We’ll walk you through how we built the built-in bookshelves in our son’s bedroom. This is a straightforward DIY that we’ve reused in other rooms—from a living room doorway to a beach house pantry. These bedroom shelves were our first attempt at the design, and we were really pleased with the result.
This tutorial covers building the upper shelving portion of the built-ins. The cabinet bases were an Ikea-hack and we later finished the installation with crown molding, but this guide focuses on the shelving itself so you can adapt it to whatever combination of cabinets, bases, or trim you prefer.
Table of Contents
Tools & Materials To Build A Bookshelf
Below are the typical supplies and tools needed to build these shelves. If you don’t own a table saw or circular saw, many home improvement stores rent tools and some will make the primary cuts for you. For precision and repeatable cuts, having access to a table saw or a contractor’s circular saw guide is especially helpful.
- 1/2″ MDF or 1/2″ plywood for shelves
- 1×3 pine (ripped in half) for shelf supports
- 1×2 pine for face trim pieces
- 1×4 or 1×6 pine for a top brace
- Measuring tape
- Stud finder
- 24″ level
- Clamps
- Nail gun with finish nails
- Miter saw
- Table saw or circular saw
- Power drill/driver
- Wood glue
- Paintable caulk
- Primer, paint, and painting supplies
The exact quantities depend on your design and the bookshelf dimensions, so plan carefully before cutting material.
Step 1: Plan Your Build
Measure the space and sketch a plan. Laying out a cutting diagram for a 4×8 sheet of plywood or MDF helps you maximize material and avoid waste. Planning ahead also makes it easier to estimate costs and determine how many sheets or lengths of lumber you need.
Note: We used plywood to better match the subtle wood grain of nearby cabinetry. For a very smooth painted finish, MDF is a good alternative.
Step 2: Cut Your Shelf Pieces
Cut your shelves and side panels from plywood or MDF using a table saw or a circular saw with a straightedge guide. If you don’t have a table saw, many stores will rip plywood into strips for you. When cutting at home, measure carefully and clamp pieces together to make matching cuts when possible.
Step 3: Prime & Paint Your Shelves
It’s usually much easier to prime and paint large flat pieces before installation. Painting flat with a roller gives a more even finish and saves time compared with painting in place. Be sure to prime raw plywood or MDF first; primer helps paint adhere and hides any tannins or surface inconsistencies.
We used a medium-gray paint color for these shelves, but pick a finish that works with your room’s palette.
Step 4: Build Your Bookshelf Frame
With paint dry, start by securing one tall side panel to the wall using screws into studs. Use a stud finder and countersink screws so you can fill and conceal the holes later. For the opposite side, if you can’t fasten it directly into studs, create a hidden top brace: attach a 1×3 strip to the wall across the top into studs, and fasten the vertical side into that brace. This hidden backing keeps costs down and provides a solid attachment point.
We also added a 1×6 brace across the front at the top to help square the unit. You can add temporary spacers at the base while assembling to keep everything aligned.
Step 5: Add Your Shelves
Decide shelf spacing before permanently fastening anything. We used painter’s tape to visualize spacing and settled on evenly spaced shelves with about 10″ of vertical clearance between them. Remember to account for the thickness of the shelf material when laying out spacing.
Attach thin support strips under each shelf on three sides. We ripped 1×3 lumber into narrower strips (about 3/4″ thick) so the supports are hidden behind the face trim later. Fasten each support level and secure into studs where possible for long-term strength, then set the painted shelf boards into place and fasten them down into the supports.
Step 6: Finish With Face Pieces
Adding 1×2 face trim along the front of each shelf hides raw edges and makes the shelves appear thicker and more finished. Nail or glue the trim in place, then fill nail holes and seams before caulking and painting. This step significantly improves the final look by creating a clean, built-in appearance.
Step 7: Caulk & Touch-Up Paint
Caulk all seams where surfaces meet—shelf to wall, support to wall, and trim to shelf—then let the caulk cure. Afterward, do touch-up painting over caulk lines and any filled nail holes. These final touches are quick but they elevate the overall finish and hide minor gaps or irregularities.
Step 8: Add Crown Molding (Optional)
If you want a more built-in, polished look, add crown molding across the top and integrate it with any existing room molding. A layered or “beefy” crown technique—adding a flat board behind the crown to thicken it—can make the top feel more substantial. This step is optional depending on your taste and the style of the room.
We were happy with how these shelves turned out: they were affordable, sturdy, and attractive. Including the cabinet bases, the build came in around $60 per side in materials for our layout, and they serve well for both storage and display.
More DIY Shelving Projects
If you want more shelving ideas, look for roundups of DIY shelf projects and pantry shelving builds that use similar framing and support techniques. The same basic approach—plan, cut, prime, build a secure frame, add supports, and finish with trim—can be adapted to custom sizes and styles for virtually any room.