Handmade Furniture Using Books

Anyone who has vintage books lying around their home probably has often wondered if there was a way to put them back into circulation, or at least get them out from underfoot. Why not turn old books into furniture? Handmade furniture using books is not only chic, it's unique.

Books are valuable resources that provide information to the masses, but over the years some books-especially encyclopedias which are updated on a regular basis-can and do become outdated and useless to their owners. Rather than throw these outdated books away or stuff the landfills with them, you can choose to decorate your home with them instead. In this manner, you not only help the environment, but you save yourself a few dollars. Projects of this caliber are cool, inexpensive, and fun.

Book furniture

It's amazing what you can do with a box of hardcover books, a couple of pieces of lumber, and a hot glue gun.

Furniture that can be created includes (but is not limited to) the following:

• Bookshelf

• Footstool

• Nightstand

• End table

• Tissue holder

• Planter

To make a bookshelf out of hardcover books you first need to measure the area you'd like to put the bookcase or other book furniture. Remember, too, that dimensions may change, depending on the dimension of the books you have at your disposal.

In order to turn old books into new furniture, you first must treat the books so that they cannot open. Remember, you will not be able to read the book after this, but if it is no longer of use to you, why not preserve it in the form of art?

Think of the books as building blocks or bricks.

A brick should not open in the middle and neither should your book building blocks. To keep the books from opening, you will need to glue the pages shut.

• Open the book and dab glue on inside pages - about every 20 pages or so. Close the book and press so the pages remained glued in clumps.

• While book is closed, pour a liberal amount of glue on the edge of the pages. Dab some glue in the inside sheets to help secure the pages, then smear remaining glue along the page edges with your finger. Any glue will work for this purpose, but you may want to experiment as some types of glue may remain shiny, some may wrinkle the edges of the pages, and some may discolor the paper. Regardless of what type of glue is used, however, it is imperative that the entire surface be covered. Apply glue carefully and avoid getting it on the binding or the cover.

• When stacking books (either on their side, end to end, or in a mixed pattern), add a liberal amount of hot glue between each book as well as between the books and the base. In this case, hot glue is used in place of nails or screws, so make sure to use enough, and take care not to get glue on areas that will be visible.

Bookshelves and large book furniture

• It is best to use several boards of the same length for shelves as well as the base and top. Make sure the "book bricks" are tall enough to accommodate the height of the books that will be stored in the bookcase. Since these bookshelves are very heavy, it is advised to make a short bookcases of no more than three or four shelves and to reinforce each shelf with book bricks in the center and plywood shelves. The finished product will have books on two sides and the back if you choose.For reinforcement, insert one book in the center of the shelf. If the bookcase is two books deep, then insert two books--one in front of the other--down the center of each shelf.

• When making a nightstand or footstool, let your imagination run wild. Do you want the nightstand to be two shelves tall? Do you want it to have a shelf? Do you want it open at two ends, like a squat bookshelf? If so, then it's best to use three pieces of plywood painted to a color that matches your décor, using some of the same colors and complementary-colored books, one as the base, one as the shelf, and one as the top. For a nice touch with great texture, glue books down flat on the top. You may also want to cover with a piece of Plexiglas for ease in cleaning and add wheels for ease in moving the nightstand from place to place.

• A footstool can also be made easily with books, two pieces of plywood (top and base), and wheels. For the top, however, instead of adding a layer of books, why not create a pillow top from fabric embossed with a book print?

Hints

• Paperbacks are not recommended.

• Use same-size books; colors are totally subjective. Old encyclopedias or other series books are generally large books and perfect to use for the sides or walls of the furniture. If you want to use all the same color, a couple of identical sets of encyclopedias would work.

• Before beginning any project, make sure you have enough of the right height books to finish.

• Books are heavy; keep that in mind as you create. If making a large piece of furniture, such as a bookcase, nightstand, end table or footstool, you may want to add a plywood base to the bottom. Adding wheels to the base is another good idea.

• Old, outdated hardcover books can be found at yard sales, in trash bins, and Salvation Army or thrift shops. And don't forget to check your own basement, attic, and garage.

• A plant box can be created with five books-four that are the same size for the sides and one for the bottom. Or you can double the size and make a huge plant stand. Again, if it's going to be heavy or the item you create will be filled with something heavy, it's best to add a plywood base and wheels to the project.