10 Wayfair Bookshelf Ideas to Organize Your Dream Home Library
Most of the time, when someone wants to purchase some random product online, the first website they turn to is Amazon. That’s perfectly understandable, especially since Amazon is the number one online retailer in the world because of its impressive product pool.
However, there are other good websites that you can turn to when you’re looking for a good deal and you’re even likely to find products that aren’t listed on Amazon. Wayfair, for example, is one of the best websites to visit when you’re looking to buy stuff for your house. Today, we’re going to show you what Wayfair is all about, and then talk about one of the must-have furnishings of 2021: bookcases.
Top 3 Picks
Customer’s Choice: Macon Metal Etagere Bookcase
“Easy enough to put together. Everything matched up easily and once built is very sturdy. The wood is better quality than I expected.” (Customer review)
Best Spacious Bookcase: Lachlan Library Bookcase
Measuring 86.61” H x 94.5” W x 15.75” D, this is one bookcase that offers plenty of shelves, three cabinets, and five tiers to store books, souvenirs, trinkets, plants, and whatever else you want to showcase.
Budget Pick: Saidnawey Standard Bookcase
Simple and efficient, the Saidnawey bookcase is made from composite wood and serves shoppers that are looking to strict to a limited budget.
About Wayfair
When it comes to third-party retailers that have a generous offer of home products, Wayfair is probably the second name that comes to mind after Amazon. They offer a ridiculously large range of home products that include around 22 million items from various categories such as furniture, decor items, houseware, outdoor products, and more.
It works with a lot of popular brands that you might have heard of already, such as Perigold or Birch Lane. Their product offering is continuously expanding and they promise to facilitate market entry for those interested in getting started in the e-commerce industry.
The Wayfair brand came to live thanks to two Cornell University students, Steve Conine and Niraj Shah. Interestingly enough, this 2002-founded company was initially launched to sell stereo racks and stands. With multiple websites selling multiple kinds of furnishing and other home-related products, the duo created Wayfair in 2011, when they merged all these sites into one large platform. By 2012, Wayfair had an annual revenue of over $600 million and continued to grow to the platform that we are familiar with today.
What to Look for in a Bookshelf
Buying a bookshelf or a bookcase requires that you know some stuff beforehand, just to make sure you avoid post-purchase frustrations arising from several reasons, such as the bookcase being too big/small, not matching the room style you were hoping for, or not being as durable as you wanted. When you’re looking to invest in a bookcase, consider the following:
- The size of the bookcase is important as you most likely want it to fit in a very specific area of a room. That means that it’s important to take room measurements before you start browsing the many models available. You should also have an idea of how many books/other stuff you want to fit into the bookshelf, because this will also determine what bookshelf size is optimal for you.
- The materials that are used to make the bookshelf will determine what room style they’re most compatible with, but also how durable this piece of furniture is. If you want to know more about the different materials that are used to make bookcases and what their properties are, make sure you read the next section of this article.
- Adjustable shelves are important for a lot of buyers because books and whatever other items you place here will have different heights. When you have books and items of various sizes that you want to place in here, adjustable shelves are the way to go.
- The finish and style of the bookcase plays a major part in determining whether or not it’s the right product for your room. There are many different types of bookcases and materials to work with, so you should keep an eye out for what you feel can easily be integrated in your decor.
- Some bookcases have on-display shelves, others have cabinets that conceal whatever is placed in there, and others even have both. Bookcase cabinets will help you conceal the things that you don’t want to be seen, but also protect them from things like dust or sunlight exposure.
Materials to Consider
When buying pretty much whatever furniture piece, the materials that are used to make it will determine its properties and quality, which is why some furniture pieces are better than others. As far as bookshelves are concerned, we wanted to list the most common materials used to make them, as well as a few traits that will help you tell what are the advantages or drawbacks that arise from using these materials:
Solid wood
This is a generic term used to describe lumber plank furniture. A lot of manufacturers talk about how their products are made from softwood or hardwood, but this is not always a reflection of the material’s strength. Softwoods come from coniferous trees and hardwoods come from deciduous trees. For example, douglas fir is very hard even though, by definition, it’s softwood. Hardwoods, however, are more resistant to scratches and tend to weigh more.
