A bookshelf is one of the simplest pieces of furniture you can buy, and one of the easiest to get wrong. Too deep and it eats a small lounge; too flimsy and the shelves bow under a row of hardcovers; too tall and unsecured and it becomes a hazard for small children. This guide walks you through the choices that matter, using real measurements and load ratings from the bookcases we sell.
Decide where the bookshelf will go before you look at styles. Measure the wall width, the height up to any window sill or light switch, and how far the unit can come into the room without blocking a door or walkway.
Check the gap between shelves. Our 5-tier bookcase has three adjustable shelves that move up or down by 3 cm, giving shelf spacing between 22 and 28 cm. That suits most paperbacks and hardcovers. Upright A4 files and lever-arch files are taller, so measure your tallest item before you buy.
Open display shelves and ladder designs leave room for frames and plants as well as books. Ladder shelves are wider at the bottom and narrower at the top, so they look lighter in a small room.
If you need somewhere for chargers, paperwork or toys, choose a bookcase with closed storage. The 6-tier bookshelf with 2 drawers is made from 15 mm P2-grade particleboard with a white laminate finish, and the rustic 2-door cabinet bookshelf (60 × 35 × 125 cm) puts open shelves above a closed cabinet.
You can compare all of these side by side on our bookshelves and bookcases page.
Most affordable bookcases are made from particleboard or engineered wood with a laminate or wood-look finish. Laminate is easy to wipe clean and resists scratches. A steel frame with wood-look shelves, the "industrial" or "rustic" look, adds strength and usually includes cross-bracing. Our 4-tier industrial bookcase, for example, has a steel frame with X-shaped reinforcement.
White finishes make a small room feel lighter; rustic brown and black suit wooden floors and darker furniture. Keep any particleboard unit away from damp walls and direct water.
This is the question most people forget to ask. Books are heavy, and a tightly packed shelf of hardcovers can reach a shelf's limit quickly. Always read the load rating on the product page. Some examples from our range:
Put the heaviest books on the bottom shelves and lighter décor at the top. If a shelf starts to bow, move some books down or spread them out.
A loaded bookcase can tip if a child climbs it or a pet jumps onto it. Many of our bookcases include an anti-tip kit or wall-mount fixings; use them, especially for units taller than a metre. Use plugs and screws that suit your wall: brick and drywall need different fixings. If your landlord does not allow drilling, choose a lower, wider unit such as a cube bookcase laid on its side, and keep heavy items low. Adjustable feet, found on several of our steel-frame models, help on uneven floors.
Bookcases are usually assembled at home. Lay out all the parts first and check them against the instructions; our 5-tier bookcase, for example, comes with numbered parts and detailed instructions. Build it on a rug or the box lid to protect the finish, ask someone to help lift tall units upright, then fit the anti-tip kit before loading the shelves.
We deliver in 1–3 working days in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town, and in 3–6 working days elsewhere. Free delivery on orders of R750 (incl. VAT) or more in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town. You also have 30-day returns; see our return policy for details.
Ready to choose? Browse our bookshelves and bookcases, add storage boxes and cubes for the compartments, or see our shelving units for garage and pantry storage.
It depends on the unit, so check the load rating on the product page. In our range, typical ratings are 10 kg per tier or cube, up to 15 kg per compartment on some tall bookcases, and up to 75 kg in total on a steel-frame ladder bookshelf.
Our bookcases range from about 24 to 35 cm deep. 24 cm suits paperbacks and narrow passages; around 30 cm gives more room for storage baskets, box files and larger books.
People use the words interchangeably. A bookcase usually means a freestanding unit with several shelves, sometimes with doors or drawers, while a bookshelf can also mean a single shelf or a wall-mounted unit.
Yes, especially if it is tall or you have children or pets. Many of our bookcases include an anti-tip kit or wall-mount fixings. Use plugs and screws suited to your wall type.
A tall, narrow unit, a ladder or corner shelf, or a wall-mounted cube shelf uses height instead of floor space. A cube bookcase laid on its side can double as a TV bench or bedside unit.
We deliver in 1–3 working days in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town, and in 3–6 working days elsewhere. Free delivery on orders of R750 (incl. VAT) or more in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town. You also have 30-day returns.