Though bookcases are supposed to be used for holding books, many people use them as an accent for their room/home. Solid wood bookcases are one of the most popular choices according to that need.
If you’re new to this item, our experts have listed out their most favorite of the 6 best solid wood bookcases on the market. Read on!
Here are the best solid wood bookcases you can buy in 2024:
- Best Budget Option: Walker Edison X Back Modern Farmhouse Wood Bookcase
- Best For Bedrooms: Camaflexi Shaker Style Bookcase
- Best For Living Rooms: SIMPLIHOME Amherst SOLID WOOD
- Best For Short Books: International Concepts Bookcase
- Best For Heavy Books: HOMYSHOPY Industrial 5-Tier Solid Wood Bookshelf
- Easy To Assemble: Barnyard Designs Furniture 4-Tier Etagere Bookcase
| 6 Best Solid Wood Bookcases | ||
|---|---|---|
Best Budget Option | Walker Edison X Back Modern Farmhouse Wood Bookcase | |
Best For Bedrooms | Camaflexi Shaker Style Bookcase | |
Best For Living Rooms | SIMPLIHOME Amherst SOLID WOOD | |
Best For Short Books | International Concepts Bookcase | |
Best For Heavy Books | HOMYSHOPY Industrial 5-Tier Solid Wood Bookshelf | |
Easy To Assemble | Barnyard Designs Furniture 4-Tier Etagere Bookcase | |
Best Budget Option: Walker Edison X Back Modern Farmhouse Wood Bookcase
- Durable & solid – pine wood material & X-shaped metal tubes on the back
- Versatile – different shelf depths
- Affordable
- The wood isn’t sealed or varnished
Wish to have a pinewood bookcase but be hesitant about the expensive price? We have this option - the X Back Modern Farmhouse Wood Bookcase by Walker Edison.
It's a 4-tier bookcase made of pinewood, along with an X-shaped painted steel support tube on the back that adds to its durability. Thanks to the solid materials, each shelf can bear 50 pounds of weight capacity.
We loved that each shelf comes at a different depth - which is practical and versatile to store books in various sizes.
| Walker Edison X Back Modern Farmhouse Wood Bookcase Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 68" H x 31" L x 18.25" |
No of Tiers | 4 |
Weight Limit | 50 lbs.' each |
Highlight Features | pinewood material & X-shaped metal tubes on the back different shelf depths |
Unlike other pinewood bookcases that we tested, the Walker Edison X Back has the perfect balance of price and quality. It’s the most budget option out of the bunch.
Best For Bedrooms: Camaflexi Shaker Style Bookcase
- Health-safe and environment-friendly – made of solid pine wood sourced from renewable pine plantations
- Easy to clean – urethane finish
- Highly secure – deep shelves, wall-mounted anti-tip kit & closed back
- Not strong enough to hold heavy books
- The wood on the top is prone to scratch
We highly recommend this option for those seeking a beautiful Shaker-style pine wood bookcase for their bedroom.
Aside from its timeless look, the bookcase stands out for the 11.5" extra-deep shelf design with closed-back, allowing for store more hassle-free items falling off the rear. Adding to the bookcase's security is the wall-mounted anti-tip kit, which we really appreciate.
With three adjustable shelves, you can freely adjust it to your liking and needs.
Another thing that makes this bookcase well-worth the price is its material is sourced from renewable pine plantations, which means it's environment-friendly and safe for your health. Plus, it has a urethane finish, so cleaning is very effortless.
| Camaflexi Shaker Style Bookcase Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 13 x 30 x 48 inches |
No of Tiers | 4 |
Weight Limit | 30 lbs. each |
Highlight Features | made of solid pine wood sourced from renewable pine plantations urethane finish deep shelves, wall-mounted anti-tip kit & closed back |
Secure, easy to clean, health-safe, and beautiful, the Camaflexi Shaker Style Bookcase becomes the shiniest contender on our list for bedrooms.
