🖼️
The project:
I upgraded our living space by replacing an overflowing, ugly chipboard unit with custom plywood storage faced in elegant walnut and blackbutt. It elegantly houses my partner’s 500-album collection with room to grow—which makes me a little nervous, but looks incredible!
By incorporating a styled upper shelf for books, plants, and family photos, the new design seamlessly integrates with the wood wall paneling. It doesn’t just organise the clutter; it elevates the entire room, making the whole space feel significantly warmer and cosier.
- Materials:
Structural Core: CD Grade Structural Plywood
Facing & Trim: Walnut 1.2mm ply veneer and solid Blackbutt timber
Walnut Stain: Feast Watson 250ml Walnut Prooftint Interior Stain
Black Stain: Feast Watson 250ml Black Prooftint Interior Stain
Pre-Stain Prep: Cabot's 1L Interior Stain Conditioner (used before staining to ensure the timber and ply accept the color evenly without blotching)
Wood Glue: Selleys 500ml Aquadere Exterior Wood Glue
Timber Filler: Timbermate 250g Walnut Wood Filler
Fasteners: Grip-X 15G x 30mm Bright Steel DA Brad Nails and Zenith 8G x 40mm Hinge Long Thread Countersunk Wood Screuing
Upper Shelf Timber: SpecRight 90 x 19mm 2.7m Decking planks
- Tools:
Track Saw System: Kreg Straight Edge Guide (paired with your circular saw for perfectly straight sheet cuts)
Precision Leveling: Empire 150mm Digital Torpedo Level
Cutting: Ryobi One+ 18V 165mm Cordless Circular Saw
Fastening: Ryobi One+ 18V 18G Brad Nailer and Ryobi One+ 18V Cordless Drill Driver
Clamping: Irwin 300mm Quick-Grip Bar Clamps
Pocket Hole Joinery: Kreg Pocket Hole Jig 320
Mitre Cutting: Ryobi One+ 18V 184mm Cordless Mitre Saw (drop saw for clean, square crosscuts on the face frames)
Edge Routing: Ryobi One+ 18V Trim Router (for flushing up veneers or putting clean profiles on the timber edges)
Jigsaw: Ryobi One+ 18V Cordless Jigsaw (used to cut the custom curve on your Blackbutt benchtop and notch it around the doorframe)
Veneer Application: Uni-Pro 100mm Paint And Glue Roller (or a sturdy wood scraper/j-roller to ensure the walnut veneer ply bonds flat and smoothly to the thinner CD ply backing)
Sanding: Ryobi One+ 18V 5" Random Orbital Sander (essential for flushing up the timber filler, prepping the timber for the stain conditioner, and smoothing out the routed edges)
Stain Application: Uni-Pro 50mm Woodcare Paint Brush or lint-free rags for rubbing back the Prooftint stain evenly.
Stud Finder: Stanley Stud Finder S100 (essential for locating the timber studs behind the plaster wall to securely hang the heavy upper shelf, corbels, and paneling)
- Step 1:
Step 1: Breakdown and Component Cutting
Rip the Plywood Sheets: Use the circular saw paired with the Kreg Straight Edge Guide to break down the CD-grade structural plywood sheets into uniform strips for the outer carcass and internal vertical dividers.
Crosscuts: Use the drop saw (mitre saw) to quickly crosscut the internal shelves and divider pieces to their exact, final lengths.
Edge Prep: Use the trim router to clean up any rough edges on the cut plywood panels before assembly.
- Step 2:
Step 2: Joinery and Pre-Stain Preparation
Drill Pocket Holes: Use the Kreg Pocket Hole Jig on the undersides of the internal shelving and partitions to hide the structural joints from view.
Sand Everything: Thoroughly sand all plywood faces and solid timber trim to remove manufacturing marks.
Condition the Wood: Apply Cabot's Interior Stain Conditioner to all timber and plywood surfaces. This prevents blotchiness and ensures the raw grain accepts the stain completely evenly.
- Step 3:
Step 3: Assembly and Carcass Construction
Glue and Fasten: Apply high-strength wood glue to the joints, clamp the pieces securely with bar clamps, and drive wood screws into the pocket holes to lock the main carcass together.
Check for Level: Use the Empire Digital Torpedo Level continuously during assembly to ensure every single divider is perfectly square and the rows sit completely flat.
Face and Trim: Glue and tack down the walnut and solid Blackbutt face frames onto the raw plywood front edges using the brad nailer.
- Step 4:
Step 4: Finishing and Defect Prep
Fill the Holes: Use Timbermate Walnut Wood Filler to patch over the pin nail holes on the face frames and any minor joinery gaps. Let it dry completely and sand it flush.
Apply the Stains: Carefully apply the Feast Watson Walnut Stain across the main shelving body to match the deep warmth of the room. Use the Black Stain for any contrasting shadow lines or deep accent backings.
- Step 5:
Step 5: Corbels and Upper Shelf Installation
Craft the Corbels: Use scrap pieces of Blackbutt timber to shape and construct custom supporting corbels. I kept mine simple triangles and routed the edges to make it look more professional
Install the Ledge: Cut the decking boards to length using the drop saw, mount them onto the corbels, and fix the entire assembly high on the wall paneling. Double-check everything with the digital level to ensure the deep shelf sits perfectly flat.
Styling: Place your plants, framed family photos, books, and decorative pieces back onto the upper shelf to finish the space!
