A bookcase wall gives added stability to a stairway.
It seems we are always doing some kind of renovation in our family! This time, we are helping our daughter and her hubby with their ‘back house’. They have a cute little room with a loft behind their main house, adjacent to their garage. It is a perfect size for guests, but had never really been finished.
They have a vision for this 2-story space. The downstairs is to be the living area, with a full bath and, eventually, a kitchenette. And the upstairs is a large bedroom.
The top of the stairs was a little dangerous before the bookshelf addition went in:
There was a flimsy railing before, but it needed more stability. Before the birth of the bookshelf idea, a simple wall here was the concept. But it became clear that even more stability would be required to support the wall. My daughter came up with the bookshelf idea (she’s brilliant!). It adds function PLUS stability. So, in the above shot looking up the staircase, you can see the bookcase wall being framed up, on the left (and can you help but notice the pink paint?).
The next photo shows the framing from inside the room on the 2nd floor.
Next, we wanted to face the bookcase with a material that wasn’t too thick, would look great painted with trim paint, and wasn’t too time-consuming to install (as sheet rock might have been). We chose a material called ‘lauan’ (*see HINT below). The lauan was tacked to the 2×4’s. The outside walls of the bookcase are sheet rocked and painted.
Next is a photo of the wall veneered in the lauan and ready for the shelves to be inserted and to be trimmed out and painted!
And here’s the finished wall! Before renovation, the steps were completely open to the top floor. Now, as you can see, there is a 4-foot wall halfway up on the 2nd floor, and the backside is a fabulous bookshelf.
It trimmed out beautifully don’t you think? That’s my lovely daughter showing it off! The room also got an awesome paint job and carpet! Isn’t it fabulous? They’re trying to get it ready for company and the clock is ticking!!
Are you having guests anytime soon? What improvements are you making to your home?
Have a great weekend!
HINT: Lauan is a thin plywood that is ideal for small applications, such as cabinets and bookshelves. Here is a definition from ehow.com:
Lauan plywood’s distinct strength can be attributed to the different layers of wood glued together to make the panel. Because it is lightweight and relatively cheap, lauan plywood — particularly those that are 1/8 inch and 1/4 inch thick — is considered good material for cabinet and furniture backing, and drawer sides and bottoms.
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