ceiling height

this is a strange question, but my girlfriend and I are about to put down some serious money for bookshelves. we'd like to have them basically floor-to-ceiling, seeing as we have many books, but I am really not in the mood for having to sell them on craigslist if we move to an apartment with shorter ceilings.

SO:

we have 9 foot ceilings in my apartment--is this standard? I imagine it is less in other, brown-stoney type apartments. what do people's ceilings tend to be?

Haven't measured, but I build some shelves by cutting up a 4x8' piece of plywood (surprisingly easy, actually, and cheap). There was about a foot of clearance from the ceilings. This was the lowest ceilinged room in the house, so I'd say 9' is a good estimate.

I agree with jml. Probably 8' to be conservative, and to ensure you have some chance of being able to reach the books.

I recommend the Cabinet Shop in PS for the shelves; search the forum for their name to see pix.

EmilyM wrote: I agree with jml. Probably 8' to be conservative, and to ensure you have some chance of being able to reach the books.

I recommend the Cabinet Shop in PS for the shelves; search the forum for their name to see pix.

I was going to buy them from Tradewinds Furniture, in the slope, but now that you've mentioned it (and I found the pictures of the shelves in your apartment), I will totally check them out. Those shelves look hott.

muteflute wrote: [quote=EmilyM]I agree with jml. Probably 8' to be conservative, and to ensure you have some chance of being able to reach the books.

I recommend the Cabinet Shop in PS for the shelves; search the forum for their name to see pix.

I was going to buy them from Tradewinds Furniture, in the slope, but now that you've mentioned it (and I found the pictures of the shelves in your apartment), I will totally check them out. Those shelves look hott.
I used cabinet shop for custom shelves and was very satisfied with the results. PM me if you want to see some pics.

Of the shelves, you perverts!!!! :evil:

Nothing is standard in a Brooklyn apartment.

metulj wrote: Nothing is standard in a Brooklyn apartment.

"What? Why would you assume that all of corners met at 90 degrees?"

I love old homes, but when the crookedness of your floors/walls interacts with the crookedness of your furniture and dictates the floor plan for you...

Have them made eight feet tall and go to nine feet with a removable 'cap'.

the cheaper ones are ugly, but i am a fan of those folding bookselves... 7-8 feet taller (once the 2 are stacked) for like, $80 bucks. might be more b/c i got mine in queens but i know on flatbush at that cheap place, offer cash for a better price or atleast no tax.

I would say if you rent, don't spend serious money on something that could be rendered useless by a move.

If you own, build in beautiful ones that will increase the value of your home and figure that you'll be selling them as part of the apartment.

Another thing to consider is to buy some cheap bookshelves, then tack on some trim to pretty them up. If you put two bookshelves side by side, the side pieces can be covered by a piece of trim. Dykes on 6th street between 2/3 aves has moulding, as does pintchik and modern lumber on 4th ave. You can get a pretty nice piece of crown moulding for the top, nail it on and you're all set.