DIYers: Help me build a bookcase

seeker

Sun, Jan 01 2017, 1:06 pm

The problem with craigslist is you need transportation. If I had a van and two strong boys then maybe it would work but I have neither. I once tried picking up an IKEA bookshelf disassembled and it totally fell apart when I tried to put it back together here. And other than IKEA most things don't seem to come apart at all.

Can't do anything hanging from the wall. My walls are literally impossible to drill into.

byisrael

Sun, Jan 01 2017, 3:48 pm

Are you sure that you cant drill anything in?
Maybe buy one sample piece of framing lumbe and give it a try?

Framing lumber is really not expensive in HD
http://www.homedepot.com/b/Lum.....Zc3tc

And drywall/materials are relativly cheap as well - you shouldn't need more then two sheets (if you need more then 1 )
http://www.homedepot.com/b/Bui.....Zbb52

I'd estimate the whole thing would cost you 60-70$

seeker

Mon, Jan 02 2017, 12:00 am

Pretty much positive drilling into the walls is hopeless. It might also be illegal but I'm not too worried about that, I'm sure everyone does it anyway. But there are lots of places that literally can't be drilled into, they're solid concrete or something, and I tried using this thing DH bought at HD to find the places to drill into and it didn't work. Then the places where I have gotten things in, they have often plopped back out either shortly or over time. After patting myself on the back for securing my bookshelves to the wall, I discovered this several years later when I wanted to move one. Then I tried various types of screw anchors. Broke some. Others didn't go in. Oh, and did I mention most places you can't even drill a hole except maybe with a jackhammer that would take down the building?

The curious thing is that the desk I'm typing on right now is really a plank of wood held up to the wall by brackets. I put in as many brackets with as many screws as I could and I'm still surprised it's held up so well. A few of the screws did the plopping out thing, and the plank is a little wobbly, and any time anyone leans their elbows on it I worry, but surprisingly it's been here a couple of years already.

But I don't think that kind of luck happens twice. I haven't even been able to anchor my bookshelves since then. They have leveling screws on the bottom so I propped up the front to make them lean toward the wall and hope that helps.

Spirit (I can't count your 'e's, sorry!) I'm not sure I understand the brick idea. Any visual?

gp2.0

Mon, Jan 02 2017, 12:35 am

seeker wrote:

You can find studs by knocking on the wall and listening to the sound. The knocks in between studs will sound hollow and deeper. When the knock sounds flatter and shorter, you found a stud. Once you find two studs you can measure the distance between them and you'll have an easier time finding them in the future.

It sounds like your walls were constructed with metal mesh and plaster or concrete. They still have 2x4 studs behind them but you'd probably need longer screws to reach them and a bit of trial and error if the spot you choose happens to hit metal instead of the space between.

seeker

Mon, Jan 02 2017, 3:21 pm

For the time and money it would take to buy a drill and bit and hardware that can handle these walls, and figure out how to use them without making my building fall down, and chop down the trees and make the shelves, I could just buy another $300 worth of floor-to-ceiling Pax units and their shelves/drawers from IKEA. The only thing I dislike about them is that the one I have the drawers don't pull out far enough to reach the back. Other than that - they look great, they were easy to put together, they go almost to the ceiling, and so far they're holding up fine. And they'd fit my space pretty perfectly. But first I'm going to see what I can do with what I have already, because much as I hate the dresser it's already here and now that I did a lot of stowing away extras and moving things to DH's bookshelf, it looks like it might be big enough to fit what I really need it to. I wonder if I can build or buy some kind of hutch to go on top of it for extra storage. It would also be nice to replace DH's bookshelf with something taller and possibly wider (like 3 bins across wide, which is what I was unsuccessful looking for in the first place... WHY are there no 36" wide bookshelves on the budget market?)