How to Build a DIY Book Wall in 6 Simple Steps

Create a book collage on your walls with TikTok’s viral decor trend

Co-authored by Kathryn Welsh and Maryana Lucia Vestic, MFA, M.Phil.

Last Updated: December 11, 2025 Fact Checked

Seen some stunning book walls on TikTok and want to make your own? The process might seem complicated, but it’s actually relatively simple! All you need is a backboard, a bunch of used books, and a few other materials to create a DIY book wall for your home or a special event. Keep reading for a complete step-by-step guide to making your very own book wall, also with unique design ideas and tips from a team of expert interior designers.

Making a DIY Book Wall: Overview

Gather necessary materials: a wooden board or backing, books, and a staple gun.
Prepare each book by breaking the spine so it lies flat.
Lay out the books on the backboard and make any adjustments.
Staple each book’s front and back covers to the board.
Fold several loose pages into a desired pattern (optional).
Decorate the book board with artificial flowers or greenery (optional).

1

Gather your materials and prepare your space.

You’ll need a wooden board, books, and a staple gun to get started. Choose a book wall board made from lightweight material. You can use a thin piece of plywood or a piece of MDF board. Other options include strong cardboard sheets or plasterboard. Depending on what size board you need, it’s also possible to have a board cut to the specific dimensions you’re looking for.^{[1]
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- You’ll also need a bunch of books! Look for free or discounted books at secondhand stores or Goodwill. Books that are badly damaged or can’t be donated are sent to landfills, so your book wall is a great way to be more eco-friendly!^{[2]
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- Other things you might need include a staple gun, staples, glue sticks, and/or double-sided tape (if you need to adjust the number of book pages that fall forward). Always wear safety goggles when using a staple gun!
- If using a thicker piece of board, you may want to drill the books into the board using short [1/2 inch (1.27 cm)] screws or a hammer and nails.
- Skip this step if you plan to affix the books (or individual pages) directly to the wall. When attaching books directly to the wall, interior designer Kathryn Welsh recommends “staggering” your design so it “cascades down and has a movement to it," just as you would with a traditional bookshelf.^{[3]
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  Kathryn Welsh
  Interior Designer
  
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Meet the wikiHow Experts

Angelica Savard is a home stager, realtor, and interior designer with over 15 years of design experience.

Kathryn Welsh is an interior designer with over 15 years of experience designing, remodeling, and decorating spaces.

Karen Parziale is a home stager and interior designer with over 15 years of home staging and decorating experience.

2

Break the spine of each book.

Place each book (spine down) on a flat surface. Begin to gently press down on small sections (20 to 30 pages), alternating between the front and back pages, until reaching the center of the book. Repeat the process, pressing larger sections each time, until the book can lie flat when open—this will help your books remain flat once you affix them to the back board.^{[4]
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3

Arrange your books on the backboard.

Open up each book so they’re lined up (and no gaps are visible). You can line up the books side by side, straight up and down, or arrange them so they’re all at different angles. Take a step back to look at your proposed layout. Adjust anything you think needs to change, and make sure you like the overall look of your DIY book wall before affixing the books to the board.^{[5]
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- You may wish to arrange your books so there is a touch of overhang around the borders of the board; in other words, allow the book edges to extend just a bit beyond the board itself to cover up any chance of seeing the board.
- To prevent gaps, you can also glue or tape single book pages along the outside border of the board or in a single layer on the entire board.

4

Staple both covers of each book onto the board.

Staple (or drill) each end of the open book covers to the board. Press down a small number of pages against the cover before stapling it to the board, so all the pages aren’t left hanging. So, you’ll be stapling those pages and the cover to the board, instead of just the cover. Continue stapling each book’s front and back cover to the board one by one until they’re all affixed to the back board.^{[6]
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- Keep the books lined up neatly without a gap between them or staple them at different angles, depending on what look you decided on.
- How many pages you staple down with each cover depends on how many of the book’s interior pages you want to remain loose.
- If overlapping books, place the front cover (plus a few pages) of the second book beneath the back cover of the first before stapling or drilling them both to the board. To overlap, work from left to right.

5

Fold the pages in a decorative way (optional).

Fold some of the interior pages in a pattern you like for a more arty look. One folding method includes bending one corner of one of the book’s interior pages back and then stapling it down. Then, do the same using 1-2 subsequent pages, bending each page a little shorter than the last one so you can see a series of cascading folds. Continue for as many pages as you like… be creative with your design, because the possible patterns are endless!^{[7]
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- You might also slightly curl each page and staple it down. The following page would curl just next to the first, which also produces a pretty rippled effect.
- If you end up with pages you don’t want to fold or bend, just staple them to the cover beneath them.

6

Decorate with flowers or other greenery.

Give your book wall depth and texture with bonus decorations. Just as you would when arranging books on a traditional bookshelf, home stager, realtor, & interior designer Angelica Savard suggests "having fun adding little accents” to your open book display.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Angelica Savard
Home Stager, Realtor, & Interior Designer

Expert Interview} Dried or artificial flowers, vines, greens, and herbs also look beautiful alongside your book wall. If decorating with a long vine, staple or glue it to the books at certain points to keep it secure.^{[9]
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- Avoid using real flowers that aren’t dried, so they don’t shrivel up.
- You can add anything you like to your book wall aesthetic—fairy lights, a personalized sign, or a piece of art, depending on the purpose your book wall will have, i.e., general interior design, or an event like a baby shower or graduation.
- Get creative—home stager & interior designer Karen Parziale says it’s very possible to “decorate with books.” Creating a DIY book wall is just one way to “use books to add decor to your home.”^{[10]
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  Karen Parziale
  Home Stager & Interior Designer
  
  Expert Interview}

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Tips

Always wear safety goggles when using a staple gun.

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If affixing books or individual pages directly onto the wall for book page wallpaper, use Command strips, velcro, or double-sided tape.

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Avoid using glue, screws, or nails if you’re only affixing book pages, so you don’t do any damage to the wall.

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Things You'll Need

Thin plywood board or MDF board (26 inches (66 cm) to 40 inches (100 cm) is a popular size for a book wall)
A bunch of books (roughly similar-sized)
Staple gun and staples
Other options: Drill and ½ inch screws or a hammer and nails
Glue sticks (optional)
Command strips, velcro, or double-sided tape (if affixing books/pages directly onto the wall)
Dried or artificial flowers (optional)