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How to create your own stacked books bedside table

07 Mar 2025

Upcycle pre-loved books by turning them into a striking, practical bedside table. Paint your books, then stack them in a range of different shapes and sizes to create the base. Just remember to check for stability; keep larger heavy books down low. Use one large hardcover coffee table book on the top of the stack as the table surface.

You will need:

·      Books

·      Resene Quick Dry undercoat

·      Resene testpot. We used Resene Half Blanc

·      Paintbrush

·      PVA glue 

Step 1:

Paint all your books with Resene Quick Dry undercoat and allow to dry.

 

Step 2:

Paint the books with two coats of your chosen Resene colour. We used Resene Half Blanc.  While you can paint your books after your stack is assembled, we found it was much easier to paint them before they were stacked.

 

Step 3:

Work out how you want to stack your books. Ensure you have some larger ones at the bottom for stability as well as a large one on the very top for your tabletop. Once you’re happy with how the books are stacked, glue them together, starting from the bottom and working your way up.

 

Top tips:

  • For an easier to clear finish, apply Resene Concrete Clear satin or gloss over your paint finish.  The higher the gloss the easier the bedside table will be to clean.  You could just apply the gloss to the top tabletop book, which is where most of the dust will land if preferred. 

  • For a multi-coloured effect, use more than one colour to paint your books. 

  • For an ombre effect start with a dark colour and gradually add more and more white to it as you paint up your books.  Make sure you have decided the book order before you paint so your ombre effect will look right once you have assembled the bedside table. 

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project Megan Harrison-Turner

images Bryce Carleton

 

Credit

Wall painted in Resene Indian Ink, floor stained in Resene Colorwood Bleached Riverstone and books and pot in Resene Half Blanc. Resene Living bedlinen from Briscoes.

Published: 07 Mar 2025