Here's How to Dress Up a Support Pillar

Good interior design is all about finding solutions to optimize our spaces, while also looking great. Often, it’s a matter of looking at something in a fresh new way to see its potential. Case in point: support pillars. Instead of seeing support pillars as impediments to achieve open-plan designs, consider them valuable infrastructure to facilitate more storage and display. For this DIY project, we show you how to get storage out of a support pillar by flanking it with shelving. Whether you use the unit’s new shelves to store books, decor or household products, there’s no question that they’ll come in handy when keeping your home organized and well styled.

What You’ll Need* :

Supplies

1/2" Painted Edge Plywood
(6) 1" x 2" pine boards (10-foot lengths)
1/4" Hardboard
2" Brad Nails
1/4" Wood Screws
Wood Glue
Wood Filler
Caulking
Sandpaper
Baseboard and Crown Moulding
BeautiTone Paint

Tools

* Our full assortment of building supplies is available at Home Building Centre and Home Hardware Building Centre locations. To unlock our catalogue of building supplies online, please select your local Building Centre.

Here’s How

For this project, we are flanking a support pillar, like those commonly found in basements, with two shelving units. Our ceiling and pillar height is eight feet, and we have designed a pair of shelving units, each with six plywood shelves. Once built, the units are then painted to coordinate with the room’s existing décor.

Steps:

1. Assemble all materials and tools for your project.

2. Start by measuring the width and height of the pillar to the ceiling. Determine how much material you will need.

3. Measure, mark and cut. Our pillar is 8' high and we made six shelves on two sides. This requires the following pieces:

(14) pieces of plywood at 8" x 15" (these will be the shelves and top and bottom of the unit)
(4) pieces of plywood at 8" x 8' (these will frame the shelves)
(2) pieces of plywood at 20" x 8' (these will be the sides of the unit)
(2) pieces of hardboard at 15" x 8' (for the back of the shelves)
(4) 1" x 2" pine pieces cut to 8'
(12) 1" x 2" pine pieces cut to 15"

4. Take two 8" x 8' pieces. On both pieces, measure and mark 3" away from the top and 6" from the bottom (3" is the crown height and 6" is the height of the baseboard).

Measure and mark with a pencil line the position for each shelf. We placed our shelves equal distance apart and marked every 14 1/2".

TIP: Line up boards to measure and mark both together.

5. Take seven 8" x 15" pieces. Glue, then screw to one of the 8' pieces where you’ve marked the pencil lines on the board. Repeat until all seven 8" x 15" pieces are attached.

6. On the other 8' piece, run a bead of glue along each shelf’s horizontal placement pencil line. Line this 8' piece up with the shelves and screw securely in place.

TIP: By applying glue along the pencil lines, the glue spreads evenly when the boards are joined and doesn’t drip.

7. Attach the back for the shelving unit. Take one 15" x 8' hardboard piece and run a bead of glue along all edges.

Position it on the shelving unit. Nail together. Repeat steps 4-8 for the second shelving unit that will flank the other side of the pillar.

8. Once both shelving units are complete, stand them upright. Position them on either side of the pillar.

9. Take the two 20" x 8' pieces and position them on either side of each shelving unit, encasing the pillar, and nail together. For extra support, screw together from the inside.

10. Trim each shelf unit with 1" x 2" pine on all edges. Glue and nail into place.

11. Trim the unit with crown moulding and baseboard. Add caulking along the ceiling and floor to hold the shelving unit in place.

12. Fill holes with wood filler. Let dry.

13. Sand all surfaces and edges and wipe clean.

14. Paint the completed unit and let dry.

15. Fill your shelving with books and other decorative items and see how that outfitted pillar now adds rather than detracts from the overall style of your space.