[1] Submitted by Ana White [2] on Thu, 2012-09-13 12:37 [1] Hey builders! I have a special treat for you today! It's actually kind of a treat for me to. I know you already know my friend Beth from Home Stories A to Z, [3] right? Page 1 of 18
Just in case you don't, you can meet her here. [4] Page 2 of 18
Well, Beth and I have been wanting to work on a project together for so so so long! And finally, we made it happen! Beth wanted to create large letters A and Z above her children's beds (yes, their names start with A and Z). We've had a ton of requests for the giant A and Z letter shelves from you, so I suggested shelves! So Beth went to her workshop... And made this! Page 3 of 18
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I'll be sharing the plans for the standard sized A shelf below. But Beth wanted bigger letters to fit her space below, so she modified the plan and documented everything in her post. And she also posted step by step photos of the build, so please, go check it out! [5] And of course, we'll be adding the Z shelf soon too! Thank you Beth! Summary: How to build a giant letter A Shelf with free plans from Ana-White.com CategoriesProject Type: shelves [6] Room: Kids and Toys [7] Skill Level: Intermediate [8] Style: Children's and Kid's Room Furniture and Toy Plans [9] Estimated Cost: $20 - $50 [10] Dimensions: Dimensions shown for A Shelf Dimensions: 2 1x6 @ 8 feet long 1 1/4 plywood 23 ½ x 29 (for both A and Z letters buy a 1/2 sheet of 1/4" plywood) 1 1/4" Pocket Hole Screws Page 5 of 18
2 (could get away with smaller) finish nails and wood glue Hanging Bracket/Hardware that attaches to back (try heavy duty hooks) Tools: [11] Page 6 of 18
[12] [13] [14] Cut List: 1 1x6 @ 8 (long point to long point, both ends cut at 15 degrees off square, ends NOT parallel) 2 1x6 @ 4 1/2 (long point to short point, both ends cut at 15 degrees off square, ends ARE parallel) 2 1x6 @ 6 (long point to short point, both ends cut at 15 degrees off square, ends ARE parallel) 2 1x6 @ 30 (long point to short point, both ends cut at 15 degrees off square, ends ARE parallel) 1 1x6 @ 7 1/4 (long point to long point, both ends cut at 15 degrees off square, ends NOT parallel) 1 1x6 @ 10 5/8 (long point to long point, both ends cut at 15 degrees off square, ends NOT parallel) 1 1x6 @ 16 3/4 (long point to long point, both ends cut at 15 degrees off square, ends NOT parallel) 2 1x6 @ 5 1/4 (long point to short point, both ends cut at 15 degrees Page 7 of 18
off square, ends ARE parallel) 1 1x6 @ 7 5/8 (long point to long point, both ends cut at 15 degrees off square, ends NOT parallel) 1 1/4" Plywood @ 29 x 23 7/8 General Instructions: Please read through the entire plan and all comments before beginning this project. It is also advisable to review the Getting Started Section. Take all necessary precautions to build safely and smartly. Work on a clean level surface, free of imperfections or debris. Always use straight boards. Check for square after each step. Always predrill holes before attaching with screws. Use glue with finish nails for a stronger hold. Wipe excess glue off bare wood for stained projects, as dried glue will not take stain. Be safe, have fun, and ask for help if you need it. Good luck! Step 1 [15] Page 8 of 18
TIP - If you cut your back plywood first, you can use it as a template for assembling all the pieces! So lay the back plywood down, and then build on top of it - just be careful not to drip glue and stay inside the rectangle. I'd suggest marking centers as well to keep everything square and symmetrical. Start by attaching the center to the two short legs. Step 2 [16] And now the leg bottoms - we are just working our way outward. Step 3 Page 9 of 18
[17] And now the sides. Step 4 Page 10 of 18
[18] And finally the top. Adjust here for square. Step 5 Page 11 of 18
[19] Add the top shelf. Step 6 Page 12 of 18
[20] Now build the center piece. Step 7 Page 13 of 18
[21] And attach it in place. Step 8 Page 14 of 18
[22] Trace the letter on your plywood and cut out with a jigsaw. Attach to back. Shelf will be heavy, so make sure you attach to a stud in the wall. My recommendation would be to add an additional 1x2 support at the very top and also very bottom, and screw directly into the wall. Step 9 Page 15 of 18
[23] Step 9 Instructions: For hanging the shelves, I highly recommend adding some 1x2s inside the letter to give you something to screw directly into the wall into a stud in the wall. These shelves will be very very heavy and we don't want them falling off the wall! When you do hang it, it is very important to secure the structure of the letter (the 1x6s or the added 1x2 cleats) into a stud in the wall and use the appropriate hanging system for the weight of your shelf. Also consider added weight of shelf objects in hanging this shelf. DISCLAIMER: This shelf will be heavy. Hang and use at your own risk. Finishing InstructionsPreparation Instructions: Fill all holes with wood filler and let dry. Apply additional coats of wood filler as needed. Page 16 of 18
When wood filler is completely dry, sand the project in the direction of the wood grain with 120 grit sandpaper. Vacuum sanded project to remove sanding residue. Remove all sanding residue on work surfaces as well. Wipe project clean with damp cloth. It is always recommended to apply a test coat on a hidden area or scrap piece to ensure color evenness and adhesion. Use primer or wood conditioner as needed. Source URL: http://image.ana-white.com/2012/09/plans/letter-shelf Links [1] http://image.ana-white.com/2012/09/plans/letter-shelf [2] http://image.ana-white.com/users/ana-white [3] http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/ [4] http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/meet-beth [5] http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/2012/09/letter-a-bookshelf-tutorial3m-diy-starts-here.html [6] http://image.ana-white.com/category/plans/project-type/shelves [7] http://image.ana-white.com/category/plans/room/kids-and-toys [8] http://image.ana-white.com/category/plans/skill-level/intermediate [9] http://image.ana-white.com/category/plans/style/childrens [10] http://image.ana-white.com/category/plans/estimated-cost/20-50 [11] http://www.kregtool.com/files/anawhite/anawhite.asp [12] https://www.ryobitools.com/power-tools/products/details/537 [13] https://www.ryobitools.com/power-tools/products/details/636 [14] https://www.ryobitools.com/power-tools/products/details/774 [15] http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/3154815188_134755 7851.jpg [16] http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/3154815189_134755 7851.jpg [17] http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/3154815190_134755 7851.jpg [18] http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/3154815191_134755 7851.jpg [19] http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/3154815192_134755 7851.jpg [20] http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/3154815193_134755 7851.jpg [21] http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/3154815194_134755 7851.jpg [22] http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/3154815195_134755 Page 17 of 18
7851.jpg [23] http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/3154815654_134755 7851.jpg Page 18 of 18