The Cinder Block Shelving Unit
Saturday, August 18, 2007 by Chris Lesinski As a young freshman, I looked forward to moving into my dorm and assembling an impromptu shelving unit via the cinder-block-and-plank method. Unfortunately, I have yet to see another one at my school (maybe it's not a West Coast thing) or any other dorm or apartment I've visited.
Image courtesy of "Ms Bunburyist" of Reed College (via Flickr)
Today, as I built one in our new rec room in Chicago, it occurred to me that this 60s and 70s college tradition must be resurrected. This weekend, I was at Miami University of Ohio hanging out with some friends and many were still scrounging for decent furniture. This thing can be your stylish, sturdy and sometimes free, alternative to Goodwill.
The basic idea is very simple. Universities are always building stuff. People are always building stuff. One late night, discretely "liberate" a few cinder blocks and planks from the construction site. The next day, bring the wooden board back, and the workers will probably be happy to cut "the board you bought at Home Depot" to the appropriate size for your living space. But then again, with less than $10 to spare, you could actually buy the materials at Home Depot and have them sliced for you there. Craig's List is also an excellent source for legitimately free construction remains.
Now, stack the stuff however you choose. With the right eye on the design and contents, it can be very stylish in a sort of industrial way. You might also make it a bit more sophisticated by painting the cinder blocks and staining some nicer, clean wood. You could also use something besides cinder blocks: crates, bricks, pipes, etc.
This is mine from today. It isn't finished, and with 3 days until departure for Germany, don't expect anything.
Reader Comments (7)
[...] Cinder block shelving units [...]
I'm a West Coast girl and I dragged my cinder block shelving with me whenever I moved (frequently while a college student). Cheap, easy to assemble and dismantle for moves, and when you grow up and move into a real house, you can use them to make a pathway in your garden (clearly, I have held onto my cinder blocks way too long).
I made my working desk in the basement out of cinder blocks and a kitchen work disk I get from the hardware store. That was cheap, and is really heavy and will not move when I drill on it.
[...] la tipica topaia film americani o le stanze dei dormitori nei college del mondo reale è la libreria fatta con le bozze di cemento. Questo progetto di Velvetron stravolge in parte quello stereotipo utilizzando invece delle bozze e [...]
I remember my friend having one of these in his dorm room.. cheaper than ikea.
I use to use a wire spool for a table lol
So you're recommending to steal the board from the construction site and then take the exact same board BACK to the construction site and ask them to cut it for you? And you don't think they'll notice they're cutting the exact same type of board that wound up missing from their job site? Do you know anything about "boards" at all? Because the people who work in construction for a living certainly do. I see why you're in college... you've got a lot to learn.