A DIY shelf out of salvaged wood and books

I came upon some sturdy wood abandoned on the side of the street. So what to do with it? Well of course, a DIY shelf!

First I cleaned the boards with a rag and some water and pulled out the nails that were left in them. Even after the cleaning the boards still had a nice white used look to them.

So I had this empty bit of wall that needed some shelving. I also had some salvaged books lying around so instead of the traditional bricks and plank approach I went on to build a shelf on books. A bookshelf, yo might say.

Just be sure to choose sturdy books and pile them with the biggest in the bottom. Also make sure that the smallest book is wide enough to hold the blanks in place.

And voilá, here it is! I clipped a light onto the side and put some nice things on it. That's it, a shelf that's sure to turn heads. And the price is the best part: $0.