How to Build a Custom Built-In Using Stock Shelving | Ask This Old House

This Old House general contractor Tom Silva transforms stock shelving into a custom built-in. (See below for a shopping list, tools)
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Shopping List for Building a Custom Built-In Using Stock Shelving:
- Freestanding shelving units [amzn.to/2ZGBXsK]
- 1 1/4-inch decking screws [amzn.to/2ZAwaF3], to fasten cabinets together
- 3-inch drywall screws [amzn.to/2ZAfX72], to attach 2x4 nailer
- Wood shims [amzn.to/2MLwu1J], to plumb the cabinets
- Wood glue [amzn.to/2ZCXhzl]
- Construction adhesive [amzn.to/2Lc02Ut]
- 1x8s and 1x6s [amzn.to/2NIz4Fl], to cut face frame, fascia, and other trim
- 2x4s [amzn.to/2zwt6PF], to make nailer
- Crown molding [amzn.to/2L85UOi]
- Acrylic latex paint (semigloss) [amzn.to/2ZADAZ7]
Tools List for Building a Custom Built-In Using Stock Shelving:
- Utility knife [amzn.to/2NIJhBQ], to cut through old paint and caulk
- Two flat bars [amzn.to/34cKYNA], to pry molding from wall
- Oscillating multitool [amzn.to/2LbN74A] with plunge-cut wood blade [amzn.to/2ZFp8ie], to cut through baseboard
- Spring clamps [amzn.to/2NMB0N4]
- Impact driver [amzn.to/2ZAgVQI]
- Screwdriver [amzn.to/2NH9rVq]
- 4-foot level [amzn.to/2MMw630]
- Stud finder [amzn.to/2Hygz2C], to locate the wall studs
- Pin nailer [amzn.to/34g83ir] and 3/4-inch pins [amzn.to/2ZzcLo4], to attach trim
- Finishing nailer [amzn.to/2NIlCBq] and 1 3/4-inch nails [amzn.to/34dIQW0], to attach face frame and trim
- Air compressor [amzn.to/2Lb8e7i], to power pin and finishing nailers
- Scriber tool [amzn.to/2ZFLAbg], to scribe the face frame to fit against wall
- Circular saw [amzn.to/2zAba6V], to trim scribed face frame parts
- Caulking gun [amzn.to/2MKNipL], for construction adhesive, to adhere shelves
- Sash brush [amzn.to/2zwckAh]
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers-and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
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How to Build a Custom Built-In Using Stock Shelving | Ask This Old House
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[@joelombrdo]

Regardless of the stock book cases that he used, this is an excellent tutorial for how to do it. Just substitute real wood or maple or whatever you want in place of the billy bookcase.

[@arieljones4595]

This guy is the real deal. He isnt some clown KZbinr who is giving tutorials about things he doesn't know anything about. I've been a carpenter for a long time, but i still manage to pick up some good tips from him. Great job.

[@toms7947]

"Want to tackle the crown molding up there?" Me: Yeah, when you leave so I can avoid embarrassment.

[@captaindrywall]

at least its white paint crown so he can caulk it up

[@galvanizedgnome]

He hacks it up too

[@raminybhatti5740]

that compass / scribe moment was superb.

[@dariusdalrymple3161]

Excellent, I learned a lot. When you watch a guy with thirty years experience it looks so easy and you think to yourself, hey I could do that.Then when you try it yourself it's a totally different story.

[@logicalblueberry]

For sure. It's so disappointing. I once watched the Vancouver Carpenter tape a drywall joint on a ceiling. I thought it looked pretty easy. Lol, when I tried it, there was joint compound in my hair and falling to the floor. I soon realized that it takes years of experience to learn these types of skills.

[@BeeeHonest]

When he did the 2" measurement to match the wall, that blew my mind!

[@armyvet8279]

😂😆🤣

[@ithinkillmakeit7243]

like the scribe along the wall with a compass technique...always learn something new from Tommy

[@Dobbs321]

That bevel for the leading edge with the circular saw was slick.

[@josephricciardi601]

Boy is that a problem solver-great technique

[@jeffhalpin7269]

@@Dobbs321 so slick, Tommy rules

[@m.maclellan7147]

@@Dobbs321 that circular saw was an "oldie" !

[@lisafeck1537]

That is incredible. Simple, I'm sure for someone who knows what they are doing... what a classy job. Looks spectacular.