Plywood
It is basically a stack of thin lumber sheets which are glued together using pressure. There are multiple plywood grades available, which means that you can find really cheap and highly expensive plywood. It is not uncommon for those who make plywood to use high-quality wood for the top and bottom sheet, and something cheaper and less resistant in the middle.
Particleboard
This is basically a selection of wood chips which have been glued together. They are less expensive compared to solid wood, denser, and more uniform. They are usually not as resistant in time as other options, but they are excellent for people who are on a budget, especially since manufacturing techniques can make particleboard look like real wood.
MDF
MDF is a composite made from wood fibers, sawdust, and wood chips. All of these ingredients are glued together to make medium-density fiberboards. It is not as resistant as other options, but it is often used as veneer base and it shapes pretty well.
Metal
Another common material used to make bookcases, and an excellent one at that. Metal is resistant to moisture and fungus, and is usually very strong. You are likely to find loads of bookcases that have a metal frame because it makes the end product more durable. However, the best rust and corrosion-resistant metal is one that comes with a powder coating, so make sure you look for bookcases that have that, especially if the metal frame is exposed.
Glass
Glass bookshelves are beautiful, but they are also quite heavy. They can be perfect additions to a contemporary room, but the glass surface isn’t as easy to clean because of smudges and the surface that often acts as a fingerprint magnet. Glass is also more expensive compared to other materials.
Check out The Wayfair Bookshelves collection
Zachary W Steel Ladder Bookcase
The first product we wanted to show you today is a ladder-style bookcase that measures 72.5” H x 24” W x 11.72” D and has a five-tier shelf distribution that can fit a lot of different things. It features an open shelf structure, with shelves that can support up to 50 pounds in weight. It comes with a metal frame and the shelves are made from oak-laminate reclaimed wood. The design makes it super easy to assemble and the necessary wall-mounting hardware is included in the package. The powder-coated steel frame has a golden finish, which goes really well with the white shelves.
Alves W Standard Bookcase
This gorgeous 72” H x 29.5” W x 11.6” D bookcase is another product worth mentioning because it comes at a really good price and has a simple, yet effective design that allows it to blend into multiple setups. It comes with shelves distributed across five tiers, with each of the shelves measuring 27.8” W x 11.5” D. It is made from manufactured wood, so each shelf can only support 45 pounds in weight, which is pretty decent. This bookcase requires some assembly, and you’re going to need a screwdriver and a hammer to put all the pieces together.
Augustus W Metal Etagere Bookcase
When you’re looking for a book storage solution that isn’t very high and allows you to use the top surface to maybe place a TV or some other stuff, products like the Augustus are worthy of your attention. Measuring 26” H x 40” W x 16” D, this is an industrial-looking bookcase that has a black metal frame with powder coating for added durability, and three manufactured wood shelves for your storage needs. Each of the shelves can support up to 150 pounds in weight and are designed with an open back panel structure.
Macon W Metal Etagere Bookcase
Fans of industrial-style furnishing are bound to love the Macon bookcase. It is designed with a solid metal frame with powder coating to make it more durable, and features five shelves made from manufactured wood, each capable of holding up to 75 pounds in weight. The open design adds to the contemporary charm of this bookcase, designed with ladder sides and an X-frame backing. The entire bookcase measures 63” H x 29.88” W x 13.75” D, with each shelf being 13.63” H x 28” W x 12” D.
Artrip W Solid Wood Library Bookcase
Another great bookcase that can serve as a TV stand is the Artrip. It is made from solid wood and it’s a clean piece with a three-tier shelf construction designed to fit everything from books to decorative items. It measures 32.5” H x 66” W x 14” D and each of the shelves has a weight capacity of 20 pounds, which is lower compared to how much weight the other models we’ve looked at today can support.
