How to prevent bookshelves from bowing (or sagging)

This is a simple solution for those who are collecting on a modest budget, and can’t justify diverting funds to all new expensive hardwood bookcases.

[@Beery1962]

Another option, for those of us who can't spend thousands for a solid wood bookcase, but who can afford to spend a little more to make chipboard bookcases stronger, is to buy solid lumber to be your shelves. A lot of the cheap bookcases have shelves just slotted in, so you can simply replace these with pieces of lumber cut to the right length, and they will work much better than chipboard shelves. A 6ft piece of pine costs only about $20 at a DIY store (poplar or oak are stronger, but are much more expensive), and all that needs to be done is cutting it to size (this can be done at the store), then painting or staining the wood, and varnishing it.

[@aloha4eva]

Love your Bible dictionaries and commentaries. That’s exactly what I have to store too

[@gudguy1a]

Great piece Patrick (from another Patrick). I was planning on doing the same - because there is no easy solution, other than doing what you are suggesting to folks - from book shelf to book shelf to book shelf. I also have multiple book shelves as you do and I have to do the measurements and get on over to a hardware shop with wood... and stain them silver/gray...

[@AUTUMN-DARK]

You could wrap the board in home made printed cover so it resembles a book and the title could be something like "how to stop a bookshelf bowing" 😂

[@gregory_bloomfield]

I just place my heavier book on the bottom 2 shelves. Then place smaller lighter books on the other shelves.

[@churrascovoltorbgaming9453]

Would a horizontal slat that runs along the whole bottom length of the shelf work? I was thinking of doing that close to the middle of each shelf and screwing it to each main side panel.

[@mikeyoung7660]

Confirming what I was thinking of doing. Great minds think alike lol cheers buddy 👍

[@davidwilson7042]

I'm not a collector per se, just a readaholic with many books. Been thinking on this more than I should. I'd like to find an inexpensive way to disguise vertical weight relief boards (like yours here) as books. Then they can be in the midst of the rest, not detracting, and giving some measure of relief to each shelf in my floor-to-ceiling shelves. Suggestions?

[@Susann1984]

Good idea! Just wondering if you could get some thrift books and place the outside cover around the wood to disguise it. Then you'd have some support without seeing the wood?

[@joelcowan8950]

Excellent.

[@palamj2]

Did exactly this about 5 years ago. Works a treat.

[@ordulf7193]

Yep, I plan to upgrade to the Ikea Billy cases. Slight upgrade from the cheaper Walmart pressboard shelves.