[@corwynsoldner8471]

This guy is a true professional, makes it look so easy and BAM amazing job.

[@karenyounger2314]

i loved this! Help! ....i am an old Yankee living in the deep south so i love this craftmanship but also the sounds and sensabilities of the North East.

[@albertmunoz9391]

tommy you are one of the best carpenters that i never seen before, i learned a lot from you videos, thanks.

[@Todjcam]

Anyone else catch that the first long screw Tom screwed into the stud didn’t actually hit the stud? You could tell by the way the impact driver kept spinning and they clipped the video. In the next scene you can clearly see the two holes in the back of the bookcase where they he had to drive in another screw. Tom does exceptional work but even highly skilled professionals make mistakes from time to time 😉

[@graceriggs5262]

Great job Tom! You make it look so easy!

[@billybryson2009]

love watching a skilled carpenter at work!

[@benclarkson4205]

Customer: Thanks Tommy, they look custom made Everyone: They were custom made

[@volundrfrey896]

They weren't, they were custom fitted.

[@galvanizedgnome]

@@volundrfrey896 okay smart guy volundr. You think your better than us or something

[@fiercenet]

nails must have been on sale the day they installed that baseboard!

[@LostMySauce]

Lol honestly, it looks like they added one at every inch

[@MM-ob8ti]

Nice work. The modified shelves look great.

[@skippymagrue]

I would be nervous to do my own crown molding with Tommy there.

[@RaraRambles]

Fantastic video, exactly what I was after! Very helpful indeed! Xxx

[@millerdaleman]

Ikea Canada sells "Hemnes" bookcases etc. They are all pine and come prefinished or paintable. They are nice and you can do the same job as this with them.

[@bngr_bngr]

millerdaleman those are really nice compared to the Billys. But I've had six Billys for over 25 years. Very durable.

[@khazaakbar6444]

Probably cost more too here u can pretty much make ur own price its a tutorial u dont have to use the exact measurements or style

[@TheRealSweedie]

they also don't have the extension piece at the top, so you can't get them to be very tall unfortunately. But they are nice for sure!

[@jw1731]

Good idea, Hemnes is better for this purpose because it's real wood and can be more sanded and painted; I have 2 Hemnes bookcases and considered using them for that but decide it will be cheaper and more customized to the room to mill out my own built-ins using plywood since I have a table saw and a circular saw. But then again, time is money too so it may not be feasible for everyone.

[@nobodynoone2500]

Please buy something better than Ikea trash.

[@randyh3761]

This video is so well done, and lots of great ideas!

[@bitterclinger5876]

30+ yr custom cabinetmaker here. Those questioning the choice of melamine are absolutely right -- it will sag and generally degrade over time. But an even better choice than solid stock would be cabinet- or furniture-grade plywood (not the imported stuff at the box stores, either). It's dimensionally stable (I.e., it won't expand/contract with temperature and humidity changes), the shelves won't sag (especially if reinforced with a bullnose along the front edge), and it won't disintegrate if exposed to a plumbing leak. Looks like the homeowners committed to the IKEA route before TOH got involved, so I guess Tommy was more or less stuck with particleboard. I was glad to see the homeowner cope those inside miters on the crown, however!

[@SB-bn4go]

Bitter Clinger58 If you cant get it from the box stores, where can you get that type of wood? We are considering building our closet and really need something that will last.

[@Gmenpg]

Man, I need a little more praise then 7:54

[@richardm1075]

LMAO

[@mjai1120]

So true! Lol

[@djtecthreat]

Tommy is a national treasure.

[@cliffcarlo180]

I thought we were going to get through the whole video without hearing the word, AMAZING!!! Doh!!

[@Webering]

Great video, amazing job!!!!

[@tonymazz9912]

There always in these cute New England homes that are spotless. Even the owners are squeaky clean preppies . Constantly working with the best new tools that the average homeowner does not have or cannot afford.

[@co-know-proconstructiontips]

Be proud of your work!!! knowledge is power!!!!!!

[@dansmith5012]

In my opinion, knowledge is the only thing that can never be taken away from you without destroying who you are whether it's taken away by sickness or people's actions.

[@StephenNu9]

That scribing of the uneven wall is an excellent idea.

[@jbestell]

only been around for a millenium or so :)

[@StephenNu9]

I'm still a novice when it comes to wood working. My day job is mathematics and computer application development. I appreciate you being so savvy.

