Attaching shelves in bookcases

[Steve Mellott]

In an older issue of Fine Homebuilding (April/May 2003) there is an article about building bookshelves. Within the article, the author says "dadoes aren't necessary for shelf support; screws are stong enough for bookshelves." He attaches the shelves by shooting the screws through the side walls into the end grain of the shelves.

I've always thought dadoes were necessary, but I'm always willing to learn different methods (especially one that can save a lot of time without affecting the quality of the finished product). How many of you attach shelves this way - no dadoes, screws through the sides into the endgrain of the shelves? What kind of screws do you use? If you use this method, I'm assuming it works.

Thanks.

Steve

[David Giles]

If the shelves were dead tight with the case walls, maybe. The nails would hold the shelves in place. The shelves couldn't tip or slide because they were tight to the case. Let a little paint or polyurethane seep into the microscopic gap and it would provide some adhesion between the two pieces.

This is a purely hypothetical homebuilding situation. I bet the homeowner adds a support ledge to some of them within a year.

[Doug Shepard]

I've done a hybrid of sorts with hardwood veneer ply bookshelves. A shallow dado (just to aid assembly) then screws from the outside, countersunk, and plugged. Dont think I'd want to do real wood shelves that way though.

[John Thompson]

If the outside ends of the bookshelves will be exposed, screws aren't an option at my shop. I suppose you could counter-sink the head and plug them.. but that would create an "effect" with something more than "arts and craft" styles IMO.

Even if the plugs would compliment the design, I personally have a problem with screws in end grain. If.. I did it, I would cut a slot in the end grain and glue in a piece of hard-wood long grain for the screws to anchor in. I did just that recently when attaching hardware to side rails on a bed. I just don't trust endgrain and only in special cases would I use a screw period.

My method for standard book-shelves that will have exposed outsides is to cut a dove-tail from the back side and stop it short of the front so the DT joint won't show. In other words.. a glued blind DT that is not exposed in a piece that an exposed joint would not be called for.

It all depends on the final look you are looking for really, but screws (pocket or straight driven) and biscuits are pretty much reserved for shop cabinets.. decks.. and other non detail work on the home in my work.

Sarge..

[Joe Chritz]

Many thousand cabinets are built that way. Including most that I now build.

If the sides weren't going to show there isn't a reason I can think of the not use screws. I use assembly screws from WW hardware. The #8's are better in my opinion.

Joe

[Art Mann]

I have built several bookshelves like that and none have ever failed with a full load of heavy books. With good technique, you will be fine.

May I suggest that, instead of shooting screws from the outside, you use a pocket hole jig and shoot the screws in from underneath the shelf where they won't show? If you don't have a pocket hole jig, Kreg sells a simple little one for not much money that works just fine. A pocket hole jig is enormously convenient for all sorts of utilitarian projects.

By the way, if I were making fine furniture out of expensive lumber, I wouldn't use metal fasteners at all, but rather dowel joinery or some other technique that wouldn't show.

[Loren Hedahl]

This obviously should be reason enough to invest in a Festool Domino.

[Charlie Plesums]

I find it is far easier to finish bookcases without the shelves or back installed, so I build my bookcases with adjustable shelves (1/4 inch shelf pins) that support shelves up to 3 feet long. I insist on no more than 5 feet without a fixed shelf, to stabilize the sides, so most tall bookcases have a fixed shelf 30 inches off the floor, plus top and bottom in dadoes. I attach the back in a rabbet after finishing.

[Joe Chritz]

Just wanted to add that there is a big difference between cabinet carcass construction and a fine furniture book shelf/library.

The library in my office is about 9'6" wide and has raised panel sides so obviously no screws.

Joe

[Richard M. Wolfe]

For fixed shelves I use dados. Just buting a shelf and screwing it in assumes everything fits perfectly to make it look right. There's been enough written about plywood quality these days that using a dado makes it easier to fit a shelf than trying to make warped plywood flat, and plywood is what I use for the vast majority of bookcase sides I build.

For adjustable shelves there are a number of options (hangers). If I make it very tall, however, like Charlie I put a fixed shelf about halfway up for stability.

[Jim Summers]

How about doweling and glueing in the tops and bottoms and any fixed shelves. I would think with several dowels across the ends of the shelves and glued and clamped would be strong.

HTH

[Lee Schierer]

I generally use 1/4" shelf support clips for book shelves. The clips make the shelves adjustable. I've never had a shelf support pin fail,even in pine with a full set of encyclopedias on the shelf.

However, with that said, the shelf will hold more weight set in a dado than it will being supported by nails or screws into the end grain. Screws or nails may be sufficient for most needs so it is your call. Hiding the screws would be almost as much work as cutting dados.

[Jim Becker]

The library in my office is about 9'6" wide and has raised panel sides so obviously no screws.

You can still build with screws from the side. You do your end panels as overlays and build the "innards" like any other hidden cabinet carcass. And that leaves more support for your face frames, too.

[Joe Chritz]

I have built the kitchen I am currently doing that way but used 1/4 ply skins. On the library I wanted the backs of the panels visible so no applied panels this time.

On most carcass construction that is the best way. Assembly screws, pocket screws for the face frame and a plywood skin or applied panel. Plus it has the added stability of plywood.

Joe

[Steve Mellott]

Thanks for all the suggestions. For now, I think I will continue to dado the shelves. Thanks again.