The wall beside my fireplace stayed bare for the better part of two years. Not because I was lazy — because I couldn’t picture what should go there. I’d built in around fireplaces in every house before this one, and every time the answer was the same: tall, custom, and glued to the wall.
I was tired of that. I wanted something free-standing. Something modular, that I could move, tweak, and honestly, live with. So I built a pair of arched bookcases instead — one for each side of the fireplace — and this tutorial walks you through every step, from the cabinet base all the way up to the arched hutch.
First, the honest math on why I bothered at all. These are 7 1/2 feet tall, and there is almost nothing on the market in that size that comes close to what I paid to make them. Building them myself saved me so much compared to buying anything similar in retail — and I got the exact size and style I had in my head. That’s the whole argument for DIY in one sentence. If you’ve been wanting to build an arched bookcase, this is your sign to grab a miter saw.
If you just want the cut list, the free printable plans are at the end of this tutorial. Otherwise, start with the tools and materials above.
How to Build a DIY Arched Bookshelf
Two things before we start. First, this project is very pocket-hole friendly — a Kreg Jig (or similar pocket hole joiner) makes most of the joints fast and clean, so if you own one, use it. Second, I built two identical bookcases, so a few of the material quantities below assume you’re making a pair. The beaded plywood, for instance, only takes one sheet if you’re building two.
Tools you’ll need
- Miter saw
- Drill
- Kreg Jig (or a comparable pocket hole jig)
- Jigsaw
- Brad nailer
- Orbital sander
- Rip cut setup with a circular saw or table saw
- Shelf pin jig (optional, only if you want adjustable shelves)
Materials
- 4 – 1×4×8 primed MDF
- 1 – 1×12×8 primed MDF
- 2 – 1×4×8 pine or common boards
- 4 – 2×4×8 framing boards
- 2 – 2×6×8 framing boards
- 1 – 3/4″ × 48″ × 96″ MDF sheet
- 1 – 1/2″ × 48″ × 48″ hardwood plywood
- 1 – 48″ × 96″ beaded plywood (one sheet covers two bookcases)
- 2 cabinet pulls
- Shelf pins (optional)
- 4 cabinet hinges
- 4 magnetic door catches
- Wood glue
- Finish of your choice
For the finish, I went with Sherwin Williams Door and Trim paint, tinted to Tricorn Black in a satin finish — I picked it up at Lowe’s and honestly it’s one of my favorite paints ever. It’s formulated for both interior and exterior use, it grips over oil- or water-based paint, and you don’t need to sand or prime first. No fuss.
Building the Cabinet Base
Step 1: Build the side panels
Cut your side aprons and panels to size — I ripped all of my boards with a circular saw and rip cut guide, which is far easier than wrestling heavy MDF sheets onto a table saw.
Drill 3/4″ pocket holes around all four sides of each panel. A pocket hole joiner makes this quick: set it on the board and drill, no flipping or clamping gymnastics. Then drill 1 1/2″ pocket holes on both ends of the apron pieces, plus one edge of the top piece.
Attach the panels to the 2×4 pieces with 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and wood glue. Keep the back of the panel perfectly flush with the aprons. You’ll build two identical side assemblies.
One personal note: I wanted adjustable shelves inside the cabinet, so I drilled shelf pin holes here with a shelf pin jig. If you don’t care about adjustable shelves, skip it — just drill 3/4″ pocket holes at both ends of a fixed shelf board and attach it between the panels with 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and glue.
Step 2: Build the cabinet frame
Cut all the cabinet frame pieces. Drill 1 1/2″ pocket holes at the ends of the horizontal pieces and along one edge of the top board. Assemble everything with 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws and wood glue. Your bottom horizontal board should sit 3″ up from the bottom of the legs. Make two matching frames.
Step 3: Attach the side panels to the frames
Attach a side panel to each side of the cabinet frame — 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws through the panels, 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws through the aprons, and wood glue. The side aprons should be flush with the frame legs, and the top aprons should be flush too.
Step 4: Connect the frames
Attach the second frame to the side panels using 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws, 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws, and wood glue. That creates the full cabinet box — and the moment this part came together, it finally started looking like a piece of furniture instead of a pile of boards.
Step 5: Install the bottom panel
Measure and cut your bottom panel. Drill 3/4″ pocket holes along all edges, then attach it inside the cabinet using 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and wood glue. The panel should sit flush with the top edge of the bottom apron. A set of clamps really helps hold pieces in place while the glue sets.
Step 6: Build the planked top
Cut the planks for the top. Drill 1 1/2″ pocket holes on one edge of three of the boards, then attach them together with 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws. This is what gives the top that thick, solid look. A small face clamp at each pocket hole keeps the planks flush while they cure.
Step 7: Attach the top
Attach the top from inside the cabinet aprons using 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws. I left a 1″ overhang on both sides, 1 1/4″ on the front, and 3/4″ at the back. I went with no back on the cabinet base, but if you want one, cut it to size and attach it to the inside of the cabinet with wood glue and 1″ staples.
Building the Hutch
Step 8: Assemble the hutch top and sides
Cut the hutch sides and top. Drill 3/4″ pocket holes on one end of each side piece and attach them to the top using 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and wood glue. The front sits flush; the back has a 1″ overhang. This is also where I drilled my shelf pin holes for the adjustable hutch shelves — or, if you prefer fixed shelves, attach them the same way as the base, with 3/4″ pocket holes and 1 1/4″ screws.
Step 9: Build the back frame
Cut all the back frame pieces. Drill 3/4″ pocket holes at both ends of each horizontal piece, and along one edge of the top horizontal board. Assemble using 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and wood glue.
