Steps
Step 1
I have had the bookshelves sitting in my foyer since Christmas time, I started mid March in retrofitting them. All because I had one too many DVD's and wanted it tidier....
Need to sand the laminate back a bit to rough up the surface for the laminate paint to take hold.
Trying to figure out if I could actually put three shelves in. Sadly not really as the foyer wall would feel too cramped, and would also stop the door opening all the way back.
The other side of the bookcase wall in the foyer (project to follow)
No way was I going to sand those bookcases in the house...
Removing the old rubber trim, In offices it makes sense, at home, nope.
Sanding the surface back, it really does help bonding the laminate paint.
I used a Belt sander and it worked well. For such a cheap item it really has earnt its keep.
Made sure I held onto the shelf while sanding with the belt sander otherwise "zip" and its gone! That sander trully has a lot of torque!
I used caution as the belt sander would rip into the MDF easily.
I thought I was finished, then realised I needed another four shelves 😕
Step 2
New day, more shelves to sand and then trim the lengths. The shelves and the shells of the bookcases actually come from a few different models of the same styled bookshelf. Hence the shelves needed trimming down to fit.
Oversized width, Out comes the trusty circular saw.
As you can see the shelves are different in size and width.
It was nice working outside, Its the very start of Autumn.
You can see the texture change once sanded with the belt sander. I use to do this sanding with a hand sander. So much easier.
All done!
Dusk setting in, time to pack up for the day.
The piece of pine that I then had my carpenter mate rip the timber trims down for me as I dont have a table saw. So much cheaper then buying the trim precut.
Prepped and ready for painting
Drop cloth is always a good idea.
The back of the bookcase is just masonite so it dosnt need the laminate paint coating.
The "on special" laminate paint 🙂
Slowly getting through all the shelves, The problem became "where do I put them to dry"
All done!
Step 3
In between this stage I was renovating my foyer and hall so the surrounding area may change colours 🙂 It was actually nice just moving through the stages and knowing things were on track.
The black paint I was using. I figured since I kind of like that style of bookcase It was cheaper to buy the 4L of it 🙂
Getting things sorted again
With the retrofitting of the bookshelf, I add an extra shelf into the carcass. The shelves sit on brass pins that slot into a metal sleeve in the side of the bookshelfs. I did NOT want to chance drilling all the way through the side of the bookshelf, hence the blue tape on the drill bit for depth of hole.
The brass pin and the metal ferule that I I was lucky one of the workshop guys made up for me 🙂
Installed, tapped in with a small pin hammer.
I can remember when I first did this style of bookshelves, I was so nervous about getting the measurements right that I spent hours measuring, this time I just flowed through. Repittition really works.
Now to continue painting.
My solution as to where to dry the bookshelves, They were touch dry but I needed to paint inside the bookshelf. So a fresh piece of A4 paper and the weight of the shelf held it in place. (against brand new white walls 🐵 NOTE -The laminate paint really needs to "harder" for a few weeks before the shelves or items go back on, it has a tacky feeling even tho its dry its still bonding.
The Danish oil I used on the timber trim for the shelves and edges of the bookcases. I always try and take photos of the consumables I use for each project, makes it a lot easier down the track.
The paint brush I used for the oiling. (I wrapped it in a plastic bag overnight so I could do two coats)
All painted jet black!
Very happy with the look.
Step 4
The black of the shelves was really startingto stand out with the newly painted white walls of the foyer, Kept thinking "I love it when A plan comes together"... 🙂
I put a new powerpoint in for the bookcase lighting, decided on black.... Mmmm still not sold on it. Tho it does match. I was lucky to have a powerpoint on the wall in the room next door. Tho when I caculated where the cable would come out I made a mistake lol I measured from the frontdoor to the bookcase, then went into the room and measured the corner of the wall to the powerpoint, so I figured I had to go through a stud so that the powerpoint wouldnt be directly behind the bookcases... Yeah, I messed up, the foyers front door is set back by about 800mm from the front wall.... Arggggg lol thats why the powerpoint is kind of on its on, works well for the door opening and things not getting caught tho.
Trim all sorted, cut to length and ready to go.
The nails and drill bit for the pre-drilled holes into the timber trim.
Said tools 🙂
At this point I realised that something wasnt quiet right... If you look at the center vertical line of the bookshelves they are out a little off at the base...
I could have used a wider trim in the middle of the two shelves but didnt want to "lock" myself into them being fixed together.
The issue, I couldnt figure out why at first. I tried adjusting, lifting but then they would slip back apart. Admittedly it was late at night (midnight ish) that i was installing the trim but still...
Wooohooo All trim done, The reason why the bookcases had that seperation angle. The floor wasnt exactly level, plus the feet of the shelves had been damaged a tiny amount. Together they had a lean, seperate they looked fine. Solution was to use a 5mm thick offcut of timber trim and place it under the middle feet of the bookcsases and bingo! Perfect and you cant see the offcut 🙂
Ikea bookcase lights going in.
Just the lights for the bookcases on, no main lighting needed.
All done, now to install the DVD's
All finished! Very happy with how the look is and I was getting stressed I would run out of space on the shelves 😲 They just fitted! And yes if anyone is asking, they are all in alphabetical order.... 🙂
