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I saw the bookcase feature in the self sufficientish book and really want to make one the same but have no idea where to get wooden wine crates from!! Can anyone enlighten me?

Not sure, but I would ask at an independent wine shop?

Blimey - if you lived where I do you'd be falling over them.

I know majestic wine sell theirs but I'm not sure how much for...

hedgewitch wrote:Blimey - if you lived where I do you'd be falling over them.

Sounds like a great place to live ...

where do you live hedgewitch? Is it because of lots of independent wine shops or are you fond of wine?!!

might have to ask the wine shops round here, but if i cant find any then i can make one out of what was till yesterday my bed. It broke and now i have 13 strong pine slats to make into something. Shame im not good at DIY!

barefootlinzi wrote:


Shame im not good at DIY!

there's no such thing as being no good at DIY! just varying levels of success.....!

You sometimes get them when you order wine from somewhere like The Wine Society. I let my dad order the posh wine and swipe the boxes to grow salad in. Might be worth asking on Freecycle or befriending some wine buffs.

Linzi, if you have 13 strong pine slats, you're halway home. Visit your hardware store or any DIY superduperyoucantfailwithourproducts store and look for little metal right-angle brackets. The only skill you'll need is the knowledge of which way to turn a screwdriver (and that, just in case, is clockwise for in and counterclockwise for out).

Scaffolding planks and concrete blocks make good bookcases, too. Paint both in whatever colour takes your fancy, then lay a plank on the floor. Put two concrete blocks laid horizontally on top of each other at each end of the plank (and the middle if it's a long plank). Place another plank on top, then more blocks and another plank.

I wouldn't go higher without fastening everything together, but it's possible to use varying lengths of plank to make stepped bookcases, recesses, TV spaces, etc.

Before putting books/CDs/DVDs on the shelves, place a piece of coated cardboard against the blocks to stop them scratching whatever it is you're putting on the shelves.

A friend of mine did something similar, but wrapped her concrete blocks in old wrapping paper.

MKG wrote:Linzi, if you have 13 strong pine slats, you're halway home.

its funny you say that because we have just had to get rid of our pine bed frame because it broke, and i have 13 pine slats that i was wondering what to do with!