Usually, 31 inches of width is considered standard for a bookshelf with 12 inches of depth. You can also build wider bookshelves with 36 or more inches of width.
In this article, we will share some standard sizes and dimensions to construct or buy the right bookshelf with a perfectly fitting width for your home or workplace.
What Size Should Bookshelves Be?
Most people consider building bookshelves inside gaming rooms, home libraries, and offices. Sometimes the spacing is adjustable, which provides ease in adding or removing shelves to make it more user-friendly.
You can get one with the same dimension as each shelf or prefer with varying sizes. Here are some standard dimensions - width, depth, and height of bookshelves chosen by many people:
If you want to adopt the style of two bookshelves, consider the following dimensions:
- Width 31 Inches
- Depth 12 to 13 Inches
- Height 32 Inches
For three bookshelf cases, the standard sizes are:
- Width 30 to 36 Inches
- Depth 12 to 13 Inches
- Height 41 to 48 Inches
For four bookshelf cases, consider the following:
- Width 24 to 45 Inches
- Depth 12 to 15 Inches
- Height 54 Inches
For five or more shelf bookcases, these are some standard sizes:
- Width 31 to 37 Inches
- Depth 12 to 13 Inches
- Height 72 to 77 Inches
Depending on your requirements, you can change the shelf bookcase's width, height, and depth.
What Is The Standard Dimension For Bookshelf
After extensive research, we have summarized that people showed more likeliness to bookcases with 84 inches of height, 12 inches of depth with 8 to 12 inches of spacing, and varying width.
So how many books do you want to accommodate on your bookshelves?
It is a bit complicated to give a precise answer to this question as the number of books to fit on shelves varies depending on the size of the shelf and books. If the shelf is small, only a few books of large size will get space. Usually, book sizes differ from 10 inches to over 100 inches.
However, if you have a 31 inches single shelf, almost 30 books can easily cover the space.
How Deep Should Home Library’s Bookshelves Be?
Certain estimations can help get accurate numbers of the depth of the bookshelf library. Suppose the book covers have a depth of 6 to 7 inches; you must have a shelf space of 8 inches.
Sometimes, with books, you also want to place decor pieces or statues on shelves which may need more space. 10 to 12 inches deep library bookshelves are ideal for stacking a large number of books without looking over stuff. A shelf with 10 to 12 inches of depth can accommodate more thin books than books with wide covers.
How Wide Should The Bookshelf Bracket?
You must keep the brackets a bit shorter than the bookshelf's depth. If your bookshelf is 12 inches deep, the bracket must be 8 to 11 inches wide, but it shouldn’t exceed the limit of its supporting legs by more than 11 inches. Another thing to keep in mind is securing the bookshelves.
Ensure they are properly anchored to avoid leaning on one side or falling over you. Even a minor shake or earthquake can cause severe mishaps if they are not fixed to the position.
What Dimensions Are Good For Corner Bookshelves?
Building a corner bookshelf is the best way to use more space without occupying too much room. They vary in size depending on height and are usually taller than wider. You can also build bookshelves with height leading to the ceiling.
However, the standard size for a corner bookshelf is 33 centimeters or 14 inches for each side. The average height of this shelf can range from 66 to 67 inches or 172 centimeters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you place books on a bookshelf horizontally or vertically?
If you put books in a horizontal position inside shelves, they will stack over each other, putting extra pressure on the books' spines. It is better to place them in an upright position. Also, place them together if they are equal or give additional support if the sizes differ.
In which direction should I place bookshelves?
Considering the direction, it must face the west or south sides of the wall or occupy corners of the room. But you should never place it before the window to block the light. Your bookshelf must be placed 2 to 3 feet from the rear wall if it has built-in speakers; otherwise, attaching it to the wall to prevent the risk of falling is also a good idea.
How to prevent the bookshelf from sagging?
Packing extra items on the bookshelf reinforce sagging, which can be prevented by following ways.
- Introducing vertical support beneath the shelf’s center,
- screwing extra strips beneath the shelf,
- removing unwanted books, and placing wood panels between them to offer support.
Wrapping Up
If you are also enthusiastic about a huge collection of books and want to make a well-organized large storage space. In that case, bookshelves will help a lot in giving life to your visualization. One of the essential queries to consider is how wide are bookshelves when harmonizing a bookshelf.
Not just width but the size of books, space to utilize, and your overall needs are the main dimensions deciding factors. Following this guideline, we hope you will build the right size bookshelf for your home office or library.
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