Bookcase out of square

[Tyler Bancroft]

I botched the assembly of a full-height plywood bookcase badly today – the clamps pulled it out of square (say, by 5-6 degrees) and I didn't catch it in time to correct it. Am I correct in thinking that this is far too off to be safe to use as a bookcase? Or can I get away with it and just live with my shame?

[Derek Cohen]

Is it possible to heat the joints to soften the glue, reclamp, and let the glue dry again? I think 5 degrees is too much. It will show up anything else square close by.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Lee Schierer]

Will this bookcase have a back? You might be able to square it up with a full back panel.

[Tyler Bancroft]

Is it possible to heat the joints to soften the glue, reclamp, and let the glue dry again? I think 5 degrees is too much. It will show up anything else square close by.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I'm less concerned with aesthetics than I am with stability. This bookcase won't be in the immediate vicinity of other furniture, so I'm hoping it won't be as noticeable. Also, the case has eight shelves, and I doubt I could manage it.

Lee: Yes, the back is rabbeted for a back panel. I am wondering if I can lay it on its side to try to flatten it some and then force it with the back panel. I am worried about the stress on the joints, however.

[Lee Schierer]

Lee: Yes, the back is rabbeted for a back panel. I am wondering if I can lay it on its side to try to flatten it some and then force it with the back panel. I am worried about the stress on the joints, however.

Not knowing which way it is out of square, it is difficult to give sensible suggestions. If the diagonals of the outer case are not equal you can shorten the long diagonal with a long clamp from corner to corner and work the back panel in. I had to do a bit of persuasion for this large bookcase in order to get the back panel in.
bookcase.jpg

[Tyler Bancroft]

I remeasured last night and found I was overestimating how off it was (closer to two degrees). Did it again this morning with the carcass out of clamps, and it's only out by about a degree now, so I should be able to square it up with the back. Thanks all.

[Thomas Wilson]

Whew. I’ve been there. You should be able to pull it square. I have pipe clamps that I can connect together to make a long enough clamp to span the diagonal. There are also tricks using posts clamped to the corners and a ratchet strap.

Big glue ups are stressful.

[Tyler Bancroft]

Whew. I’ve been there. You should be able to pull it square. I have pipe clamps that I can connect together to make a long enough clamp to span the diagonal. There are also tricks using posts clamped to the corners and a ratchet strap.

Big glue ups are stressful.

Eight shelves and sixteen dadoes...not my finest performance.

[Jim Koepke]

Eight shelves and sixteen dadoes...not my finest performance.

Don't feel alone on this. One of my dadoes for a shelf was low on one side by a little more than an inch. The shelves were pine. Since there was a support in the center of the shelf, it took a bit of strong arming the shelf to force it into it's dado. Since it was for clothes it didn't show as much.

jtk

[Thomas Crawford]

Depending on the floor material you might want to attach it to a wall. If small kids are going to potentially climb on it I'd definitely attach it.

[Jim Koepke]

Depending on the floor material you might want to attach it to a wall. If small kids are going to potentially climb on it I'd definitely attach it.

Here in the western states it is best to attach everything to the wall because of earthquakes.

jtk

[Tyler Bancroft]

So, after fitting the back, it's still a degree (maybe two degrees) racked out of square. In a 76" bookcase, how much of a stability issue is that? It will, of course, be attached to the wall, but I don't want to rely on that.

[Lee Schierer]

So, after fitting the back, it's still a degree (maybe two degrees) racked out of square. In a 76" bookcase, how much of a stability issue is that? It will, of course, be attached to the wall, but I don't want to rely on that.

To be out of square 2 degrees the top would be 2-5/8" out of line with the base. Even if that were true, A rectangular shape will not tip over until they center of gravity is moved beyond the limits of the base. Of course as the C/G approaches the edge of the base it becomes less stable.

[Dave Fitzgerald]

Make a second, mirror-image bookcase and lean them up against each other.