This shelving project can add beauty to any corner as well as house your favorite collectibles. The alternating shelf directions seem to cascade their way down the corner creating a lightness and playfulness that make it a piece of art as well. I first saw a project similar to this one years ago and then decided to adapt it into a simple woodworking project. The shelves and back supports are all made from the same size pieces, so the cutting list couldn’t get any easier. The aprons at the top and bottom are half-size pieces cut from one of the 7” x 7” blanks. It’s all held together with #20 biscuits and starts with sub-assemblies, and then a final glue up.

Click here to watch an overview video of this project

Click here to watch a video on how to use a biscuit joiner for this project

Click here to watch a video rendering of the assembly process for this project
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31 Responses to “Cascading Corner Shelf”

  1. Steve

    I like the projects that you are doing with scrap wood. Please show more. I have abundant of scrap wood.

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello Frank,

      Here’s what the experts had to say about your question:
      Yep, a Domino would work well here.

      Paul
      Wood Workers Guild of America Expert

      Reply
  2. coach Franks

    Looking for simple projects fpr my middle school shop students to do during online teaching.
    I have been cutting projects then packaging them to send home for the students put together.
    I am cutting out projects for 36 students
    Thanks for any ideas you have.
    Coach Franks Vikan Middle School Brighton Colorado

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello Coach,

      Thank you for contacting us.

      We have lots of projects online that you can browse and use for this purpose if you find one that might work:

      https://www.wwgoa.com/plans/all/

      Paul

      If you are interested in becoming a member to Woodworkers , please click on the special offer below:

      https://go.wwgoa.com/C23987

      If you have any further questions, please chat, email, or contact Customer Service at 1-855-253-0822.

      Sincerely,

      Joan
      Woodworkers Guild of America Video Membership

      Reply
  3. David Small

    I don’t own a biscuit joiner, is there a different way to join these?

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hi David,

      Sure. You could use dowels, splines, mortise and tenon, pocket hole joinery, floating tenon, box joints, dovetails, or probably others as well. There’s nothing sacred about biscuits for this project; it’s just one simple way to do it.

      Paul
      Woodworkers Guild of America

      Reply
  4. NICKY E HOFFMAN

    beginning woodworker and this looks like something good to make to learn some skills

    Reply
    • WWGOA Team

      Hello! This is a Premium Video; to access these plans, please make sure you’re logged in with your username and password.

      Reply
  5. Duane

    Really like your shelf and want to build one or ten of them! What type of wood did you use?

    Thanks,

    Duane

    Reply
    • WWGOA Team

      Thanks for the feedback and question. Cherry was used in the article, but you could use any species for this project.

      Reply
      • Duane

        Thank you for the reply. I also meant to ask how thick is the cherry you used? It looks to be about an inch. I’m not sure if a 3/4″ would be thick enough but a 2 x might be an over kill.

        Duane

        Reply