shelving and tables using glass bottles

step 1Get your bits n bobs.
For one module you will need:

Four bottles. All the same brand/height/shape preferable. Wash them thoroughly in hot soapy water.

Two hook and eye strainers / turnbuckles as they are sometimes called. I used the smallest I could find, which are 14mm OD at the buckle and 5mm OD at the threads. Such as these from Screwfix.

Two planks of wood, prepared as shown in the .pdf template - careful! there are two different hole diameters, and if you are leaving one rough edge as I did here, make sure you take your measurements from the straight datum edge.

*REVISION* I would now NOT drill the holes in the lower shelf (the 30mm ones) all the way through, but drill them from below to half depth, using a flat bit. They will then rest on the tops of the bottles of the module below, rather than allowing the necks to pass striaght through as was the case in this prototype. (See discussion in comments)

Screw in the cup hooks halfway between the holes on either side, as shown. Depending on the height of your bottles, you may need some ess hooks too to help the strainer reach between the upper and lower hooks.


This prototype was built with the Coach House Trust in Glasgow, using bottles from their recycling centre, and wood from the maintenance of their own sites. You can use any found timber, and adapt the dimensions to suit the wood you are working with.

How to Repair a Cracked Seam

1. Use your spackle blade handle to flatten the cracked seam, which provides a flat surface on which to work. 2. Use your spackle blade to scrape the surface, removing debris and smoothing out the surface. 3. Apply mesh tape to cracked seam. 4. Apply 20-minute spackle with your spackle blade. Let it dry for 20 minutes, then repeat this step two more times. By applying a total of three coats of spackle, you ensure that the damaged area is properly repaired. 5. Sand the area with a sanding block. You may sand the edges thoroughly, but sand the seam lightly, so as not to sand off your repair. 6. Now you are ready to paint. Use a paint brush to paint any edges or corners in your working area, and use a roller to paint larger areas. When using a roller, do not roll in one line only; instead, feather out the paint, so it will blend with the existing paint nicely.

Paint touch up

Some helpful tips: If you have a large painting project, it is a good idea to use a drop cloth on your floor so as not to spill paint. The best way to paint is to use the feathering approach, as shown in the video. This allows your newly applied paint to look uniform with the existing paint on your wall.

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