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!

I'm very satisfied with the Sauder 5-shelf bookshelf I purchased. The finished product looks excellent and very classy for the price. Although it's made of manufactured wood, it feels incredibly sturdy, much higher quality than cheaper made-in-China furniture. Assembly was easy and the instructions were clear. My only criticism is that the labeling of bagged parts (screws) is not dyslexia friendly (ex: S23 vs S32). Read the instructions carefully and make sure you grab the correct part. As a closing note, the bookshelf looks so great in my room and I'll be considering more Sauder furniture to tie the room together.

Great bookshelf for the price but it IS very cheaply made. If you’re looking for durability, this is not great, the worst part is the shelf backing. It is cheaply taped together and meant to nail on the back. Easy to put together and it LOOKS nice so that’s why I am ok rating 4 stars. However, this bookshelf really shouldn’t be more than 120 dollars.

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!