When he got to the last item on the agenda for the Opinicon Property Owners’ Association meeting, Guy Valentine, the association’s secretary, asked the attendees if there was any other business. There was: a request for a little free library on the Eastern Ontario lake.
Guy wasted no time, repurposing leftovers—pre-varnished pine from his sister’s porch reno and shingles from a shed roof—to build what has become a popular spot for cottagers to leave a book (or take one). Guy keeps the roadside attraction tidy. “The number of people who use it is gratifying,” he says.
The library is supported by a 6×6 cedar post that sits on a braced base, weighted with rocks for stability. It’s survived several winters, with only minor realigning required.
To promote air flow around the books, Guy built shelves using narrow, spaced slats. In hindsight, he says, the slats should have been a bit wider, and the gaps between narrower, to keep books from tipping into the gaps. The simple pivoting door latch helps him know when someone has visited the library. Guy leaves the latch perfectly horizontal; others rarely do.
He routed the sign freehand, guided by only a pencil outline, then stained the letters for contrast.
After Guy initially stocked the shelves with mystery, crime, and humour books, swapping has led him to read “books that I never would have considered cracking open at all.” Some neighbours, impressed by his DIY skills, have even asked if he’d build them a bunkie. But with so many new books to read and association meetings to minute, he politely declines.
Photo Courtesy Guy Valentine
Here’s how to build and maintain it
Use a v-groove, core-box, or letter-making bit for routing signs. To hold the board in place, lay a non-slip router pad underneath—no clamps in the way.
Leave shingles overhanging by about five-eighths of an inch to help prevent water from wicking back into the wood.
Given that wood expands in wet weather, an expansion gap around the door will keep it swinging freely.
Deck screws are a wise choice for many outdoor projects, both for longevity and to avoid rust stains. Pre-drilling holes help ease assembly and prevent splits.
The post and beam will last longer when isolated from the soil with a layer of free-draining stones and when treated with end-grain preservative.
This article was originally published in the June/July 2025 issue of Cottage Life.
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