Best For Living Rooms: SIMPLIHOME Amherst SOLID WOOD
- Space-saving - 70
- Not easy to assemble
- Some holes to support the shelf inserts are too tight
Looking for an ultimate way to free up the space of your living room from overwhelming clutter? We feel the SIMPLIHOME Amherst SOLID WOOD is your best bet.
With 70" in height and 30" in width, it is a real space-saver for small rooms. Meanwhile, four out of five shelves are adjustable to your needs.
The whole bookcase is hand-finished with NC lacquer coating and Hickory Brown stain, giving you the best of both worlds - a unique look and enhanced protection.
Adding to its aesthetics are the molded crown-edged table top and tapered legs.
| SIMPLIHOME Amherst SOLID WOOD Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 30 x 14 x 70 inches |
No of Tiers | 5 |
Weight Limit | 80 Pounds/each |
Highlight Features | 70" in height and 30" in width Hickory Brown stain, molded crown edged table top and tapered legs four adjustable shelves |
If you are looking for the best solid wood bookcase for your living room, don’t hesitate to choose the SIMPLIHOME Amherst SOLID WOOD
Best For Short Books: International Concepts Bookcase
- Perfect for short books - 9.84
- Very heavy and a bit tricky to assemble
If most of your books are short and lightweight, and you are looking for a new bookcase, we suggest this option. It features 9.84" in depth and 10.52" of the distance between shelves. There totally are five shelves with 20 pounds of capacity each.
Our reviewers really liked two things about this bookcase.
First, it is made of unfinished solid parawood, which is easy to paint or decorate to match your room theme. The material also gives a solid feel and is not damaged that easily.
Secondly, the gap between the last shelf and the floor is 2.2", enough for a robot cleaner to roll underneath and clean.
| International Concepts Bookcase Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 12 x 32 x 72 inches |
No of Tiers | 5 |
Weight Limit | 20 pounds/each |
Highlight Features | 9.84" depth unfinished solid parawood material 2.2" of the gap between the last shelf and the floor |
With 9.84
Best For Heavy Books: HOMYSHOPY Industrial 5-Tier Solid Wood Bookshelf
- Strong – the weight capacity of 100 pounds & black-finished thick square-shaped steel frame
- Secure & effectively prevent books from falling off - Double X-shaped bracket on the rear and back
- Versatile – five color options
- Wish there was poly coating
Constructed of black-finished thick square-shaped steel frame with a Double X-shaped bracket on the rear and back, the HOMYSHOPY Industrial 5-Tier Solid Wood Bookshelf is as strong as we expected.
There are five shelves on this bookcase and each of them can hold the max loading weight of 100 pounds - something that other low-end models hardly do.
Besides, the distance between shelves is 13.6" - higher than usual - and the shelf width is 47.2”, which is perfect for big, heavy books.
Lastly, there are five finish color options for you to choose from.
| HOMYSHOPY Industrial 5-Tier Solid Wood Bookshelf Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 47.2” x 11.1” x 70.3”(H) |
No of Tiers | 5 |
Weight Limit | 100 lbs./each |
Highlight Features | the weight capacity of 100 pounds & black-finished thick square-shaped steel frame Double X-shaped bracket on the rear and back |
The HOMYSHOPY Industrial 5-Tier Solid Wood Bookshelf does a great job of keeping heavy books without bending or deformation.
Easy To Assemble: Barnyard Designs Furniture 4-Tier Etagere Bookcase
- Easy to assemble & no mounting tools required
- Good instructions & lightweight design
- Bring a nice mid-century looking - rustic industrial metal pipe frame and the ladder-styled design
- The top shelves could be sturdier
- Risks of items falling out the back and the rear
We picked the Barnyard Designs Furniture 4-Tier Etagere Bookcase as the easiest to assemble because its smart design requires no mounting tools at all and the whole process lasts no longer than 15 minutes.
