Little Library Builder

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Little Library Builder

Little Free Libraries being made in Exeter Devon.

26/08/2026

✨Finished & ready for its journey to Wales🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

This made-to-order Little Library is now complete — built from scratch, painted in a fresh white finish and topped with composite roof tiles to help it withstand the British weather.

Inside, there are two roomy shelves ready to be filled with books and shared with its new community. I’m so pleased with how clean and bright it looks when it’s fully stocked! 📚

It feels incredibly special knowing that something I built here in Exeter will soon be encouraging people to share books somewhere completely new.

Where should a Little Library Builder library travel to next? 💛

19/08/2026

Nearly there! 🏡📚

The composite roof tiles went on today and I’m so pleased with how they look. Just the front tile edge to finish, the door to hang and a few final touches… then this little library will be ready for its journey to Wales! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

It’s always exciting when all the separate pieces finally start looking like a finished library. I can’t wait to show you the completed build very soon! 💛

17/08/2026

🏠 We have a roof!

Today’s progress on the latest Little Free Library:

🔨 The roof is fitted
🪟 The plexiglass has been carefully siliconed into the door
🎨 And the whole build is starting to look like a proper little library!

The door is currently drying safely to one side, but once it’s fitted, the transformation will really begin. Next up: finishing the roof, more painting and all those little details that bring it to life.

What colour would you choose if this library were yours? Tell me below! 👇

Follow Little Library Builder to watch this one go from sheets of plywood to a finished home for books. 📚💛

16/08/2026

Another bit of progress on the latest Little Library today 🔨📚

The shelf is now hung and the front panel is in — and it’s really starting to look like a library!

It’s the little bits you won’t necessarily notice on the finished build that take the time. All the screws have been countersunk and filled, and the joins carefully sealed as part of the weatherproofing process. Once everything is sanded and has two coats of exterior paint, you dont see most of this work — but it’s these little details that help a library stand up to the British weather. ☔️

Next up… the roof!

14/08/2026

I am itching to make one of these 😍

12/08/2026

Today’s library progress… routing the door 🪚📚

I used to be SO intimidated by this part.

Years ago, a carpenter told me routing was really difficult and had taken him a long time to master, and I think that stuck with me. For ages I assumed it was one of those specialist jobs I probably shouldn’t attempt myself.

Eventually I bought a router and decided to work it out.

This one? About £40 from Amazon 😂

It took a bit of practice to get the technique right, but now it’s just another part of my build process — and one I actually really enjoy.

There’s something very satisfying about looking at a job you once found intimidating and realising it’s become completely normal.

Today’s door routed and ready for its plexiglass 🙌📚

10/08/2026

A little more progress on the Wales library today 🔨📚

Today was all about bringing the base, back and side panels together and starting on some of those little finishing details that make such a difference to the finished library.

I’ve also been filling any small imperfections in the plywood. Even with a nice clean cut, plywood can occasionally splinter a little when you’re cutting against the grain – particularly around openings like the door.

A little wood filler works brilliantly for this. Once it’s dry, I’ll sand everything smooth and those little nicks should disappear beautifully under the paint. ✨

It’s definitely not the most exciting stage of the build to photograph, but good preparation now makes for a much nicer finish later!

Next up… getting that front panel fitted and really starting to see it look like a Little Library. ❤️📚

09/08/2026

Not the most exciting stage… but an important one! 🎨

Today’s job has been getting all the pieces of my latest Little Library primed and ready for assembly.

This one is a custom order and will eventually be heading off to Wales — my first Little Library across the border! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Next up: Assembly 🔨 I’ll keep sharing the progress as it comes together.

07/08/2026

I’m sure this isn’t how they’d teach it in carpentry college… 😅

But there’s a reason I do it this way…

Rather than building the front from lots of separate pieces, I cut it from a single sheet of plywood.

Over the years I’ve found that keeping the number of joints to a minimum helps reduce places where movement and the British weather can eventually cause problems. It also works really well with the waterproofing method I’ve developed while building my little libraries.

There are plenty of different ways to build one, but after 20+ libraries this is the approach that works best for me.

Every build teaches me something new, and I love refining the design a little each time. 📚

06/08/2026

🇬🇧 A new build begins… and this one is a special milestone! 🪚📚

These are the very first panels cut for my latest custom Little Library…

And if everything goes to plan, it’ll soon be heading to Nelson, making it the first Little Library Builder library to find a home in Wales! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

There’s still a long way to go—from these plain plywood panels to a finished community library—but I can’t wait to share the journey with you over the next couple of weeks.

It’s always exciting seeing a pile of timber gradually turn into something that will hopefully encourage people to stop, borrow a book, leave a book and connect with their community.

📍Where do you think the next one should go after Wales?

👇 Let me know in the comments!

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