Custom Industrial Bookcase with Surveyor's Stick
Hey friends! Hope everyone is finding some good junk these days.
I just finished this custom bookcase. I picked up the flat boards at an estate sale and put them all together and then added the custom pieces.
![](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e34a9874227b63a9ce6f4e1/t/5e34ba84a3201379df264050/1402249619847/1000w/BookcaseIndustrial1.jpg)
![](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e34a9874227b63a9ce6f4e1/t/5e34ba84a3201379df264052/1402249632034/1000w/BookcaseIndustrial2.jpg)
As you can see, there's some vintage surveyor's sticks on each side that are notched out at each shelf intersection and covered with a custom distressed piece of trim.
![](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e34a9874227b63a9ce6f4e1/t/5e34ba84a3201379df264054/1402249647028/1000w/BookcaseIndustrial3.jpg)
I torched the wood instead of staining it. Just trying some different things out. I sanded it all afterwards. I added some vintage locker number tags because I thought it would go really well with the style.
![](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e34a9874227b63a9ce6f4e1/t/5e34ba84a3201379df264056/1402249682663/1000w/BookcaseIndustrial4.jpg)
I used some watered down chalk paint on the sides so it would still retain the woodgrain.
![](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e34a9874227b63a9ce6f4e1/t/5e34ba84a3201379df264058/1402249718787/1000w/BookcaseIndustrial5.jpg)
The solid wood bar going across the middle is part of a handrail that was in an old church that went on the wall down some stairs. I notched out the back so it would rest on the shelf. I then cut some complimentary pieces to go on the sides and tied some vintage black hinge pieces to the whole look.
![](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e34a9874227b63a9ce6f4e1/t/5e34ba84a3201379df26405a/1402249792163/1000w/BookcaseIndustrial6.jpg)
An extra piece at the bottom to extend the lip of the bottom shelf finished things off really well.
![](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e34a9874227b63a9ce6f4e1/t/5e34ba84a3201379df26405c/1402250121012/1000w/BookcaseIndustrial7.jpg)