My only experience with wood is with refinishing - I’m very comfortable with sanding, stripping, staining, painting, sealing, etc. And assembling cheap furniture from Ikea, of course.

I want to try my hand at building the box shelving that is described in this blog post. I’ve measured my existing cabinets, drawn out sketches, and found the right crown molding. The only thing holding me back is my complete ignorance when it comes to choosing and buying wood.

Can anyone suggest the kind of wood I need for this project? The shelves will not be used for much more than storing baskets of excess kitchen supplies or displaying cookbooks. Basically, I want the most affordable option that will look good when I paint it white to match the existing cabinets. My shopping options are limited to the big box stores. I’m hoping if I go in with the measurements all written out, they will trim the wood for me so I don’t need to invest in a saw just yet.

Any help from the experienced gurus would be very much appreciated.