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+-- Thread: Suggestions for Outdoor Little Free Library (/showthread.php?tid=7276879)
Suggestions for Outdoor Little Free Library - ronkan - 05-03-2016
Little Free Libraries are boxes of books placed outside that invite people to "take a book or leave a book." There are thousands of them created by individuals who want to share books and encourage reading. Mine is made from recycled baby crib parts.
You can see more at
littlefreelibrary.org
I have been asked to build a LFL by a friend. He lives in a Queen Anne style house and wants the library to reflect the style of the house.
My question, finally, is about building materials. I think I want to use 1/2" exterior plywood, but thought there might be some other better choice. If plywood is the correct choice, what is the grade or code I should look for to make sure I get material that will hold up to hot summers and winter cold and snow. The library will be painted.
I couldn't get pictures of my LFL or the model I made of the new one to show up here. If you are interested, send me a PM and I'll zap the pics to you.
Thanks for any help you can provide.
Ron
Re: Suggestions for Outdoor Little Free Library - Bibliophile 13 - 05-03-2016
Well, for the Queen Anne period, I would recommend some novels by Henry Fielding and Daniel Defoe (cheap paperbacks are fine), and of course you must put in a copy of Swift's Gulliver's Travels...
Oh, wait...
You're talking about the style of the box ITSELF, not its contents.
Nevermind...
Re: Suggestions for Outdoor Little Free Library - SawDat - 05-03-2016
I've used MDO plywood outdoors with good results.
MDO (Medium Density Overlay) is supposedly the plywood used for billboards. Plus it is really flat and easy to work with. Perfectly smooth surface paints well.
A bit hard to find however. Only Menards in my area have it.
Re: Suggestions for Outdoor Little Free Library - ronkan - 05-03-2016
Steve,
What is it they say, write about what you know. So your post is what I would expect from Bibliophile even if it doesn't address my question
Re: Suggestions for Outdoor Little Free Library - ronkan - 05-03-2016
Mike,
Thanks for the suggestion.
I never heard of MDO. I'll see if I can find some.
Re: Suggestions for Outdoor Little Free Library - ronkan - 05-03-2016
Teague Lumber in Philadelphia had 1/2" MDO.
$73 for 4x8' sheets. Cut me a break and giving it to me for $68.
New adventures in woodworking don't come cheap.
Will a couple of coats of paint be sufficient for sealing the edges?
Re: Suggestions for Outdoor Little Free Library - SawDat - 05-04-2016
Well your $68 is a bit more than the $50 around here, but not too crazy.
Edges... I have found that the glues and resins impregnated into the ply make the edges pretty well sealed. So a couple coats of paint on top of that will protect it pretty well.
Looks like a fun fulfilling project. Be sure to report back with pictures so we can enjoy it too.
Re: Suggestions for Outdoor Little Free Library - Phil S. - 05-04-2016
Ron-
How involved do you want this project to be? Here's what wiki says are features of Queen Anne style - "Distinctive features of American Queen Anne style (rooted in the English style) may include an asymmetrical facade; dominant front-facing gable, often cantilevered out beyond the plane of the wall below; overhanging eaves; round, square, or polygonal tower(s); shaped and Dutch gables; a porch covering part or all of the front facade, including the primary entrance area; a second-story porch or balconies; pedimented porches; differing wall textures, such as patterned wood shingles shaped into varying designs, including resembling fish scales, terra cotta tiles, relief panels, or wooden shingles over brickwork, etc.; dentils; classical columns; spindle work; oriel and bay windows; horizontal bands of leaded windows; monumental chimneys; painted balustrades; and wooden or slate roofs. Front gardens often had wooden fences."
Should be a piece of cake!
An image search turns up lots of pics of LFL's, but nothing that looks very Queen Anne to my eye. I didn't see your pictures, but picking out a distinctive feature or two from the subject house and a similar finish should do the trick.
Re: Suggestions for Outdoor Little Free Library - ronkan - 05-04-2016
I don't understand why the following URLs doesn't show the pictures reference.
One is the house I am replicating in a 1:24 scale. The other picture shows the rough model I built from Luan to work out the multiple roof lines. The library area will be accessed from the back of the model/library.
This is what I get when I enter the URL into the "Image" page at the bottom of the posting page.
This is the link for the other picture without the "Image" link.
https://goo.gl/photos/4t3fNUYsF1X88L6e7
If someone can tell me what I am doing wrong, I would be very greatful
Re: Suggestions for Outdoor Little Free Library - Arlin Eastman - 05-04-2016
I like the first one and the second one does not look like it will show or handle the books.
I have seen them in Woodsmith Magazine and thought about it but living in the country we have very few people on the road.
Also how do you keep them from the rain?