Sauder 5-Shelf Split Bookcase/ Book shelf, Oiled Oak finish

I love this bookshelf! It looks really nice. If Amazon had a half star option, I'd be giving it 4.5 stars. The reasons I'm docking off half a star are: 1) There was a scratch on one of the top front pieces. However, it's not very large or super noticable, and I'm sure I could cover it with a similar colored Sharpie or something, so I didn't bother trying to get a replacement because that would just be a hassle. But the packaging the shelf came in wasn't damaged at all, so I'm guessing it happened when the pieces were being put in the box. But things happen, I'm not upset about is as it's an easy enough fix. 2) I read a lot of reviews saying this was easy to put together, but I wouldn't necessarily say it was easy. I'm fairly handy with tools, having put together a lot of furniture and doing minor home repairs on my own. I put this bookshelf together by myself. It took a couple hours and some steps required a lot of arm/hand strength to get the screws in, and I ended up stripping a lot of the screws just trying to get them screwed all the way in. I'm thinking using a drill would have made things a lot easier, but the instructions say not to and I'm usually one to do things by the book, so I didn't. However, if I had to put together another one of these, I think I'd probably go ahead and just use a drill for some of the steps to save time and avoid getting frustrated. 3) Some reviews say that the shelf doesn't seem sturdy on the sides, like it'll topple over onto itself, but I disagree. It seems very sturdy once put together and I'm not at all worried about it falling apart. BUT, I'm not so sure that it wouldn't fall forward if pulled on or hit. I have 2 dogs (50 and 60 lbs) that sometimes play rough, so I absolutely used the safety strap to attach it to the wall because I'm not confident that the shelf wouldn't fall forward if they were playing and rolled into it or something. I do have it on a carpeted floor, so maybe on a hardwood floor it would feel more stable. I don't like that the safety strap pokes through a big hole in the backboard of the bookshelf. I feel like the hole doesn't need to be so big. I ended up cutting the circle that comes off the backboard, leaving enough of a space for the safety strap to poke through, and then taping the rest of the circle back in place from the back so it's not as visible. Overall, I think this is a well made, beautiful piece of furniture. I'm glad this is the one I chose to purchase, and I have no regrets in buying it. I think it will hold up for quite a while. Also, props to the Amazon driver who delivered it! It was a little heavy, and I was home by myself and worried I wouldn't be able to get it inside on my own without opening it and carrying it in piece by piece. It was raining though, and that wouldn't be ideal, so he carried it inside and set it down in my living room for me. He was very nice and I appreciate him taking that extra step to make my life a little easier!

After reading some reviews of this Sauder unit I was a little leary but then I read reviews of other shelves that were comparible in price. I came right back to this one. I decided to order it and It arrived earlier than I was expecting. The box looked a little worn and I was worried about what the boards looked like. But surprisingly, the way they packaged it was pretty safe. None of the wood was scratched or ruined in any way. Some reviews said that you will need a large space to put it together so I put it together in my family room, even though the shelving unit was to go into a bedroom. I found after putting it all together, that I could have put it together in the bedroom it was intended for. I followed the instructions to a "t" and it was pretty simple. The one thing that I followed from a different review was to put some of the stirofoam (sorry I don't know how to spell that) under shelf "G" after unit has been turned over. This shelf will not touch the floor because the moulding on the top juts out farther than the rest. So, putting some of the foam under shelf "G" helps to keep the unit from splitting in half when gently hammering nails, connecting the backboard to the back of the shelving unit. The one thing that I may have done a little differently than the instructions is when you are fitting the two lower sides and the bottom of the unit together. I probably would have attached the two lower sides marked "D" and "C" and not put the bottom ("F). There is a "skirt" that is not marked but is considered "O" that attaches to shelf "G". Because I had put the bottom on already, as per the instructions, I had to almost blindly put the angled brackets and screws in to hold that skirt onto shelf "G". But it worked out anyway. Obviously, it can be done either way. Whether you put the bottom on first as it tells you to do or you work on the skirt "O" before putting the base of the unit on. If you choose to put the skirt on first, you just have to make sure that the 2 sides are straight so that you know where to center the skirt "O". You'll see what I'm saying when you read the instructions. Some people had issues with it splitting in half when turning it over. I did not have that problem. You just have to be careful as the back is not on and keeping it sturdier. Anyway, I put it together as per the instructions. No parts or screws or brackets were missing. This was easy to assemble and it is standing in the bedroom without being secured to the wall and is standing strong and holding everything that I put on each shelf. It's a bit deeper of a cherry wood color than the picture shows but I love it! It's gorgeous! For the cheaper price, I think it is a wonder set of shelves. Obviously, something more expensive with thicker backing would be sturdier. But this is sturdy enough for me and the use that it has been intended for, and not overly heavy. It's plenty tall and wider than the others I looked at, which is what attracted me to this unit in the first place and is better for me in the long run. I do recommend this bookcase to anybody. I really like it. Good job Sauder company! Thank you Amazon for another good buy!