Lachlan W Library Bookcase
For those of you decorating your rooms in a coastal or farmhouse style, the Lachlan bookcase is a real gem to consider purchasing. It is made from a combination of solid and manufactured wood and comes with six tiers of shelves that are ideal for storing and showcasing all kinds of stuff, books included. Each shelf has a weight capacity of 55 pounds, which should be more than enough for different items. The large bookcase measures 86.61” H x 94.5” W x 15.75” D overall, with each shelf having 7.72” H x 27.56” W x 11.81” D in dimensions.
Cavender W Standard Bookcase
If you’re looking for an affordable, simple, yet very effective bookcase, take a look at the Cavender. It is designed with mid-century modern inspiration and offers a four-tier storage shelf system plus a closed cabinet located on the bottom half. While the bookcase is made with high-grade MDF and durable laminate, the shelves are made from glass and measure 22” W x 10” D each. Every shelf can support a weight of 45 pounds and the overall measurements of the bookcase are 68” H x 26” W x 14” D.
Trivette W Geometric Bookcase
If you’re tired of the same old bookcase and bookshelf designs, we’d like to present something different. This geometric bookcase can store a generous number of books and offers a unique design created from open bookshelves. Each of the shelves has a weight capacity of 22 pounds and measures 7.1” H x 7.1” W x 8.7” D. This rustic brown shelf system is made from manufactured wood and has a total of eight shelves, measuring 55.7” H x 20” W x 11” D.
Mckibben W Geometric Bookcase
Another geometric bookcase that’s meant to defy the common model that comes to mind when one thinks about this kind of furniture piece is the Mckibben. The shelves are distributed in tiers located at eight different heights, allowing you to use the top side of the bookcase for additional storage. The bookcase measures 50.2” H x 49.2” W x 8.6” D and each of the shelves can support up to 13 pounds in weight. The entire structure is made from manufactured wood.
Saidnawey W Standard Bookcase
The last suggestion we have in store for you today is focused on those of you that have to stick to a limited budget, yet want to enjoy having a place where you store their books in a neat and organized fashion. Measuring 52” H x 15.8” W, this closed bookcase is made from composite wood, which doesn’t make it the longest-lasting product in its category, but still a very decent one. The shelves are distributed on five different tiers, with each shelf measuring 9.7” H x 15.8” W x 9.4” D and capable of supporting up to 15 pounds in weight.
FAQ
Is it cheaper to buy or build a bookshelf?
There are a lot of variables that determine the price of the bookshelf, such as the size, the quality and quantity of the materials, or who designed it. There is no correct answer to this question because building a bookshelf made with high-quality hardwood pieces will be more expensive compared to some of the cheaper options available on the market. Generally speaking, DIY products tend to be cheaper, but it is not a general rule.
What is the difference between a bookshelf and a bookcase?
These two terms are often used interchangeably but there are a few notable differences between these two. Bookshelves are simple structures used to store books, while bookcases are larger pieces of furniture, basically acting as cabinets for storing books.
Are Wayfair bookshelves sturdy?
Yes, but that also depends on the particular model in question. Much like Amazon, Wayfair is a third party retailer and a platform that allows several brands to showcase and sell their products. Instead of focusing on the brand, focus on the materials that are used to make it and you should be able to figure out just how durable or sturdy the bookshelf in question is.
How much does it cost to have bookshelves built?
The cost of a bookshelf will first depend on the material used. MDF costs about $300 to $400 per linear foot, bookshelves made with metal and wood can cost anything between $450 and $1,000, while those made from glass cost between $750 and $1,200. The cost of the installation depends on the price of the carpenter, but the average is between $50 and $150 per hour.
In Conclusion
Wayfair is truly one of the best marketplaces to visit when you’re looking to buy furniture, home decor, kitchenware, appliances, and other things that are generally used to make and decorate a home. Bookshelves are just one of the many product categories covered by Wayfair, and rest assured that they sell products suitable for all tastes and budgets.