This freestanding toy shelf is very useful for a child’s room because it has a low surface and eight separate, easily accessible storage compartments, which are handy for books and toys. It was custom-made to fit the space we had available between the two beds in our older twins’ room and they love having the different sections to use. Storage baskets can be placed inside the compartments which add style and provide tidy storage for smaller items. The height of the toy shelf was also just right for night lights and clock radios, which the children could access without having to get out of bed in the middle of the night. Our daughter used the basket in one of her compartments for all her hair accessories, while our son made one of his compartments into a prehistoric cave for his dinosaurs.
The eight compartments are square and deep enough for medium-sized toys and books. To calculate the size of the compartments I divided the space between our children's beds into four equal sections and made the overall height twice the size of the section. The backing is Masonite, which is nailed on with the smooth side facing inwards. All other corners are made with butt joints fastened with simple right-angle brackets and short wood screws. Halved joints are used between the middle shelf and vertical partitions which add rigidity to the shelf but these joints are difficult to cut accurately so the assembly usually requires some wood filler and painting to produce an adequate finish. You may wish to adjust the dimensions to accommodate larger toys or different size containers, or vary the design by merging adjoining compartments. A larger variation of this design that is suitable for a playroom could have additional rows, additional columns or even be made in a L-shape for a very contemporary feel.
Tidy up time is quick and easy with a place to put everything, and having separate compartments is useful for shared bedrooms. Use pull-out baskets or containers in some of the compartments to store all the smaller items.
WHAT I WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY NEXT TIME
The joints between the three vertical internal sides and the middle shelf should have been done accurately as I had substantial gaps that needed filling and sanding down before painting. Additionally, once I had done the cutouts for these joints, the wood warped overnight and made the assembly very difficult indeed. A better approach would be to cut the shelf sides in half and mount the six verticals either side of the middle shelf to achieve the same internal structure. There would be no loss in overall strength due to the right-angle brackets, but at least I was able to learn a new woodworking joint by doing it the more advanced way.
| PART | QUANTITY | THICKNESS | WIDTH | LENGTH | |
| A | Top and bottom shelf | 2 | 20mm | 380mm | 1200mm |
| B | Backing board (Masonite) | 1 | 3mm | 600mm | 1200mm |
| C | External sides | 2 | 20mm | 380mm | 560mm |
| D | Middle shelf | 1 | 20mm | 380mm | 1160mm |
| E | Internal sides | 3 | 20mm | 380mm | 560mm |
Project information
| Overall dimensions | 1200mm long x 383mm wide x 600mm high |
| Number of parts | 9 |
| Special equipment | Wood chisel, electric sander |
| Techniques | Halved joint (see page 23) |
| Difficulty | Hard |
| Duration | 6 hours |
Family fun factor
1 Join the top and bottom shelves (A x 2) with the left and right sides (C x 2) to make the outer frame for the toy shelf. This construction is exactly the same as the bookcase (see page 43) so the same steps can be used, which include the use of right-angle brackets, quick grip clamps, a power drill, screwdriver and short wood screws.
ASSEMBLE THE INSIDE SHELVES
2 There are three cutouts required in the horizontal middle shelf (D) for the halved joints that connect to the vertical internal sides (E x 3). Transfer these measurements from the illustration provided to the middle shelf (D). You will need a carpenter’s pencil, a try square and a steel ruler. Double-check all these measurements because any inaccuracies cannot be resolved and a new piece of wood will have to be cut if a mistake is made (I learnt this the hard way).
3 Make the long cuts using a jigsaw. Ensure the necessary safety gear is worn and that the correct jigsaw blade is fitted to the saw.
4 Use a wood chisel to make the short cut in the middle of the wood at the end of the long cuts, as shown in the photograph. Repeat this step for the other two cutouts in the middle shelf (D), as well as the corresponding cutouts in the internal sides (E x 3).
5The photograph shows the internal sides (E x 3) and middle shelf (D) with the completed cutouts, ready for assembly. Ensure that the correct measurements are used or else the pieces will not fit together and the internal compartments will be inaccurate.
6 Join these pieces by interlocking the cutouts to create the internal assembly as shown – this joint is known as the halved joint.
7 Once you have joined the three internal sides to the middle shelf by interlocking the corresponding cutouts, this internal assembly can be positioned inside the outer frame.
8 Clamp the full assembly with long quick grip clamps, as shown, or preferably use sash clamps. Square up all right angles by checking with a try square and steel ruler. Adjust where necessary using a rubber mallet.
TIP: If you have extra clamps, use them at equal intervals to exert consistent force on the top shelf while fastening the interior components together. This will avoid bending the wood and leading to further inaccuracies.
9 Use simple right-angle brackets and short wood screws to fasten all joints, while the clamps remain in place. You will need a drill driver or power drill that fits between the inside shelves, as shown in the photograph.
TIP: The internal assembly makes butt joints with the top, bottom (A x 2) and external sides (C x 2). Strengthen the assembly further by fastening these butt joints with wood screws from the outside. While not necessary to countersink, ensure the screw is driven a few millimetres below the surface of the wood. This will allow for some wood filler to be used before painting to restore the surface and hide the head of the screw.
10 I used laminated pine shelving, which is prone to warping, and which distorted the halved joints significantly. Combined with imperfect measuring and amateur cutting, my toy shelf project required extensive filling of gaps. However, if the joints are all at right angles and the measurements are accurate to within 3mm, the filling and painting process still produces very good end results.
11 Additionally, the front face will need sanding down to ensure smooth surfaces, particularly at the joints since there will be some misalignment between the pieces of wood during the assembly process. Use an electric planer, as shown, and finish off with a belt sander, random orbital sander and fine sanding by hand, as required.
INSTALL THE BACKING BOARD
12 Have the backing board cut professionally to the right dimensions or use a jigsaw to cut it yourself and then sand down the edges. Note the twin sets of right-angle brackets used as the fastening mechanism for each of the halved joints between the shelves.
13 Position the backing board so that the rough side faces to the back and mark the back edges of all the shelves on the outside, using a carpenter’s pencil and long steel ruler. With these markings as a guide, use a claw hammer to drive in nails at the corresponding edges and intersecting corners to fasten the backing board to the back of the toy shelf.
14The final assembly can be painted or varnished, depending on your décor requirements, although if you have used wood filler as extensively as I did, it is recommended that you paint the piece. James and Juliet were keen to try it out even before I had painted it, as shown in the photograph. The baskets were added much later when we realised the need for better storage of smaller items.
