My idea for building inexpensive yet attractive "modern" shelving: possible?

[xanthous]

I'm going to be moving into a friend's finished basement, and plan to paint and fix it up. I have attractive modern stuff (bedding, furniture, etc), but not a lot of money, and had an idea for storage shelving.

I'd like to have back-to-back shelving to divide the very long room: shelving for clothing, books, pictures on the bedroom side, and storage for computer stuff, cookware (of which I have a LOT, and some of it is attractive enough to display), and whatnot on the "office/living" side.

Is there something that's as sturdy as a cinder block yet more attractive that I could stack (and paint, hopefully), I'm thinking about stacking them on the ends and in the middle for support, and place sturdy "planks" on top of them (not crappy particle board, but solid, maybe 1 to 1-1/2" thick hardwood), and build this up to about 6 feet high (4 shelves spaced 18" apart, or however much spacing the stacked blocks will give me) and 6 feet wide for privacy/storage? There would be two of these "units" back to back and I would put a big painted board in between them to divide them and give them a "back".

I'm not sure how feasible or possible or even expensive something like this could be, but in my mind, painted black, this could look rather modern and seems less expensive than a big multi-hundred dollar Ikea unit.

Thoughts?

p.s. This will be in Ohio, so earthquakes aren't going to be a worry!

[Alpha Twit]

Too many variables to really comment. Some home-bodged projects like this are quite good, some fall over from a blunt remark. Don't put anything precious or fragile on them.

I've had good luck using milk crates on their side, stacked up with 2x12 shelves, held together with long threaded rods and with 1/2 plywood screwed into the back of the 2x stock. Really though, once you go to the trouble of collecting and assembling this, you may as well just go buy something ready to assemble. YMMV

[Sal Ammoniac]

Originally Posted by xanthous

I'm not sure how feasible or possible or even expensive something like this could be, but in my mind, painted black, this could look rather modern and seems less expensive than a big multi-hundred dollar Ikea unit.

If you're talking about using inch or inch-and-a-half hardwood planks for the shelves, then no, it's not going to be cheaper than an Ikea unit. But then again, there's no reason to use such robust shelves if they're adequately supported by cinderblocks. Even using pine, though, it's still not going to cost nothing. I figure you're in for $125 worth of supplies, easily.

As an idea, the whole thing seems okay, and could look all right if you do it neatly.

[Sparky812]

1.) Go to IKEA pick out the shelving you like.
2.) Go to customer service and ask if you can get a copy of the instruction booklet which will include a parts list and rough drawings of all the wood and hardware you will need and their configuration. If not, grag a measuring tape they provide in the store and draw it yourself.
3.) Go to Home Depot, Lowes. etc. and find the shelving boards, hardware, etc. required.
4.) Build it yourself.

This may or may not be cheaper than IKEA but you can customize it to your needs.
Tips:
IKEA has a surplus/damaged discount section you may want check out.
IKEA will usually supply you with most hardware for their products for free, just ask at the counter.
You can usually get the shelving boards precut and/or predrilled for the shelf pegs. It's usually white MDF but I've seen black MDF and pine too!

I've built storage units, closet organizers, bookshelves, etc. for clients as well as for my own home.