A wall of books is the oldest fitted furniture there is, and the one most often done badly: shelves too deep, too far apart and sagging in the middle. A fitted bookcase is designed around the books you own, the room you have and the light you need to read a spine. This guide covers the dimensions that work, the structure that stops shelves bowing, cupboards, ladders, lighting and what a library wall costs.
Bookshelves, in short
- Shelf spacing: 230 to 250mm for paperbacks, 280 to 300mm for hardbacks, 350 to 400mm for art books and records.
- Depth: 250mm for most books, 300mm for hardbacks, 350 to 400mm for the bottom shelf.
- Span: 800mm maximum between supports for an 18mm shelf under books; 25mm or a lipped front for longer runs.
- Cupboards to dado height hide what is not for display.
- A strip under each shelf or a top pelmet lights the spines.
- From around £1,500 per alcove; full library walls £4,000 to £12,000 including VAT and installation.
Design around the books
A designer asks how many linear metres of books you own and in what sizes: the answer decides the shelving. Paperbacks need 230 to 250mm between shelves and 200mm of depth; standard hardbacks 280 to 300mm and 250mm deep; large-format art books, atlases and records 350 to 400mm and 350mm deep. A bookcase with every shelf at 300mm wastes a fifth of its height on paperbacks. Adjustable shelves on a drilled system let the spacing change as the collection does; fixed shelves look cleaner and are stiffer.
Stopping the sag
Books weigh 25 to 30kg per metre. An 18mm shelf under that load should span no more than 800mm between supports; beyond that it bows within a year. Longer spans use a 25mm shelf, a solid lipping glued to the front edge, or a central divider. Fixed shelves housed into the uprights are stiffer than adjustable ones on pins. The bottom shelf and the top of any cupboard carry the heaviest books and are always fixed.
Cupboards below, glass above
Cupboards to 900mm hide the things a library wall would otherwise show: paperwork, games, the printer, the good glasses. Above them the open shelving carries the books. Glazed doors on part of the run protect first editions and collections from dust and sun, and turn a section into a display case; lit from inside, they become the focal point of a dark room. A drop-down desk or a drinks cabinet can take a bay in the middle of the run.
Ladders and heights
Shelving above 2,100mm needs a ladder. A library ladder on a brass or black rail across the front of the run is both practical and the detail people remember; a fixed step built into the cupboard plinth is the discreet alternative. In a room with a high ceiling the top shelves take the books you own but do not reach for.
Lighting the spines
Books are read from their spines, and spines need light from above and in front. A slim LED strip recessed into the underside of each shelf, set towards the front edge, lights the row beneath without glare; a pelmet across the top with a downward strip washes the whole wall. Warm white suits a library. See the lighting guide for colour temperature.
Painted or oak
A painted bookcase in a deep colour, navy, bottle green, aubergine or charcoal, makes the books glow; an oak or walnut bookcase makes the room warm and reads as a study. The classic move is a painted case with oak shelves, or an oak interior behind painted uprights. Shaker-framed cupboard doors suit a period room; slab doors suit a modern one. See the colour guide.
Where a library goes
The alcoves either side of a chimney breast are the first place; a landing or a wide hallway is the second; a whole wall of a living room or study the third. A library wall often meets a media wall or a home office and becomes one piece with it.
What built-in bookshelves cost
A single alcove of cupboards and lit shelving is typically £1,500 to £3,000 including VAT and installation. A full library wall of 3 to 4 metres with cupboards below, adjustable shelving, lighting and a ladder rail comes to £4,000 to £8,000; a room lined on two or three sides, or with glazed cabinets throughout, £8,000 to £12,000. Browse fitted libraries.
Frequently asked questions
How far apart should bookshelves be?
230 to 250mm for paperbacks, 280 to 300mm for standard hardbacks and 350 to 400mm for art books and records. A bookcase designed around the books you own wastes far less height than one with every shelf at 300mm.
How deep should a bookcase be?
250mm suits most books; 300mm for large hardbacks; 350 to 400mm for the bottom shelf, art books and records. Deeper shelves collect clutter in front of the books.
How do you stop shelves sagging under books?
Keep an 18mm shelf to 800mm between supports, or use a 25mm shelf, a solid front lipping or a central divider for longer spans. Fixed shelves housed into the uprights are stiffer than adjustable ones on pins.
How much do built-in bookshelves cost?
A single alcove of cupboards and lit shelving is typically £1,500 to £3,000 including VAT and installation. A full library wall with cupboards, lighting and a ladder rail comes to £4,000 to £8,000.
Ready to see what your room could hold?
Book a free home design visit. A Metro designer measures the room, brings full-size door and finish samples, and returns a 3D design with an itemised, fixed price within two to three days. No deposit is taken at the visit and there is no obligation. Or see every door style at our Wembley showroom, next to the workshop that makes them.
