Hexagon Bookshelf and Cat Tree DIY

My husband and I soon will get our very own kitty! :) We are super excited about it, and we have started with some preparations for this huge event )) We definitely wanted to have a cat tree, so that our kitty could enjoy herself, but we also were not quite thrilled about those available for sale in most of the zoo stores.  So we have come up with the idea of making our own cat tree and a bookshelf, which would be more appealing to us. So this is our DIY hexagon bookshelf and a cat tree:

Tools:

*screwdriver

*jigsaw

*ruler

*pencil

*sandpaper for wood

*paint brush (optional)

Materials:

*screws

*1.8cm (0.71”) thick pine wood sheets

*paint (optional)

*paper tape (optional)

*self-adhesive cork sheets (optional)

Since it is not just a bookshelf, but also a cat tree, we have decided to go for different hexagon heights and depths.  We had 3 small hexagons (approx.33cm or 13” high) and 4 large hexagons (49cm or 19.3”) high.

      So the first step is to measure and mark off 20cm (7.9”) for the small hexagons and 30cm (11.8”) for the large ones. I have marked off 3cm (1.18”) from each side of the main line, so that it is easier to saw the straight line.

Next, saw the necessary amount of pieces. In our case we had

*12 pieces 20cm x 20cm (7.9” x 7.9”) for 2 small and narrow hexagons

      *6 pieces 20cm x 25cm (7.9” x 9.84”) for 1 small and medium-depth hexagon

      *12 pieces 30cm x 20cm (11.8” x 7.9”) for 2 large and narrow hexagons

      *12 pieces 30cm x 30cm (11.8” x 11.8”) for 2 large and wide hexagons

      *1 piece 97cm x 20cm for a side board for out kitty to climb

Now cut all the edges at a 30 degrees angle, so that every piece has a 60 degree angle left

There are 2 ways how the hexagon sides can be put together:

We have chosen the second one.

Drill 2 holes in each narrow piece, and 3 holes in the wide pieces

Slightly drill with a larger diameter; this will help to make screw bolts less noticeable.

Screw the sides of hexagons together

Rub down all the edges of the hexagons with some sandpaper until smooth.

We then have put some hexagons together to get the idea how the shelf is going to look.

If this is going to be just a bookshelf you could stop here, since the shelf is rather stable, and it is not necessary to screw all the hexagons together. You could then rearrange your shelf as you please, as often as you like.

But for the cat tree we screwed hexagons and also the side board together.

Furthermore, we have painted some hexagons (mostly inside) to add a little bit sophisticated touch to our shelf.

And for the cat owners, you could bring this one step further by adding cork sheets so that your buddy could climb and scratch.