cuts and make this up as I go along to some extent...

It's also practical as I can different sized sections for different size of books.

Can this also be done in MDF and should it still be 18mm?

Thanks again.

 

[foxhole]

The unit in pic is probably 18mm mdf.

 

[Jupiter01]

Thanks for all your help. On fixings, is it a case of pre drilling and popping vertical screws through the horizontal section and into the vertical sections of MDF. I can then countersunk and fill before I paint.

Any suggestions on the screw type and size I should use for this project?

 

[Ryler]

SPAX® MDF/Hardwood screws are specifically designed to prevent splitting in medium density fiberboard (MDF) and hardwoods without pre-drilling.
Some use plaster board screws.

 

[Jupiter01]

Would 50mm be adequate?

 

[mrrusty]

The detail of the execution of that is going to be the success or fail. With such a simple design the finish and execution has to be perfect or it will look like a bodgers build. To buy something like that would cost several £100's, so invest in some tools. If you are going to use painted MDF, then perhaps a track-saw for perfectly cut straight edges. Use dowels or biscuits to join the pieces together. Note how the pieces on the left have buttresses to stop the shelves all collapsing. A dowel jig at the very least will help you to line everything up. If you think about it, you can't rely on screws because many of the joints are not screwable. Horizontals have to rest on verticals - don't be tempted to butt horizontals to verticals and screw in from the side!

MDF needs a paint/sealer application which will raise the "grain" and then it needs sanding/wirewooling back before the final coat. I suggest you try and paint as much as you can before assembly. Perhaps consider a spray finish for the final coat. I'm sure other furniture makers will give more advice - I'm a better maker than painter...

 

[Jupiter01]

Thanks @mrrusty.
I was going to use my Makita circular saw with guides clamped on the MDF to get all the straight cuts.

I hadn't appreciated that there will be a few joints that I am unable to screw but, I will be able to screw a majority of these as I understand it? With joints like this:

Should I glue and dowel?

 

[mrrusty]

Yes, glue and dowel as much as you can. Also looking at that design it's very clever - it looks random but the uprights are carefully positioned to spread the load. Obviously the uprights low down are taking all the weight of the higher levels. You will have to be careful you don't have uprights bearing on widely unsupported horizontals, or they will bend.

 

[Jupiter01]

I will try to follow a similar format for mine but without having a detailed design, it will be based on approximations e.g. have the same number of uprights in a given tier and approximately the same shaped squares/rectangles - to achieve similar aesthetics.

I am hoping that this will also help with strength given your comment on their clever design but I think the key is to avoid any wide unsupported horizontal shelves?

 

[Diver Fred]

Find Peter Millard on Youtoobe and take note of his guidance on materials, finishing, assembling, etc. He has several clips on making units similar to what you want. Using MDF you may be better off with using MR MDF.