“STEALTH” BOOK SHELF

This is a unique, space-saving way to store and display your books and have them handy for reading and reference. You can make more than one and they will look very artsy hanging on your wall. 

(*Spoiler Alert*- you will have to sacrifice a hard cover book for each shelf- I suggest picking up an obscure title in the sale bin of a used book store.)

MATERIALS AND TOOLS

A hard cover book

One shelf “L” bracket

1/8” hardboard

Gorilla glue (or construction adhesive)

Pop rivet gun and pop rivets (or small machine screws and nuts)

Plastic wall anchors and screws

Drill and drill bit to fit rivets or screws.

X-acto or utility knife

Hacksaw

If necessary, measure and cut one side of the bracket with a hacksaw so it fits inside the book. Drill new mounting holes in it if you cut off the old ones.

Cut your hardboard so it fits inside the book but leave a border of paper at the edges. You can do this with the utility knife but be careful. You don’t want to see the hardboard from a sideview, only pages.

Center the support and bracket upside down inside the rear cover. Cut away enough pages with your utility knife to clear the support. Then cut away a narrower channel of pages to clear the bracket.

Centre the bracket on the hardboard, mark the mounting holes. and drill. Attach the bracket with pop rivets. (Or screws and nuts.) 

Test to see if it all fits. You may have to cut away or notch the top cover. Also, if you used screws you may have to cut spaces in the inside cover to clear the heads so the cover will sit flat. If it’s all good, glue everything in place. (Remember to glue to the inside back cover.Turn it right side up and place some heavy weights on it till dry.

Make sure it’s level, mark the hole locations. Attach to the wall using plastic wall anchors and screws. Stack up your books.