Step 10: Attach the back frame
Flip the hutch over so the top overhang faces up. Attach the back frame using 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws at the top and 1 1/4″ brad nails down the sides. Keep everything flush with the hutch panels — there should be a 1/4″ overhang on the top.
Step 11: Add the side trim
Cut and assemble the trim pieces. Drill 3/4″ pocket holes at both ends of the smaller trim pieces, attach them to the longer pieces, then secure the trim to the hutch with 1 1/4″ brad nails and wood glue. The side trim should overhang the hutch back frame by 1/4″ — that little lip covers the backing and makes the piece look finished.
Step 12: Build the arched face frame
This is the fun part. Cut the MDF panel for the arched top of the face frame to size, leaving extra board on the sides and bottom. Trace a 28″ radius half circle and use a jigsaw to cut out the arch. A jigsaw with a built-in dust blower is a genuine upgrade here — it clears the sawdust off the cut line so you can actually see where you’re cutting.
Place the side face frame pieces on top of the hutch, then lay the cut arch piece on top of those to mark your next cut. Mark on the back of the arched piece exactly where it hits the face frame boards — that’s your line. Cut the arch to fit, then drill 3/4″ pocket holes at both ends of the arch and the back bottom ends of both side face frame pieces. (The pocket holes on the bottom of the side face frame pieces are what attach the hutch to the cabinet base later.) Attach the arched piece to each side face frame board with 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and wood glue.
Step 13: Install the face frame
Attach the completed face frame to the hutch using 1 1/4″ brad nails and wood glue. This is the moment it officially becomes an arched bookcase instead of just a box.
Step 14: Attach the hutch backing
Cut the beaded plywood to size and attach it to the back of the hutch with 1″ staples and wood glue. I stained the beaded plywood before attaching it, so it shows through nicely.
Creating the Cabinet Doors
Step 15: Build the doors
Cut the door panels to size, then measure and cut the door trim. The doors should have a 1/8″ gap around all sides. Attach the door trim to the door panels with 1 1/4″ brad nails and wood glue, then hang the doors on the cabinet with the hinges. I waited until after painting the cabinet to attach them.
The Finish
Step 16: Prep for the finish
Fill all nail holes and sand everything smooth. An orbital sander makes this painless, and on a piece this size you’ll be grateful you used one.
Step 17: Paint
After staining the beaded plywood, I taped it off and gave the cabinets 2 coats of Tricorn Black in a satin finish. Two coats is enough — this paint covers beautifully.
Step 18: Attach the hutch to the cabinet base
Secure the hutch to the cabinet using 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws through the back frame and into the cabinet top, then follow up with 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws behind the front face frames. Now the whole piece is one unit.
Step 19: Attach the doors
If you haven’t hung the doors yet, this is the time. I used a drawer front mounting jig for the 1/8″ gap on all sides, which keeps the doors evenly spaced every time, and attached each door with 2 cabinet hinges. To keep them closed, I installed 1 magnetic door catch at the top of each door.
Step 20: The hardware
I reused the same pulls from an 8-drawer dresser I’d built earlier, because I love them so much. They only come in gold and I wanted black, so I sprayed all of the hardware pieces with 2 coats of black spray paint. Once the spray paint was dry, I used a cabinet hardware jig to drill pilot holes for the pulls — it does the thinking for you and gives you consistently placed pulls every time.
Step 21: Shelves
If you’re using adjustable shelves, install the shelf pins wherever you want the shelves to sit, then drop the shelves in and you’re done.
Style Notes: Making It Yours
A few things I’d do differently or double-check before you start, based on living with these every day:
- Size it to the space first. I built these 7 1/2 feet tall because the fireplace wall demanded it. Measure your ceiling height and the side walls before you cut a single board — an arched bookcase that’s too tall for the room overwhelms it.
- Black is a commitment, but it works. Tricorn Black makes the arches read as graphic and modern instead of cottage-cute. If you’re nervous about it, the same build works beautifully in any dark neutral.
- Hidden storage is the whole point. The cabinet base hides the stuff the room can’t live with — remotes, wires, the pile of books you never actually read. Keep the hutch shelves open for the stuff you do want to show: a few books, a vase, a piece of seasonal décor. Style it like a closet edit — fewer pieces, chosen.
- Build two, if you can. One bookcase next to a fireplace looks like an afterthought. Two, symmetric, make the wall feel designed.
FAQ
Do I need a Kreg Jig for this build? It’s not strictly required — every pocket hole joint can be done with glue and screws — but a Kreg Jig or a comparable pocket hole jig makes the assembly dramatically faster and cleaner, especially on the large panels. If you only own one pocket hole tool, that’s all you need.
What if I don’t want adjustable shelves? Skip the shelf pin jig entirely. Drill 3/4″ pocket holes at both ends of a fixed shelf board and attach it between the panels with 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and wood glue. Fixed shelves are perfectly sturdy and honestly easier to style around.
Can I use paint-grade pine instead of primed MDF? Yes, and the cost comes down noticeably. Pine will look warmer and more casual than MDF, and the arch on the face frame will show some grain, which many people actually prefer. If you go this route, expect a slightly softer surface under paint — two coats will still cover it fine.
A note from Maya: I used to buy the trend first and ask questions later — that’s how half my furniture ended up in the garage. These bookcases are the opposite: no trend, no season, just a shape I love and a build that paid for itself against the retail price. If you build a set of your own, I hope they live in your house as long as mine have.
Want to keep building? I’ve also shared the plans for an 8-drawer dresser and a wooden console table — same pocket-hole method, same kind of satisfying weekend projects.