Make Cheap Book Shelves
Pine is an inexpensive wood and can be used to make cheap bookshelves. The surface of the wood can be painted or stained, but it is a soft wood and will easily bruise. One way to give the book shelves an antique and rich appearance is to scorch the surface. When the bookshelves are finished in this manner, a few dents or nicks will add to the wood's character. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Measure the area where you will be adding the bookshelf. This will help you decide how many pine boards to purchase for each shelf. Don't make any shelf longer than 4 feet, unless you plan to add additional support. Depending on the location, you can go from about two to five shelves high for the bookshelf.
2. Find a safe location to scorch the boards with a torch. Keep away from the building, and make sure there are no flammable materials nearby. The object is not to set the boards on fire, but to lightly scorch the surface of the boards. If you aren't familiar with operating a torch, get a friend who is to help you.
3. Brush the entire surface of the scorched board with a wire brush, removing any ash. Wipe each plank down with a rag to remove residue.
4. Seal all sides of the scorched pine planks with a coat of clear polyurethane sealant. Allow to dry.
5. Position the planks on cinder blocks. Each plank will set on a pair of cinder blocks, with a second set of cinder blocks resting on top of the plank to hold the next shelf. The cinder blocks should be positioned at the ends of the planks. Choose cinder blocks that will give you the desired space between each shelf.
Tags: cinder blocks, Cheap Book, Cheap Book Shelves, each shelf, Make Cheap Book, scorch surface