Bush Home Reviews

The case is mostly sturdy with the one notable exception of the paper backing, which cheapens the overall quality of this bookcase. I would have preferred a wood–finished or unfinished–backing. Holes could have been punched as in the paper version to ease installation. I also do not care for mooring the case to a wall to ensure stability. My solution was to apply adhesive fabric strips to the front bottom and sides to cause the case to lean backward very slightly even after loading with books. This solution seems stable to me, and Bush could have included something similar in its assembly kit as an option–or replacement–to wall mooring. The instructions also could have been clearer with regard to installation of the backing: “grain to inside.” What on earth does that mean when dealing with a paper backing? A more accurate and less nebulous description or a color photo of the backing attached to the rest of the case would have been much more helpful and easily understandable. The links in the printed material to installation videos all failed, but that is irrelevant since this case is relatively easy to assemble using the written instructions alone.

Those matters aside, the case is the perfect size for my needs. The 50-pound-per-shelf weight limit is more than much of the competition offers for a bookcase this size and price. Finally, the adjustable shelves are perfectly sized and easy to install and adjust as necessary. Overall if you are willing to overlook the paper backing and are okay with mooring the case to a wall (or employ an equivalent solution to prevent possible instability), this is an otherwise sturdy case at a reasonable price.