DCL
This shelving system can be made in minutes for your storage purposes.
If my dad had had his way growing up, each room wold have been a library. As an avid book collector, he was always looking for book storage. His answer was a simple one, but it was a simple one that always worked. Not only did his answer to bookshelves always work, but the simple design made it easy to add on shelves without much thought. I recently decided that these shelves should be a part of my bedroom makeover.
How to make your own bookshelves from wood and cinderblocks:
1. Locate your wood. I used old shelves I no longer wanted on my wall. It's better if they are around the same length and width—a difference in height, however, doesn't matter much.
2. Locate your cinderblocks. You'll need two for every shelf. You'll also need two to go below the first piece of wood. I needed six cinderblocks for my project. An easy way to score some free cinderblocks to use is to contact contractors at building sites near you. They're often all around when building are being torn down and most people would be happy to have you take them off of their hands.
3. Carefully start stacking. Cinderblocks are very heavy and can damage a floor if dropped, so be sure to place them slowly in place. Place two cinderblocks apart from each other—the distance depends on the length of your wood. Then place a layer of wood on top of them. Continue this pattern until you are happy with your shelves.
Enjoy! I left the top shelf on my system open for my taller-than-cinderblocks vinyl record collection. If you have books or records taller than cinderblocks, the top shelf is a great place for them. When and/or if you decide to expand your shelving unit, just remove the tall items, add another shelf and more cinderblocks and continue the same way you started. This project is a great way to make use of items you may already have around the house and to organize without buying anything new.
