How to Build a Canoe Shelf

Old wooden canoes can be turned into stylish bookshelves. The holes or punctures in the canoe may not be good for boating, but they will add character to a book shelf. Building a canoe shelf from scratch can be time consuming and arduous as you must bend a lot of the wood yourself for the project. Using an old canoe that cannot be repaired for boating cuts down on material cost and the time that must be devoted to the project.

Things You'll Need

  • Wooden canoe
  • Orbital Sander
  • Medium grade sandpaper
  • Damp cloth
  • Polyurethane
  • Pencil
  • Cardboard
  • Scissors
  • Jig saw
  • Oak Plywood, 1/2-inch
  • 1/16-inch screws, 1-inch
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Remove the old seats, metal and other hardware from the canoe, so you are left with the wooden frame. Sand the entire canoe so there is only bare wood. Wipe the canoe with a damp cloth and let dry.

    • 2

      Apply polyurethane to the canoe and let dry according to instructions.

    • 3

      Cut the bottom of the canoe off, one third of the entire length from the end. The canoe shelf should be able to stand vertically by itself on the end you just cut.

    • 4

      Stand the canoe vertically on a piece of plywood so you can trace around the bottom of the canoe, and cut a plywood bottom. Screw through the plywood and into the canoe.

    • 5

      Use your cardboard, scissors and pencil to measure the width and depth of the shelves. Cut the cardboard to the size the shelf needs to be and use it to trace the shelf on the plywood. Cut the shelf out of the plywood with your jig saw. Repeat this process until you have the desired number of shelves.

    • 6

      Screw through the outside of the canoe into the plywood shelves. Use four evenly spaced screws for each shelf.