What's inside
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A wooden folding book stand is a useful small project for a desk, kitchen counter, or bedside table. This version folds flat for storage and uses adjustable side supports to hold books of different sizes. It is a beginner-friendly project, but accurate drilling and careful hinge alignment matter more than the amount of cutting.
Contents
Materials and design
The stand consists of a sloped back panel, a hinged base, and two sliding side supports. The back panel holds the book at an angle. The base supports the lower edge, while the side supports stop pages from spreading or the book from sliding sideways.
Use straight, knot-free boards if possible. Pine is inexpensive and easy to work, although soft wood dents more readily around screws. Poplar gives a cleaner painted finish. Hardwood is more durable but adds cost without being necessary for a first build.
| Material | Advantages | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2-inch pine or poplar | Light, inexpensive, easy to cut | Can dent or warp if poorly dried |
| 3/4-inch hardwood | Stiffer and more durable | Heavier and more expensive |
| Plywood | Stable and widely available | Exposed edges need sanding or edging |
For a general-purpose stand, buy one 1-by-10 board at least 36 inches long, or a 1/2-inch plywood panel measuring about 24 by 36 inches. You will also need two small butt hinges, four 1/4-inch carriage bolts or threaded knobs, washers, nuts, wood glue, and four small rubber or felt pads. A small brass butt hinge set is suitable; inexpensive hinges are fine because the stand carries little weight.
Cut list and tools
Cut the following parts:
- Back panel: 18 inches long by 9 inches wide
- Base: 9 inches long by 3 inches wide
- Two side supports: 5 inches long by 1 1/2 inches wide
- Optional hinge cleat: 9 inches long by 1 1/2 inches wide
The back panel will accommodate most novels, cookbooks, tablets, and sheet music. If you regularly use oversized books, increase its width to 11 or 12 inches. Keep the base the same width as the panel so the stand remains balanced.
Use a saw, drill, 1/4-inch drill bit, screwdriver, tape measure, square, clamps, and sandpaper. A small woodworking clamp set helps during hinge installation, but you can manage with spring clamps if that is what you already own.
Prepare and sand the parts
Mark each cut with a square rather than relying on the board edge. Cut slowly and check that the ends are square. A crooked base will make the stand rock, while an uneven back panel can prevent the side supports from moving smoothly.
Round the front corners of the base and the upper corners of the back panel with a compass or a small can. This is optional, but it removes sharp points that can catch clothing or scratch a tabletop. Sand all faces with 120-grit paper, then finish with 180-grit. Break every sharp edge with two or three light sanding passes.
Do not over-sand the hinge locations. Removing too much material at one end can leave the hinge leaf sitting below the surface and cause binding.
Build the folding hinge
Place the back panel face down. Position the base at its lower edge so the base projects forward when opened. Install two hinges approximately 2 inches in from each side. Mark the screw holes with an awl, then drill pilot holes slightly smaller than the hinge screws.
Before driving the screws, open and close the joint by hand. The base should fold flat against the back panel without the hinge barrel hitting the wood. If it binds, loosen the screws, realign the hinge, and check that both hinges sit at the same depth.
If your board is only 1/2 inch thick and the hinge screws are long, replace them with shorter screws. Screws that break through the front face are a common failure on this project. A 3/8-inch screw is usually safer for a 1/2-inch board, provided the hinge leaf is not unusually thick.
Make the adjustable side supports
Each support slides along a slot cut or drilled into the base. The simplest beginner method is to drill a line of overlapping 1/4-inch holes, then clean the slot with a file. Make each slot about 4 inches long and centered from front to back. Position one slot near each side edge, leaving at least 1 inch of wood between the slot and the outer edge.
Drill the slots before attaching the base to the back panel. Clamp a straight scrap beside the drill marks as a guide. Keep the slots parallel; supports that angle inward will pinch a large book and leave a small book loose.
Drill a 1/4-inch hole through each side support. Insert a carriage bolt from the top, pass it through a washer and slot, and secure it underneath with a washer and wing nut or threaded knob. Tighten the knob enough to hold the support but not so tightly that adjustment requires tools.
For a cleaner appearance, glue a thin piece of leather, cork, or felt to the inside face of each support. Avoid thick padding, which reduces the available space and can make the stand unstable. A self-adhesive felt pad sheet is inexpensive and works well.
Test, finish, and troubleshoot
Set the stand on a flat surface and open the back panel until it sits at roughly 65 to 75 degrees from the tabletop. Place a book on the base and adjust both side supports evenly. The lower edge should rest fully on the base, not just on the front lip.
If the stand folds during use, the hinges are carrying too much of the opening load. Add a small folding leg or a removable support strip behind the back panel. For most books, a support strip 3/4 inch thick and 9 inches long is enough to hold a fixed reading angle.
If the stand rocks, check the base for a high corner and sand it lightly. If the supports slip, use larger washers underneath or replace the wing nuts with star knobs. If a slot splits toward the edge, stop using it and shorten the slot with a glued-in hardwood plug; a cracked base will eventually fail.
Finish with two coats of water-based polyurethane, wiping varnish, or paint. Sand lightly with 220-grit paper between coats. The cheaper option is leaving the wood unfinished, and that is perfectly adequate for occasional indoor use. Add a third coat only for a kitchen stand exposed to moisture, and keep the stand folded until the finish has fully cured.