This is a good one. It did arrive with some blemishes, namely at the very top decorative molding; there is a thin ~2" crack in the veneer. That's kind of a bummer. I will probably just use a wood filler pen on it. "Cinnamon Cherry" is misleading. Even if it is the name of an actual wood finish, I believe "Espresso" is more straightforward. I originally wanted "Jamocha Black" because I thought it would be a closer match to my desk; "Cinnamon Cherry" sounds like a more reddish finish, but that is not the case (no pun intended)! This matches my espresso desk closely, and is just what I was looking for in a book shelf. Also worth mentioning: I tossed the nails that came with this book shelf and bought upholstery tacks to nail down the back panel. The upholstery tacks are just as long and sturdy as the included nails, but provide better stability with the added contact area and hold the back panel nice and flat. They also look nicer, in case anybody is looking at the back of your book shelf for some reason. What impresses me: • Great instructions. • Relatively easy to assemble. • Looks fantastic. • Comes with a nail holder to take the guesswork out of attaching the back panel. This is a HUGE plus. Use it! • The front part of the frame on both sides perfectly fits 18 gauge wire to run hidden wires from top to bottom! What does not impress me: • The nails for the back panel — not a fan of using tiny nails. This should have come with tacks instead. • Initial frame sloppiness from the included cam screws. The shelf is very wobbly without the back panel attached. It's possible to nail the back panel down to a slightly crooked frame because the expanding cam bolt (things) allow some play - be sure to pay close attention or use a T-square to check the frame for straightness before you start nailing! • Arrived with minor blemishes, but nothing glaring. • The directions call for nachos, but no nachos are included. This shelf replaced an old, very cheap Walmart bookshelf I outfitted with crude LED lighting. For this Sauder shelf, I fabricated a custom lighting system for all shelves but the lowest one. I am very, very happy with how it turned out, and was pleasantly surprised by the finished product. I highly recommend this bookshelf, and would definitely buy it again.

All around a very good product. Assembly took about four hours to complete, but the steps were clear and easy to follow. The bookcase was very easy to move with two people once assembled, but still looks and feels sturdy. It looks beautiful and matches the exact look I wanted in my home office. It holds my books well without any of the shelf boards bending. Normally I don't write reviews, but my positive experience with the seller's customer service convinced me to. During the assembly we ran into an issue with screw holes not aligning correctly between two boards, which was frustrating, but the seller sent us replacement boards completely free of charge with no questions asked - sincerely the best customer service I've ever worked with.

I have two of this exact bookcase which I purchased several years ago. They have survived several moves and held up like they are armor plated so I had no qualms, whatsoever, about purchasing a third one for the library in our new home. Oh no. They quality has completely dropped out from under these now. I got the new one and put it together. Tried to push it about three to four feet into place. We heard a loud "CRACK!" and the bottom portion partially collapsed. When I called amazon they tried to talk me into "just using the top part???" Seriously? After much back and for they sent a replacement but wanted me to ship the first one back. I explained that this is a piece of broken furniture and I am not spending a couple of hours trying to take it apart. I have mobility issues and a back injury. It took me far too long to put it together to begin with. Amazon they sent Maersk to, I'm not making this up, pick up the item and return it. They spent FAR more..far FAR more shipping this back to themselves that I paid for it to begin with. I received the replacement and it was made even cheaper that the previous one had been. Very carefully we got it together and in place. I filled it with books but it simply is not as sturdy as the older two which I have. I do not recommend.

Very good for the price. Easy to put together and clear instructions.

I'm giving this bookcase 5 stars because of what it is. You shouldn't buy pressed wood assemble it yourself furniture and expect something elegant and unique. That being said, this thing does what it's supposed to do and it looks pretty decent for a reasonable price. I highly recommend reading the directions to assemble it.

I selected this piece for size and how well it looked. Putting it together was a challenge as not all of the pieces are marked , the instructions are hard to follow in places, and I had to constantly double-check the instruction sheet to make sure I had the correct pieces at each step. While combining the two halves, the cam locks seemed unable to support the other half and kept pulling apart, even with support underneath. I ended up having to install braces at the top and where the lower halves joined and having to turn the unit on end to insure a smooth joining of both halves. This was extremely frustrating - I really think the number of cam locks (4 in total) are not sufficient to adequately support the weight of this bookcase. It seemed so simple, but while I was trying to resolve the issue of the two halves separating, I ended up leaving off a piece to the front that disguises the shelf. Also, no extra cam locks, screws, brads, etc and I think the backing could have used some more brads. It took me 4 hours by myself to put this beast together. I don't think having another person to help would have improved the situation. I have to say I was disappointed because I own several Sauder products and this is the first time I have encountered any issues. Sauder, do you follow your own instructions when putting these together?