DIY BOOK BIN

I’ve had so many DMs about the book bin I made back in November, from people asking for DIY instructions. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to write a follow up post, but here it is.

I just fumbled my way through this project, fueled by Pinterest pics and memories of woodworking with my dad. It’s taken me a bit to remember exactly how I put it together but finally, here it is. Enjoy!

YOU WILL NEED:

I used 3/4 “ wood boards that I bought at Lowe’s. If you are following all of my measurements, the width of the board matters.

• 1 x Bottom Piece – 36” x 16”
• 2 x Long Side Pieces – 36” x 9”
• 4 x Short Side and Insert Pieces – 14.50“ x 9”
• 4 x Table Legs (I used these)
• Furniture Leg Attachment Plates (I used these)
• Wood Glue
• Drill
• Wood Screws
• Removable wallpaper (I used Livettes Dalmatian Spot Print)
• Semi-Gloss or Gloss Paint (I used white)

DIRECTIONS:

First lay the base piece on a flat surface and use the wood glue to fix one long side piece onto the base.

Then glue the 4 short side and insert pieces on, and finally the last long side piece.

When the glue is dry, turn the box over so that the base is on top and drill screws through the base and into the side pieces and inserts to reinforce them. This is the trickiest part because you need to be careful to get the screws in the right place, and you need to be gentle so the whole box doesn’t collapse before you’ve reinforced it.

Then it’s time to paint the whole thing. You don’t technically need to paint the inside of the inserts where the wallpaper will be but I did anyway, for a nicer finish. I did two coats, and given drying time and turning time, it took me a good four days. I also painted the table legs in white, to match the outside of the box.

Now for the fun part, the wallpaper! I had Livettes cut the pieces to size, but you can use a utility knife and do it yourself. Just be careful to measure first! I covered the inside side panels, which ended up being 12 pieces in total, but if you know which way the book bin will face, you needn’t cover the panels you won’t see.

Lastly, attach the painted table legs, starting with the mounting plates, which come with instructions.

We love the book bin. It keeps piles of books off the floor of the boys’ closets and adds color to the bedroom. We love flipping through it at night to pick a book. It’s like our own little library. I hope you make one – let me know if you have any questions!

XO