The Genius Thrift Flip For Built-In Shelves That's More Affordable Than A Full DIY

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

If you want your home to feel luxe and spacious, built-in shelving is the way to go. However, if you've ever looked into how much it costs to build built-in shelving from scratch, you know it's not exactly cheap. Depending on the materials used, you can end up paying thousands of dollars for just one shelf. That said, with a lucky thrift store find and a little DIY energy you can create the look of built-in shelves for far less money. All you need for this little trick is a thrifted shelf, a nail gun, a bit of paint, some scrap pieces of wood, and some trim to finish it all off.

Other helpful supplies to have on hand include wood filler to seal up any gaps between the shelf and the scrap wood and some sandpaper if you plan on painting the shelf. Of course, you will also want some baskets, bins, and shelf risers so you can style your large built-in shelf for better organization once it's assembled. When looking for an appropriate shelf, check to make sure there's no major damage and that the shelf is stable, not wobbly.

To get started with this hack to DIY gorgeous built-in bookshelves on a budget, you'll have to head to your local thrift store to look for a shelf. In theory, any style of shelf should work here. However, the video below uses a cube shelf that's four cubes tall and four cubes wide. Once you've secured a shelf, attach it to the wall using the appropriate hardware. Furniture anchors that can hold up to 400 pounds should work great for this project. If you plan on sanding and painting your shelf, do that before attaching it to the wall. For a truly built-in look, paint your shelf and the wall behind it the same color.

Next, you'll need to cut your scrap wood to size. You'll want four pieces in total — two for each side of the bookshelf. For each side, make sure the two pieces of scrap are the same width as your bookshelf when stuck together and are as tall as the gap between your shelf and the ceiling. Wedge these pieces into place on top of your shelf and secure them with a nail gun. If you want this top section to be less of a wide-open space, add more pieces of scrap wood in the center to divide the space. Alternatively, add some shelf risers here to create more storage or attach some cabinet doors to conceal your items. Finally, add pieces of trim around the entire front-facing frame of your new, built-in structure to give it a cohesive look.