Building the Bookcases

(A guest post by Dev.)

First I bought and assembled one BILLY bookcase as a test (I used the BILLY with dimensions 31 1/2" x 11" x 79 1/2").  This BILLY has three fixed shelves, so I wanted to anchor the bookcases into the supporting wall at those three places to make the finished unit as sturdy as possible.  I also took off the existing baseboard so that the cases would sit flush against the wall.

Removing the baseboards

I marked the heights of those three shelves along the wall using a chalk line. Then I used a magnet and a stud finder to find the locations of the studs.   I ran a 1x3 furring strip along the chalk lines and screwed the strip into the studs.

Marking chalk lines

 

Then I assembled all five bookcases and added the height extensions.  

 

Before I finished the assembly I drilled holes into the back of the height extensions so that I could run cables between the cases for speaker wire, extension cords, networking cable, etc. At this time I also ran some network cable from the attic down to the bookcases in case I want to use a networked music device or wifi expansion device in the bookcases in the future.



I also cut a hole for the existing electrical box in the back of the bookcase.  The extension cord dangling below the outlet runs up behind the back of the bookcase to power the stereo on the upper shelf.  Later I replaced the receptacle and finished the hole in the bookcase with a small white picture frame.

To close the gap between the top of the bookcases and the ceiling, I made a truss with some 2x4s.  I had to accommodate the varying heights of the bookcases due to the unevenness of the floor and ceiling (each bookcase had a slightly different gap to the ceiling).  I carefully measured the gaps at two points along each case and cut the truss accordingly using a compound miter saw.  The finished truss was the width of the bookcase unit.

The finished truss



Bookcases with truss installed

At this point I also located and marked the ceiling joists using a stud finder, a magnet, and measurements taken from the attic.  Then I was able to screw the truss into the ceiling in a structurally sound way.  The truss is inset from the front of the bookcases by about 1/2" to accommodate the drywall I would install later.

I added 1x3's on top of the toe-kicks on each bookcase and then added baseboard to match the baseboards in the rest of the living room.

I also added 1x3 furring strips to the side of the bookcase to accommodate drywall and to make enough width for the vertical trim.

 

Then I ran pieces of chair rail trim vertically along the places where the bookcases meet.  I ripped another strip of chair rail with the table saw to make a piece that was straight and horizontal along one side and attached it to the top of the unit to that it transitioned nicely from the vertical pieces to the drywall above.

Close-up of the vertical and horizontal chair rail pieces

Then I added drywall to the top and side of the bookcase to integrate it into the surrounding wall, followed by crown molding along the top that matches the molding in the rest of the living room. 

Lastly, I painted the drywall and trim the same shade of white as the walls in the room (Valspar's Subway Tile).  The trim was painted in semi-gloss and the drywall flats in eggshell.  Then all that was left was to add the remaining, adjustable shelves with the pegs provided.