Ergocraft Laguna Heavy Duty Wood Veneer Bookcases

disappointed

I purchased these bookcases because they are advertised as "heavy duty" and "commercial grade" shelf units that have "wood construction" and can hold up to 1...Read complete review

I purchased these bookcases because they are advertised as "heavy duty" and "commercial grade" shelf units that have "wood construction" and can hold up to 150 lbs./shelf. They appear to be attractive, simple, and study bookcases for a home library.

Unfortunately they are a disappointment. They are not really "wood construction"; they are particle board covered with a *very* thin veneer. They have peg and cam-lock hardware that strips easily during assembly if you are not careful. (I noticed while assembling 3 of these shelf units that the hardware in each package was from a different manufacturing run -- some of the cam-lock bolts were better made than others. That's *not* a good sign of quality manufacture.) The shelves are also particle board with thin veneer, and they have a single, very thin, and loosely secured metal rod in the middle for shelf strength support. The back is a fairly substantial sheet of plywood -- the only sturdy plywood in the whole unit.

These shelves assemble like press-wood furniture you would buy at WalMart. But the real problem is, with my books on the shelves they sag and bend quite substantially. I have perhaps 50 lbs. of books on a given shelf, or less. No matter, the shelves are bowed. (The first thing my son said when he saw them was, "Wow, those shelves are sagging!") Needless to say, the metal "reinforcement" under the shelves doesn't do much. Maybe they won't break, but they look cheap. Sagging shelves and loose particle board joints are not what you want for a home library.

If you have a lot of books and you want affordable shelving that will *really* support them, I advise looking elsewhere. These shelves may be good enough for medium duty loads, but they are not, in my opinion, truly "heavy duty" at all. I am rather disappointed.