Wine shelves offer a convenient, effective way to store wine bottles. They work equally well for easy access to wines that you keep on hand for everyday meals or enjoyment and for long-term storage of vintages that you want to save for special occasions. Unfortunately, buying wine shelves often involves a compromise in terms of design, capacity or price. That's why making your own customized wine shelves---using common tools and inexpensive materials---can be an ideal solution.
Instructions
1. Prepare the sides and bottle supports. Create shelf sides by cutting lumber in half lengthwise, then into four equal pieces, six inches high by 12 inches long. Next, create bottle supports by cutting the leftover piece of lumber in half along both dimensions to form four boards, three inches high by 24 inches long.
2. Notch the boards. Saw notches in the long side of every board, one inch from each corner (that is, two notches per side, four notches per board). Each notch needs to be 0.75 inches wide and 0.75 inches deep. Cut the notches precisely, because they will be the intersection points where the bottle supports will rest on the sides, creating a strong, stable and stackable wine shelf.
3. Drill the bottle supports. Using a four-inch hole-cutting bit, drill five arcs into the edge of a three-inch by 24-inch bottle support. Place the center of the bit one inch higher than the edge of the board, so you will create partial arcs, rather than half circles. Space the arcs evenly across the board, but be sure to leave two inches on the ends, so you don't cut through the notches. Repeat this process for a second bottle support, and then switch to a 1.5-inch bit and drill five arcs into each of the remaining two bottle supports.
4. Check the fit. Check your notches by assembling the wine shelf, with two bottle supports (one with large arcs, one with small arcs) placed atop two sides. If necessary, use sandpaper to shave the notches a bit and to smooth any rough spots or sharp edges. Repeat this step with the other four pieces of wood, and then place one shelf atop the other.
5. Stain the wood. If everything fits well, your wine shelves are complete, but you may want to disassemble them and take the time to add a coat or two of stain or polyurethane. These products are easy to apply and can make your wine shelves both more attractive and more durable.
Tags: bottle supports, wine shelves, your wine shelves, arcs into, bottle support, drill five