Making this bookcase more effortless to assemble than the competition is its lightweight design. Compared to other models that we tested (which commonly weighs at least 80 pounds), this one is just 43.9 pounds.
Plus, the instructions are straightforward.
Its appearance is another highlight we'd like to mention. Its rustic industrial metal pipe frame and the ladder-styled design give a nice mid-century vibe.
| Barnyard Designs Furniture 4-Tier Etagere Bookcase Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 55" x 29.5" x 11.75" |
No of Tiers | 4 |
Weight Limit | 88 lbs./each |
Highlight Features | no mounting tools required Good instructions & lightweight design rustic industrial metal pipe frame and the ladder-styled design |
Pick the Barnyard Designs Furniture 4-Tier Etagere Bookcase if you are in search of a solid and easy-to-assemble wood bookcase.
How To Choose The Best Solid Wood Bookcase?
Size
Either a too-small or too-big bookcase will break the overall look and proportion of your home interior. To avoid that, it is important to be careful about the stature of the item.
After finding out the position for your bookcase, take extensive measurements, and visualize what kind of shelf is going to give the best look there. There are four measurements that you should look through when it comes to considering the size of bookcases:
Depth – which depends on the depth of your books and items that you plan to put on it. The standard depth of bookcases is one foot (12 inches)
Space between shelves – which includes fixed shelves and adjustable shelves. If you choose fixed shelves, be mindful of the height of your books and accent items. Adjustable shelves are more flexible but might not be as sturdy as the fixed ones.
Width – which is influenced by the height of the bookcase. Short bookcases generally look proportionate with a wider compartment, and vice versa.
Height – which depends on the ceiling height of the room and your preference. A floor-to-ceiling bookcase brings a formal look and is perfect to cover a large blank wall area. But it is hard to put things on the top shelves.
Style
Make sure the bookcase that you choose matches the existing décor theme of your room. For a cottage or rustic style room, choose a bookcase with a distressed surface.
A bookcase that is hand-stained and polished with a sleek look is ideal for modern interior style while a hand-carved reclaimed model is best for electric or vintage homes.
Weight Capacity
Last but not least, opt for a bookcase that is strong enough to withstand the weight of your books and accent items. Do you have many heavy and thick books or thin and lightweight ones?
Do you intend to add a lot of accent items and what is the average weight of them?
The weight capacity of a bookcase varies. On the market, there are models with up to 100 pounds of capacity while some designs are 20 pounds.
Which Brands Make The Best Solid Wood Bookcase?
Walker Edison
Walker Edison is one of our favorites when it comes to the prestigious suppliers of home furniture and particularly, wood bookcases. Their products always have a great balance of quality and affordable prices, which is a good stop for buyers with a tight budget.
SIMPLIHOME
Speaking of quality and stylish wood furniture, we find products by SIMPLIHOME are unbeatable. They stand out for creativity with no lack of practicality. Besides, their products are varied in styles, sizes, and color schemes.
FAQs
Are solid wood bookcases worth buying?
Yes, they are. Solid wood bookcases are a great way to add resale value to your home, make the living space more beautiful, and give extra storage.
What is the strongest wood for shelves?
The strongest wood for shelves is koa, African padauk, and mahogany.
Does solid wood sag?
It depends on what you put on it, how old the solid wood furniture is, and how you distribute the weight of the items you intend to put on the wood. If the solid wood furniture is old and you add a heavy stack of books in the center, it surely sags.
How thick should wood be for shelves?
Wood for shelves should be ¾-inch thick. But if you intend to use hardwood solids, boost the thickness up to 1-1/4 inches.
How many books can an average bookcase hold?
An average bookcase can totally hold 31 to 50 books.
Conclusion
With such a wide array of options on the market, it might be difficult to round up your search to the layer that best suits your needs and budget. We have done all the legwork and collected our experiences into this buying guide with the hope to help you find out the best solid wood bookcases. Thanks for reading!