[@bigdaddyyc]

Has it been a millennium already? Please tell us more.

[@doctorpete1]

Tom is a Rock Star!

[@nikkiswenson54]

I love this! Thank you!!!

[@gregmarshall1687]

Just plain awesome

[@skenney8325]

They do look good! And, how you did the "scribe" (?) technique!! I have definitely learned something here! Thank! And, CONGRATS on the baby! (I am sure you've had it by now . . .)

[@jwallace_windowsbyrba9703]

"And I'll just screw the shelves into the studs I measured out for..." Clearly isn't hitting a stud at 5:35 😂

[@seabass450]

lolol.. i was bout to say the same thing!

[@ho0ber]

Hahaha I came to the comments to find this. Cracked me up!

[@RobertLeBlancPhoto]

I would've placed the cabinets on boards so that the base moulding of the test of the room could then be ran across the bottom for a more built in look. They're was plenty of room to do this since they had to fill in the top anyways. I'm truly surprised that Tommy didn't do this here.

[@cljcindyjo]

I see a lot of comments referencing IKEA cabinets. I did not see IKEA referenced in the materials list, I think it just says stock cabinets. So, quality level is up to you. Overall, I think it was a good video and a way for us beginners to give less expensive cabinets a built-in look.

[@theresamaher3893]

Those are easily Ikea Billy cabinets. The link in the materials list is not to 'stock cabinets'.

[@nedsdeclassified]

Tommy ripping that saw straight as heck, was a huge flex

[@kenc2257]

Very, very nice project. The homeowner's bookcases looked like particleboard--hope they hold up (particleboard shelves, especially, tend to sag over time). The install looks lovely.

[@Lewis.Alcindor]

You can always replace the shelves with solid pine or plywood boards painted to match the bookcase. The shelves are the parts that sags, not the sides. You can also add supports to the middle of the shelves. There's a youtube video that shows how to improve the Billy bookcase's durability that shows how to support the shelf middle invisibly.

[@ron.v]

Beautiful bookcases.

[@highway2run]

Tommy's da Man !! We call him St Silva

[@jsods1]

Tommy always has great idears.

[@djxxxplicit]

Tommy is the man!

[@BobABooey.]

With all the work involved, may as well as built the shelves as well. Getting the new trim white to match the lament white will be tough.

[@Psychlist1972]

5:35 Tommy missed the stud. heh. You can then see it later. Tommy doesn't mess up often. I did something similar in my son's room. I can tell you, though, that no matter what effort you put into this, the chipboard still doesn't hold up well over time. The shelves tend to sag, shelf pin holes tend to tear out, and the melamine coating tends to come off. Good for a basic homeowner type project, though, which I guess is what this show is all about.

[@AnthonyFelixCano]

I thought he missed it the first time i saw this haha, went in too easy. Good eye!

[@hillarydoggart-greer9024]

I was thinking the same thing. This is lot of trouble to go to for stock, particle board shelving. My concern is the piece sagging/ripping over time with regular exposure to temps/moisture etc. Why not just make real built-ins?

[@tannerg]

lol right when i saw that i came straight to the comments to see if anyone else noticed

[@matthewpooleacp]

I was thinking as he was about to drill the screw in that there wasn't a chance I would be lucky enough to hit a stud my first try. I was glad to see he missed it too. Ha ha.

[@bereantrb]

Ha...yeah, I was a little surprised how he did that. I learned to transfer the measurements to the back of the cabinet and make pilot holes. But maybe that's because he still wanted to shift it around in place?

[@Fkidd702]

5:40 tommy missed the stud 😂

[@83candlestick]

That is awesome!

[@gpslightlock1422]

Nice work!

[@teddyjones3055]

that old Porter Cable circular saw looks badass

[@nolanjustus2215]

Great video

[@DENIEL381]

GREAT JOB.

[@TranTheClever]

Thank you for this plan. I want that Tesla Cybertruck too! 5:35

[@manm2003]

THANK YOU FOR THIS

[@thanos7229]

5:20 there's enough space on the top; you can use L-shaped brackets (IKEA provide them with the BILLY model they are using) to secure it on the wall and the top of the bookshelf

[@PsycotikMind]

I hope Tommy reinforced that shelf right underneath the window, because when that baby becomes a toddler he/she is gonna want to climb on top to look out the window.

[@AzureHoBo]

@18:15 you can see he made another platform for that uppershelf.

