Editing a year later in 2026: do NOT buy this. I ended up needing to throw out the entire bookshelf. It continued to smell like chemicals and off gas. I tried painting it, airing it out. But after months. I ended up making me sick. I developed a wet cough that wouldn’t go away. But when I would leave on vacation for a week or more, I’d miraculously have no cough. I literally threw this brand new bookshelf in the dump and instantly felt better health wise. So disappointed. Waste of money and effort.
Original review: Looks great, but strong smell
When I first ordered, only the top molding arrived—but customer service was great and quickly resolved the issue.
The bookcase is easy enough to assemble, though heavy—build it near where it’ll be installed.
The biggest downside was the smell. It off-gassed a strong chemical odor for months. Since it was in my bedroom, it became a real issue. I ended up sealing it with two coats of shellac-based primer, which finally helped reduce the smell.
Overall, it’s a nice, affordable alternative to custom $2–3k hidden bookcases, but be prepared to deal with odor. If you buy it, I recommend sealing it before installation.
