As a book lover, seller and collector, I often come across some loose-leaf friends that are no longer readable or seem to be unwanted for one reason or another, yet could also have life in other ways. It’s hard to throw them out, even if they are being recycled! With this in mind, I looked around my stacks and it hit me like a ton of books… CrAfTs.

If you’re anything like me you find  yourself having a whole lot of books but then… not enough bookends to hold them so beautifully in place. (Also, why are bookends so expensive!?) For this project I wanted to add a little class to some old beat-up bookends I already had while simultaneously repurposing unwanted books. (and BONUS, saving some serious cheddar!) It’s surprisingly simple and you only need a few things you probably already have laying around. If not, your local hardware store (and possibly grocery store) will have everything you need.

To start, you will need to gather your supplies. I used a couple of readers digest books that had pages torn out of them by a previous owner. The covers, spines and remaining page edges are all in good visible condition making them perfect for this project! You’ll also need wood glue that dries clear, a paintbrush and old metal bookends. (or any upright structure that will fit this purpose) If you don’t have these readily available but still like the idea, you can find them for incredibly cheap at thrift stores, yard sales and similar second hand outlets.

Take a moment to make sure you have the books facing the direction you prefer on the bookends. Do you only need right sided bookends or one on each end of a row? (Speaking from recent experience, there is little that is more frustrating than getting halfway through a project and realizing you made a very large, very simple mistake) Once you are confident with your placing, get started! Open the book to the end you will be placing your stabilizer piece at, and squeeze your glue on!

As with all things new, start with a small amount at first and add more as needed. It was very weird for me to be “damaging” a book but the finished product is well worth it! (and no wasted books!)

Use your paint brush to spread the glue, being generous but not sloppy. Once you have the page and inside cover well coated, place your stabilizer piece or old bookend, down flat against the page and smother this as well.

Once you are satisfied with the amount of glue and that it is evenly spread, close your book and place it in a well ventilated area on a flat surface. Add weight to the top to assist in the adhering process but make sure whatever you use is large enough to cover the book as well as evenly distribute weight. Leave these undisturbed for a few hours, preferably overnight.

Once dry you can use immediately! This project is almost too easy. With that said you can go a few steps further and glue the entire book closed for extra stability, or perhaps you hollow out the insides on the opposite cover you glued and make a cute little stash box? I’ve made a few various designs and have even given a few sets as gifts! Not only are they a great way to repurpose old books and spruce up a bookshelf but in my case, I also wanted to add some style to old items I already had!

Thank you for visiting Chapter Nooks Tips & Tricks pages 🙂 I hope you enjoyed this article and that it helps to add some class to your shelves! I welcome your feedback so please feel free to comment or ask questions below!