[@jean6061]

I thought the same thing myself!

[@DawaSupplyCo]

If he dies, he dies

[@heroknaderi]

Incredible thanks

[@craigr6763]

I love it when tommy says “let’s see how it fits”. It will fit perfect your tommy Silva!

[@TranTheClever]

I've always wanted to create floating shelves but never knew a great way of doing it. THIS IS GENIUS!!! Thank you for the idea to create my own 3:16

[@mrcapitalist2285]

Favorite line of Tommy , ok let's see how it fits ! lol

[@jncarpentry9911]

Rock on 🤘 Tommy

[@koenigjeffrey]

Another 3 hours with a track saw and a shelf pin jig and you could have built an heirloom quality bookcase.

[@DirtyTurban]

@10:13 it sounds like he is about to start playing Crazy Train haha! Allllll aboooooard!

[@dariusdalrymple3161]

Excellent job. I particularly liked the technique employed to hide the gap between the cabinet and the wall, something that I have been puzzling over for some time. I was somewhat surprised that you used a circular saw rather than a jigsaw to trim the gap-fill board.

[@alijabos]

Circ saw will give a lot straighter and quicker cut and walls don't curve that much

[@mim2046]

@@alijabos what dream are you living in? That surely doesn’t happen in my world of being a professional high end custom cabinetry maker

[@alijabos]

@Mi M haha well if you're that good you can figure it out with a circular saw

[@mim2046]

@@alijabos are you really that green?

[@timf5963]

3:08 Homeowner running the show.

[@nixonwu1754]

Hey Tommy, I love the This Old House videos and I’ve always seen you use tapered countersinking drill bits and always wanted some for myself, could you provide a link to them please?

[@Brandon_Jackson]

That was a good ider

[@IronBroccoli]

Maybe because I'm from a city with expensive real estate, but I was upset when they covered that gap. That was good storage space!

[@jeffbingaman2754]

D Raphael Must remember that a place for a mouse to Scrabble around and for spiders to not be bothered is a benefit and extremely essential to any home.

[@stafonvoncamron]

He could have made them with plexi glass and led lights to make the top into a display box.

[@luisreyes6242]

tommie is definitely my favorite carpenter he really do know his stuff and he did miss the stud but even the best makes mistakes and tommie is one of the best its rair to see a master carpenter miss his mark but he is after all human like the rest of us best still he is the best and even the best can mess up its called learning and we can always learn from our mistake but know matter he is stlll the best

[@rosset4music]

Wooden shelves would be nice too.

[@tradio2003user]

Tom has golden hands :)

[@shanecthompson77]

I'm not a carpenter by any means, but after all the work of trying to make a particle board shelves system look like a custom built in, wouldn't you be better off just doing the custom built in with quality solid wood that will last forever? Over time the particle board is going to turn to crap. My home was built in 1960 and still has the original cabinetry. Solid, strong, and still in excellent condition. I guarantee the particle board shelving wouldn't have lasted 57 years.

[@AxcelGamer97]

I'm assuming that the homeowners had already bought the shelving.

[@thetaeater]

LOL that is what I keep trying to tell my wife!

[@IdgaradLyracant]

The cost of solid hardwood is absurd now. Pricing those shelves in hardwood is nearly a grand as of 2/21/18 based on the board-feet needed. If anything a high quality plywood with hardwood trim would get it down to around $300-$500 bucks.

[@BasilLange]

My inlaws have the old version of this billy type shelf. It's filld to the rafters with heavy books and has been standing for many years now. Mine is a lot younger and my girlfriend gave it the same treatment with adding as many books as possible. All the shelves are bending down in the middle now.

[@grunf5604]

Im guessing they would rather breathe air than to cut down 5 trees just so they can have a bookshelve made or "real" wood

[@verygoodboy2688]

*custom fits shelves for room* wow these look like they were custom made for the room!

[@salmonflavored]

she has pregnancy brain ok

[@flawlessvic]

9:45 this guy eyes it better than we could ever use a table saw guide.

[@eddiecarlcalhoun]

YOU'RE GIVING ME IDEAS!!

[@user-xx7pg3vw9k]

Wow, that is an IKEA hack on steroids! Man so nice to see how a pro works.

[@flat-earther]

Hi Japanese have you become a flat earther yet? If not I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. I got it in my about tab.

