Should I use 12 inch or 3/4 inch plywood for building cube shelving with a mix of horizontal and vertical pieces, considering long-term durability while holding a lot of books?
I’m thinking of making cube shelving for a room that’s about 9 1/2 by 8 feet. I’m planning on building 4 boxes to put together, two will be 47.75 inches by 46.75 inches each (one on top of the other), and the other two will be 63.5 inches by 46.75 inches (one on top of the other). The cube shelves inside will be 15.25 inches by 15.25 inches. I’ll secure them all with pocket screws and glue. Seems like it will hold a ton of books!
1. Do you think 1/2 inch plywood would be good for this project?
2. Would the 1/2 inch plywood for the shelves be too thin and bend over time? Could I use 3/4 inch plywood for the shelves and 1/2 inch for the vertical pieces? If yes, how deep should I set the Kreg pocket hole jig, for 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch plywood? And should I use screws for 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch plywood?
3. Or should I just stick with 3/4 inch plywood for the
3/4 is the way to go all day long. People often underestimate how heavy books can be.
You might want to consider using 2x12s for the shelves like I did. That way, you won’t ever have to worry about them sagging.
Hey , I’ve been using that setup and it’s been great. But now I want to maximize the vertical space because we have more books. I figured making cube shelves and hanging the boxes from the ceiling and side wall would be the best way to do that 🤷
Null