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Chunky Bookends[8/4 · 2ft · 5-Pack]
One pack. One build. All 5 boards used. • Makes 5 pairs of bookends
Build This Project
Pack
8/4 · 2ft · 5-Pack
Uses
1 pack, all 5 boards
Shown in
Black WalnutON SALE
Also in
Hard Maple, Cherry, White Oak, Red Oak, Ash, Hickory, Ambrosia Maple, Sapele, Padauk, Purpleheart
Shipping
Free shipping
How it goes together
Black Walnut
Hard Maple
Cherry
White Oak
Red Oak
Ash
Hickory
Ambrosia Maple
Sapele*
Padauk*
Purpleheart*
*Exotic — not available for shipment to US customers.
Thick, heavy hardwood bookends with clean lines. Each one is just two blocks of 8/4: a base and an upright standing on edge, glued and screwed from below. Every board makes one pair, so one pack gives you five pairs — one for your shelf and four to give away.
Quick Build — for experienced woodworkers
| Part | Qty | From | S4S size | S2S size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bases | 10 | Boards 1–5, two each | 5½" × 4" × 1¾" | 5½" × 3½" × 1¾" |
| Uprights | 10 | Boards 1–5, two each | 5½" × 4" × 1¾" | 5½" × 3½" × 1¾" |
Upright to base: upright stands on its long edge, flush with the back of the base. Long-grain glue joint + 2 × #10 × 3" screws up through the base.
Pads: cork or felt under the base covers the screw heads.
Finished size: S4S 5½" W × 4" D × 5¾" H · S2S 5½" W × 3½" D × 5¼" H. Each bookend weighs about 1–2 lb depending on species.
Get a free woodworking plan every Tuesday
The Tuesday 3-2-1 Build and the Friday Five, plus 10% off your first order of any non-sale species. Walnut is already on sale.
Before You Start
Shopping List
- 1 lumber pack — 8/4 · 2ft (S4S or S2S)
- Wood glue (Titebond II or III)
- 20 × #10 × 3" flat-head wood screws
- Self-adhesive cork or felt sheet
- Sandpaper 120 / 180 / 220
- Finish: wipe-on oil, hardwax oil or water-based poly
Tools
- Saw for crosscuts (mitre saw or circular saw with a speed square) — with a stop block
- Drill/driver, countersink bit, pilot bits
- 2–4 bar clamps, 6" or longer
- Random-orbit sander or sanding block
- Router with roundover or chamfer bit (optional)
- Tape measure, combination square, pencil
- S2S only: jointer, straight-line rip jig or hand plane
S4S or S2S? S4S boards arrive flat and square on all four sides — cut and build. S2S boards have rough edges you straighten first. No jointer? Choose S4S.
Our sizing assumptions: ⅛" per saw cut · S4S boards 1¾" × 4", ¼" to square an end · S2S boards trimmed ½" each end and ¼" off each rough edge (3½" clean); we plan S2S at 1¾" thick · sizes drawn for the narrowest board in the pack. Wider boards give you a bigger offcut or a wider part — never a shortage.
Step-by-Step
S4S Lumber Pack
Surfaced 4 sides — no jointing
- 1 Pick the faces. Each board makes one pair. Look over both faces of every board and mark the best one — that face becomes the front of the uprights and the top of the bases.
- 2 Cut 20 pieces. Square one end of each board. Clamp a stop block at 5½" and cut four pieces from every board. You need 22⅜" per board.
- 3 Sort into pairs. From each board, pick two bases and two uprights so each pair matches in colour and grain. Pencil a number on the bottom of each part.
- 4 Sand and ease the edges. Sand every part 120 → 180 → 220. Round or chamfer the edges, but leave the bottom edge of each upright and the back edge of each base crisp — those are glue faces.
- 5 Drill the bases. On the underside of each base, mark two holes ⅞" in from the back edge and 1¼" in from each end. Drill clearance holes for #10 screws and countersink them deep, so the heads sit below the surface.
- 6 Glue the upright on. Stand the upright on its long edge on top of the base, flush with the back edge and both ends. Grain runs side to side in both parts, so this is a long-grain glue joint. Clamp it.
