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Bettesworth Construction
cherry wood

Shelves with a Fresh Slant: WOOD Magazine Plan and Build Overview

WOOD Magazine’s ladder-style display rack plan uses cherry, five stepped shelves, and biscuit-joined side frames. See the materials, tools, build sequence, and plan formats.

By Bettesworth Construction Team 3 min read

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Shelves with a Fresh Slant is a five-shelf, ladder-style display rack plan from WOOD Magazine, designed for books, plants, photographs, and collectibles. The plan specifies cherry for its solid-wood parts and 3/4-inch cherry plywood for the shelves. You can get it in downloadable or paper form through Woodcraft; neither listing includes lumber or other materials.

What the design is

The rack has two angled side assemblies and five shelves arranged at progressively stepped heights. WOOD Magazine featured the project in Issue 170, June/July 2006; its online project page was updated April 28, 2025. The plan provides a materials list and cutting diagram, so use those instructions for the complete dimensions and part layout.

See the WOOD Magazine project and plan details.

Materials and tools to prepare

Materials specified by the plan

  • Cherry stock for the legs, rails, shelf sides and backs, and front shelf trim.
  • 3/4-inch cherry plywood for the five shelf panels. Check the plan’s cutting diagram for the required dimensions and confirm the plywood grade and availability before buying.
  • #20 biscuits and glue for the side frames; #8 x 2-inch flathead wood screws for attaching the shelves and top.
  • Wood plugs to cover the counterbored screw holes, preferably cut from matching-grain stock.

Woodcraft’s listings are for plans only: materials are not included. Check the downloadable plan listing or the paper plan listing for current availability.

Tools called for

The project instructions mention a table saw or miter saw, bandsaw or jigsaw, block plane or sanding block, biscuit joiner, dado blade set, router with a 45-degree chamfer bit, drill press, tapered plug cutter, clamps, and sanding equipment. The saw and shaping alternatives are options in the instructions, not tested comparisons of accuracy, safety, or performance.

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How the build is organized

The plan describes a build that may take a few evenings or a weekend; this is WOOD Magazine’s broad estimate, not a measured completion time. Follow the complete plan for dimensions, cuts, and assembly details.

  1. Cut and shape the legs. Cut two front and two back legs from 3/4-inch stock. The instructions specify 12-degree ends for the front legs and angled edges. Match the legs in pairs, rough-shape with a bandsaw or jigsaw, then refine with a block plane or sanding block.
  2. Join the side frames. Use #20 biscuits and glue to join the legs and side rails. Keep the two assemblies matched so the rack’s sides align.
  3. Build the shelf boxes. Cut the shelf panels from 3/4-inch cherry plywood and make the sides and backs from stock planed to 1/2 inch. The plan specifies 1/4-inch-deep rabbets along the shelf sides and backs and across the backs of the shelf sides. Dry-fit each assembly and check its overall width, including the sides, against the stretcher; the plan gives 20 inches as the target.
  4. Assemble and square the base. Use the bottom shelf as a spacer while joining the side frames and stretcher. Check that the assembly is square before fastening.
  5. Position the remaining shelves and top. Use spacers to set the stepped shelf positions. The instructions start with 12-inch spacers and shorten them to 11 1/4 inches, 10 1/2 inches, and 9 3/4 inches for successively higher shelves. Attach the shelves and top with #8 x 2-inch flathead screws through counterbored holes.
  6. Plug, sand, and finish. Cover the counterbores with matching-grain plugs, then sand to 220 grit before finishing. The magazine example used three coats of satin Varathane Diamond Wood Finish, sanding to 320 grit between coats; that is an example finish, not a required product.
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Choose a downloadable or paper plan

Format What the listing establishes Best fit
Downloadable Plan-only purchase; materials not included. Readers who prefer digital instructions.
Paper Plan-only purchase; materials not included. Readers who prefer printed instructions.

The cited listings do not establish a price comparison or a technical difference in plan content. Check Woodcraft’s pages for current price and availability.

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What the plan does not specify

The project page does not give a formal skill rating, tested build time, shelf load capacity, safety certification, or a stated wall-anchoring requirement. Do not infer a safe load limit or anchoring method from the design description alone; assess the finished rack and its intended use appropriately.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1
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Woodworking plan; "Best of" projects from editors of Woodcraft Magazine
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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