How to Build Built-in Bookshelves With Adjustable Shelves

Measure the space where you intend to install your built-in bookshelves, using a measuring tape. Take the measurement along the wall to find the width of the unit and measure from the floor to the ceiling to determine the height. You will build your unit out of 1-inch by 10-inch hardwood boards so the unit will have a depth of 10 inches.

Locate the studs in the wall where you intend to install your built-in bookshelves, using a stud finder. Mark the position of the studs on the wall in pencil.

Use a circular saw to cut a sheet of 1/2-inch plywood to the desired width and height dimensions of your shelving unit to serve as the back panel. Stand the piece of plywood upright and position it flat against the wall where you intend to install the unit. Drive 2-inch wood screws through the plywood into the wall studs to secure it in place.

Cut two pieces of 1-inch by 10-inch hardwood to the width of your bookcase, using a circular saw. These boards will serve as the top and bottom panels for your shelving unit. Cut two more pieces of 1-inch by 10-inch hardwood to the height of the unit, minus 2 inches, for the side panels.

Lay the two side panels flat on the ground in front of you. Stretch a measuring tape along the longest side of each board near one edge and make pencil marks every inch and a half, spacing the marks about 2 inches in from the edge. Repeat this process on the left and right edges of both side panels.

Drill a 1/2-inch-deep hole into the wood at each pencil mark using a 1/2-inch drill bit on a drill press. You will use these holes to support the pegs for your adjustable shelves.

Arrange the top, bottom and side panels in a rectangle shape, sandwiching the side panels between the ends of the top and bottom panels. Position the side panels so the holes you just drilled are facing inward. Drive 2-inch wood screws through the top and bottom panels into the side panels to secure the frame.

Stand the completed rectangular frame upright against the wall, aligning the outer edges with the edges of the plywood back panel. Drive 3-inch wood screws at an angle through the frame into the back panel and the wall studs beyond all the way around the frame to secure it to the wall.

Cut the shelves for your bookcase out of 1-inch by 10-inch pine, using the circular saw. Each shelf should be cut to the width of the bookcase minus approximately 2 1/4 inches to accommodate the thickness of the side panels and provide space for manueverability when adjusting the shelves. Cut as many shelves as you like for your bookcase.

Paint or stain the built-in shelving unit and the shelves to match the décor scheme in your room. Allow the paint or stain to dry completely before moving on.

Insert 1/2-inch-wide metal adjustable shelving pegs into the holes you drilled into the side panels at the desired interval for your shelves. Select pegs that have a rounded end to insert into the holes in the frame and a flat end to support the shelf.

Install your shelves, sliding them into the frame at a diagonal. Bring the lower end of the shelf to rest atop the set of pegs on one side of the shelf, then lower the other end of the shelf onto the pegs on the other side. You may need to twist the pegs slightly to ensure that your shelves rest flat.