[@lukesackett]

@5:36 -- whooopppsss..missed the stud

[@ajs96350]

Yup

[@sucotronic]

Note fort ikea hackers (the source for the shelves), if you screw it against the wall, use the framing of the shelve, not the thin backpanel ;)

[@GarrettGrimm]

+sucotronic Actually the back of that top extension (where he screwed through) is thicker board, not like that thin cardboard backing the main unit.

[@sucotronic]

+Garrett Grimm you can se at 5:26 that he is doing the holes in th back panel.

[@Wildcat5181]

It should've been anchored from the top of the cabinet to the wall studs with L-brackets not through the backing, but what do I know.

[@jason4832]

Or cut some 2x4s and frame inside the ikea crap to make it strong then mount it to studs

[@ByGraceThroughFaith777]

the entire units are secured by the top face frames (the 1x8 pieces at the top that he anchored to the 2x4 nailers he fastened to the ceiling. That thing ain't going nowhere.

[@briangunn21]

Great idears

[@andrewwilliams8587]

"I'll gently pry the old baseboards away from the wall." *yank*

[@CurtisDensmore1]

That's what the prah bah is fah.

[@kenc2257]

Gotta use SOME force (it was originally nailed and caulked)--looked fine to me.

[@volundrfrey896]

7:39 I have never seen someone do crown moulding like this instead of just cutting a mitre. It came together nice though but it seems like it was a lot of extra work.

[@jeffbingaman2754]

Learned a lot from this vid ... Thank you kindly. I would have used the top for lighting. Build it into the board. And could have put hinges on the left side wall trim to put whatever, like a broom or shotgun when a gypsy tries to steal the baby. I know, I know this comment started out great then just went other places. Yeah, but I'm human and make mistakes. So I had to make one by finishing so unethically.!?

[@glenschmeisser6633]

Great show. Still a little confused about the scribed wall boards. Wish that was explained better.

[@glenschmeisser6633]

@@tjn8844 obviously.

[@billevertz3019]

Couldn't believe a home owner that actually knew how to use a power tool

[@thanos7229]

2:48 you can use the existing holes

[@andyfromdenver]

A+ Thank you.

[@Zincink]

I've been watching this show since I was a wee child.

[@amdg2023]

Tommy is the best, id work for free with him to learn

[@apissues]

Should’ve done a shelf above the window too 🤙🏼

[@informatiqued.g7837]

10000000000/20 bravo

[@ColinFowler]

"My oscillating saw will make a nice clean cut in this basebahd in the cahnah"

[@AZCobraman]

Didn't even need a meashahd drawring!

[@joshuavandam8709]

Question on those 1/8” filler strips. Did Tommy rip those all from a sheet of 1/8” plywood?? All I can find at Lowe’s or Home Depot in strips long enough is 1/4” thickness. Any other places that sell 1/8” thick strips I can just cut to length??

[@alegator7249]

Hey Tom, what's an "I-deer"?

[@lebronjameslol3521]

Tommy hires Chuck Norris to guard his scribe while he sleeps

[@evergreenbrothers]

That's a pretty good idear right der

[@xXAnchormonXx]

Other than the cheap shelves, the concept is great.

[@ceeceecrenshaw9171]

I want to try this so bad

[@jujubaclothing]

it's such an easter egg when Tommy is mortal and makes a mistake like the rest of us like at 5: 37. Makes me smile, like "God damnit, he's human!" haha

[@skenney8325]

Did those cases come with that piece cut to fit over the baseboards? I don't think I have ever seen that before but, than again, I have haven't looked in years and paid no attention when I was in IKEA last looking that the Billy cases.

[@joer5627]

Are there any modifications needed if the bookcases are installed on top of carpet, or do I cut & remove the carpet where the bookcases would go?

[@dansmith5012]

You cut and remove the carpet before you install something like this.

[@laydlow87]

Ok that looks good…barely looks at it haha

[@drewford4548]

“Anchored” it to the studs by screwing through the ~3/32 inch thick, tacked on, decorative backer. hmmm

[@dylan-nguyen]

The tops are screwed into the ceiling n bottoms r propped up. Basically just to keep it from falling forward. Someone climbing on it would crack the shelves already. Looks to be made by ikea and that’s where the recommended you to anchor to wall

[@arieljones4595]

I'd think a simple L bracket installed to the top of the cabinet and into the stud might do a better job, plus it would be hidden behind the top trim.