Scavenger Chic

Pallet Wood Louvred Door Bookcase

• By Joan
• March 23, 2018
• 6 Comments

So far I’ve made 21 projects with recycled shutters.  There have been beds, lamps, bar carts, pictures…you name it, I’ve made a shutter project out of it.  This was supposed to be project #22…a bookcase with shutter sides.

I really had every intention of using an old shutter to create my bookcase vision.  I laid it all out, did a bunch of measuring and came to the sad conclusion that my shutters were just too wide for a bookcase.  There are skinny shutters, but the ones I have are all 16 and 17 inches wide.

I was not deterred.  To the salvage yard.  If anyone would have 12 inch shutters, they would.

They didn’t.

What they did have were 12 inch louvred doors.  Looks just like a shutter without the weathering.

I had a couple 1×12 pieces already on hand for the shelves and I picked up 2 more at the salvage yard.  The actual width of a 1×12 is closer to 11 1/2 inches, not quite as wide as the 12″ doors.

For this project I’m also going to need pallet wood for the backing, a piece of trim molding and scrap pieces of 2×10 and 2×4 for the top.

Though you could make a full length bookcase from the doors,  I’m cutting mine off right below the doorknob hole (so I don’t have to fill the hole) for a height of 43″.

Make all your cuts, the doors and the shelves and sand all the rough splintery ends.

The shelf length is up to you.

The top and bottom pieces I’m attaching with wood  glue and Kreg Jr. Pocket Hole Jig System.

This view is of the top and back of the bookcase.  The screw holes at the top will be covered with another piece of wood.  

The shelves are  lined up flush with the front of the bookcase. leaving a gap in the back.  That gap is where I’ll be inserting the pallet wood backing.

I lifted the bottom shelf off the ground far enough so that I could attach a 3″ piece of moulding and so that the bottom shelf would not be sitting directly on the floor.  The moulding was nailed to the side louvred doors and glued.  For a little more support I glued and nailed on a couple more wood scraps to the corners to give the moulding a little more stability.

The interior shelves are attached with nails through the edge pieces  of the louvred door, not the slats.

Fill in those nail holes with plastic wood and sand.

Paint as desired.  This is white semi-gloss, house trim paint.

Lay out enough pallet wood to cover the back and cut to fit.

Sand.

My pallet wood was treated with a coat of white wax which seals the wood.  You could also leave it natural, paint, or white wash it for the same effect.

Attach your backing.

The top of the shelf is a 2×10 and a 2×4  cut 2 inches longer than the width of the shelf leaving a 1″ overhang on the sides and front. These were sanded and finished with vintage wax then attached to the book case with screws.

To hide  the screws, find a dowel and a drill bit the same size as your dowel.  The dowel must be wider than the head of your screws.   Drill holes 1/2 inch deep.  In those holes, use wood screws to attach your top to the bookcase.  Insert cut dowel pieces the same length as your hole and glue in place.  Sand level and finish with the wax.

This fun swivel hook attached to the side was from Hobby Lobby.

All loaded up with kid books at son #2’s house.

Have a great weekend, stay inspired.

Shared at  Salvaged Junk Projects,

Metamorphosis Monday, Wow us Wednesdays,

Related posts:

DIY Bar Cart with Upcycled Sewing Machine Drawers, Hardwood Flooring and a Shutter Upcycled Shutters Lamp diy Upcycled Shutter Serving Cart Upcycling more Shutters and a DIY Wreath