Solid wood shelving

True and lasting load-bearing capacity: the solid oak shelves can support entire rows of books without sagging over the years—the classic weakness of particleboard bookcases. Furthermore, they can be repaired, re-planed, and re-oiled, and their grain transforms a purely functional piece of furniture into one with a presence all its own. We work exclusively with FSC-certified solid oak manufactured in Europe.

An oak shelf that is 2.5 to 3 cm thick and has a span of 80 cm can easily support a full row of books, with a distributed weight of about 40 to 50 kg. The key is the span: for spans of 90 cm or more between supports, any material will benefit from a central support if the load is that of a library. We provide details on spans and loads in our guide to choosing a bookshelf or bookcase.

The rule of thirds works: two-thirds books and content, one-third empty space and objects. Alternate vertical stacks of books with a few horizontal stacks, leave some gaps unfilled, and reserve the shelves at eye level for whatever you want to highlight. An overcrowded bookshelf hides its contents; a balanced one showcases them.

Anchor it to the wall whenever it exceeds one and a half meters in height, using brackets on the back: solid oak is heavy and settles, but the weight of the books shifts the center of gravity upward. Level the legs when assembling it and load the lower shelves first: stability is built from the bottom up.

The classic wall trio: an open bookshelf, a closed cabinet for items you don’t want on display, and a dedicated entertainment area. Solid wood TV stands in the same oak finish complete the wall, and a wooden display cabinet provides a protected space for delicate items.