- 7 Screw from below. Drill pilot holes up into the upright through the base holes, then drive two #10 × 3" screws. Wipe off squeeze-out. Repeat for all 10 bookends.
- 8 Finish. Wipe on oil or hardwax oil, two coats. Let it cure.
- 9 Add pads. Stick cork or felt pads under each base. They cover the screw heads and stop the bookends sliding on the shelf.
S2S Lumber Pack
Surfaced 2 sides — straighten edges first
- 1 Prep the boards. Trim ½" off each end to remove any end checks. Joint one edge straight, then rip the other edge parallel (¼" off each rough edge is our planning allowance). S2S boards finish 1¾" thick, so screws and some sizes change — use the sizes in this column.
- 2 Pick the faces. Each board makes one pair. Look over both faces of every board and mark the best one — that face becomes the front of the uprights and the top of the bases.
- 3 Cut 20 pieces. Square one end of each board. Clamp a stop block at 5½" and cut four pieces from every board. You need 22⅜" per board.
- 4 Sort into pairs. From each board, pick two bases and two uprights so each pair matches in colour and grain. Pencil a number on the bottom of each part.
- 5 Sand and ease the edges. Sand every part 120 → 180 → 220. Round or chamfer the edges, but leave the bottom edge of each upright and the back edge of each base crisp — those are glue faces.
- 6 Drill the bases. On the underside of each base, mark two holes ⅞" in from the back edge and 1¼" in from each end. Drill clearance holes for #10 screws and countersink them deep, so the heads sit below the surface.
- 7 Glue the upright on. Stand the upright on its long edge on top of the base, flush with the back edge and both ends. Grain runs side to side in both parts, so this is a long-grain glue joint. Clamp it.
- 8 Screw from below. Drill pilot holes up into the upright through the base holes, then drive two #10 × 3" screws. Wipe off squeeze-out. Repeat for all 10 bookends.
- 9 Finish. Wipe on oil or hardwax oil, two coats. Let it cure.
- 10 Add pads. Stick cork or felt pads under each base. They cover the screw heads and stop the bookends sliding on the shelf.
Why stand the upright on edge? Both parts keep their grain running side to side, so the glue joint is long grain to long grain — the strongest joint there is. A thin upright standing on its end grain would only be held by the screws.
Why so thick? Weight is what holds books up. A 1¾" hardwood base is heavy enough that the books sit on it and pin it to the shelf.
Why pre-drill? Maple, oak and hickory split if you drive a screw without a pilot hole. Pre-drill every screw and countersink so the heads sit flush.
Make It Yours
- Mixed pairs: swap uprights between boards for a two-tone set.
- Shaped tops: cut a gentle arc or a 45° chamfer on the top of each upright.
- Initials: burn or carve a letter into the front of each upright for a personal gift.
Safety and Care
- Wear eye and hearing protection. Use a push stick for every rip under 4" wide.
- Cut short pieces with a stop block on a mitre saw. Keep your hand at least 6" from the blade and let the blade stop before lifting the offcut.
- Pre-drill every screw — hardwoods split without a pilot hole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not for S4S boards — they arrive flat and square on all four sides. S2S boards need their edges straightened: a jointer, a table saw with a straight-line jig, or a hand plane all work. No jointer? Choose the S4S pack.
Yes. The books sit on the base and their weight holds the bookend in place. For tall, heavy art books, slide the base further under the books.
Any species in the pack works. Walnut and cherry look rich on a desk; maple and oak are the heaviest for their size.
The glue joint alone is strong, but the screws hold the parts while the glue dries and add insurance if a bookend gets dropped.
Planned offcuts only: the end trim and about ⅞" (S4S) or ⅝" (S2S) at the end of each board. All 5 boards go into the bookends.
Yes. A 4ft pack makes 10 pairs: cut eight pieces from each board instead of four.
Get a free woodworking plan every Tuesday
The Tuesday 3-2-1 Build and the Friday Five, plus 10% off your first order of any non-sale species. Walnut is already on sale.
Next build with this pack
More free plans for the 8/4 · 2ft pack.
