See how to make a cinder block or concrete paver block bookshelf – a great DIY project for apartment dwellers that can be made to any custom size you like.
How to make a concrete cinder block bookshelf
This post contains some affiliate links. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
The dilemma:
Two college students in one apartment with no bookshelf in sight leaves for mass chaos. It all started like this: two law students are capable of doing incredible things to an apartment during final exams. Everything on the island was from exams, but everything on the table had managed to find a permanent home there.
I thought I was going to lose my mind among all that clutter. I began by clearing everything away and moving the table to the opposite wall. I decided I wanted a shelf on the newly empty wall – a sort of “landing spot” for school supplies and books.
Related: Love the look of paver and cinder blocks? Check out these Creative Cinder Block Projects:
- 4 – pine 1x10s cut 40-inches long
- Minwax Wood Finish in Jacobean 2750
- Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane in Clear Satin
- pavers – I found mine in the Home Depot gardening department – they were roughly 2x5x8 for the rectangles and 2x4x4 for the smaller squares. I purchased 20 rectangles and 6 squares
I didn’t want to spend a whole lot of money, and I was officially cut off from making any more Ikea purchases (“I don’t want our apartment looking like an Ikea catalog.”).
I have seen bookshelves made from cinder blocks, but saw two problems with this approach. 1) Cinder blocks are 16 inches tall. This is just too big for the kind of shelf I wanted. 2) When I think of cinder block shelves I flash back to college dorm and fraternity rooms.
So, on a cold December day, I wandered the garden department at Home Depot. I found pavers that were about 2x5x8 for the rectangles and 2x4x4 for the squares. Perfect!
How to make a DIY concrete paver block bookshelf
I had some pine 1x10s cut 40-inches long. Luckily, we have been blessed with an incredibly warm winter so far in Minnesota. I was able to stain the wood out on my patio, although I’m sure the neighbors were wondering what this crazy chick was doing. I’ll admit, my setup was a bit odd. I thought the white trash bags gave an extra classy touch.
I used Minwax Wood Finish in Jacobean 2750 (one coat) and Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane in Clear Satin (two coats). Just follow the instructions on the can. This was my first attempt at staining wood, and I’m pretty pleased with the results.
Next came the pavers. I rinsed them off well and let them dry. Then I began stacking. I used a ruler to make the pavers they were exactly 2 inches from the edge of the board.
The rectangle pavers went on the first two levels, and the square pavers finished off the third level. I may still add more square pavers to the top shelf if I want to be able to store textbooks there as well.
Budget Breakdown:
Ultimately, I’m pretty pleased with the end result. I think the total cost came in somewhere in the $40-45 range, although I could have saved a bundle by going with cinder blocks.
If I decide I need more storage space, I may buy and refinish something bigger, and move this shelf to the patio for gardening. I have also contemplated painting the pavers.
We’ll just have to wait and see.
Pretty cool, I may make one for the patio!
If you do, please stop by and let me know how it turns out!
First off, I really love this look! I’ve been looking for something simple and relatively cheap that won’t look trashy. Have you had any trouble with balance or the blocks shifting/moving on their own? Is the top board loose or did you somehow secure it to the blocks beneath it…? I’m very interested in trying this and want to get all the details! 🙂
Thank you!
My Dad made one almost the same in 1972 and I have made one in my apartment in Tunisia but used glass for shelves as it is cheaper than wood here. Thanks….. love the dog photo.
I love this idea! Did you have to mortar the pavers together?
Nope – just stacked them.
I love this look but anyone with kids PLEASE don’t build this for safety reasons. Anyone else go for it
Good point, Megan. I definitely did this project in my pre-kid days!
Love, love, love the look of this shelving unit!. Favor? Will you tell me the sizes of the pavers used; width, length, height? As there are numerous ones at the stores….and would like to build this same style; the length and depth of the wood used? That would be fantastic. Thank you for sharing this idea! Michelle
Yes, no matter what you say to the kid lets, they’re going climb on things. To make it safe motar the pavers and adhere the bookcase to the wall. Of course if your renting then that wouldn’t be an option Perhaps making the shelves longer and not as high would work?
Thinking of making this and also a bench version. Do you think the 1 x10 are stable enough to sit on?
Hi Leslie, Thanks for the question. I would say probably not. You could double up a few boards, and consider putting a support in the middle. Otherwise, I’m afraid you would end up with a bowed bench.
In the process of making mine now.