Repurposed Bi-fold Doors into Bookcase





Here's a fun project I did a few weeks ago for a guest post on My Repurposed life.  I thought I'd share it here as well for those who may have missed it.  Here's what I started with


two bi-fold wood doors that I picked up at the Restore.


The first thing I did after removing all the hinges and handles was to router a channel into the doors for the back to fit into.  I used 1/4" pine beadboard boards for the back.  You know the kind that come wrapped up in packages at the big home stores.  To determine the width of my bookcase I cut the tung off one of the beadboard boards and dry fit them all together.  I measured then subtracted for the channels and cut my 1 x 4's accordingly.


The bi-folds doors are paneled and the spacers just happened to be the same size as a 1 x 4.  To attach the sides and support the shelves I drilled pocket holes into some 1 x 4's then glued and screwed everything together. 


I attached a 1 x 4 to the bottom front in the same way.


 I attached the beadboard to the back with glue and nails.



The shelves I made by gluing and clamping together 1 x pine boards.  I had to notch out the back corner of each shelf with my jig saw.  The shelves were all secured to the bookcase with glue and nails.



I wanted more shelves than there were 1 x 4's so I used 3/8" x 2" trim to support the additional shelves.  I glued and nailed them to the edges of the bi-fold doors and through the beadboard back.



For the top of the bookshelf I decided to router the edge of the top board to continue the look of the crown molding.  I like big crown.



Because of the way the bi-fold doors are designed there was a gap between the crown and the middle part of the top of the door.  I filled it by gluing and nailing a 1/4" dowel to the door.   I think it ties in with the bead of the beadboard.


I finished the edges of the shelves off with some trim I also picked up at the Restore.


For the paint finish I started by priming the whole cabinet with oil based primer because the doors appeared to have been sealed with oil based poly.  I could tell by the lovely yellowness of them.  I decided to do a two tone as well as try a new technique I have been seeing all around the blogisphere.   For the inside I used a flat latex Robins Egg Blue color.   For the outside I tried the vaseline technique to get a chippy look. 

  

The first coat was a layer of dark brown latex.  Once that dried I randomly touched areas I wanted to look "chippy" with the vaseline.   Paint wont stick to where you put the vaseline.  I didn't go overboard with it because I didn't want it to end up looking like a spotted cow.

  



I liked the look but.... I'm so used to sanding to distress that I started sanding and then ended up sanding over the whole thing with my palm sander.  I'm happy with how the finish turned out in the end.  I finished the whole thing off with clear acrylic satin.  I have been using chalk paint so much lately it was fun to play with good old latex again.  


This thing turned out tall. 


There ya have it.  Thanks for reading!

 

Playing at the following parties: