Customer Reviews

Way Basics Rectangle Plus Eco Modern 3-Shelf Storage Unit, Cedar Wood Grain

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I want to thank Way Basics for making a product that is easy to put together AND flexible in design (and, lest I forget eco-friendly - both because it uses post consumer waste, but also because it is itself recyclable).
Now, I'm one of those people who looks at something and says, 'that's nice, but it'd work better for me if I could move that there and this here...' Well you can do that with these sets! In this set you are given four horizonal-use boards and six vertical support boards. Yes, you can quickly put it together the way they suggest, but you can also, say, inset the vertical supports four inches or so in on the top and bottom level and come up with a different look! As I mentioned in my review of the Tribeca unit: if you are going to play around with the lay out: set everything out on the floor as if the unit was laying flat on its 'back' (the boards are thick enough to 'stand' on their narrow width) to make sure a)you like the pattern you are planning and b)you have all the pieces for the pattern you are planning. Because once you've pulled back the covering for the adhesive and 'stuck' it, you're pretty much set with where it is. (fortunately not a problem I ran into, although I was working to make two non standard units out of four sets).
I'd also strongly suggest putting it together in the room you are going to use it unless you have the space to leave it where you've built it for 24 hours to set (heavy books on top apparently help this).
All in all a great product, I'd give it a five but there were some dings and slightly warped/crumpled edges (inside a pristine box) - which were only noticeable when you're right on top of the piece, which of course you are when you set it up.
Can't wait until the 'desk' comes out - already planning on how to switch that up!

added 11/09: You've GOT to use the backer board or your unit isn't going to be stable. I sent a picture of my 'design' to way basics and they shot me an email back letting me know how very important this is! And you really need to make sure you put weight on the top when you're done and let it 'set overnight' for the glue to 'take'.

This is my first product review at Amazon!

I felt I had to add my opinion as some of the other comments seemed rather inaccurate.

I now have two of these units (woodgrain color) and I am very pleased with the quality and utility of these bookcases. By way of comparison, in my home-office I've got numerous heavy-duty shelving units ("Gorilla" brand), 19" computer racks, particle-board-based bookcases, and metal wire shelving units. I needed some small, hopefully inexpensive, utility bookcases. The Way Basics bookcases fit that need perfectly.

Of the two I have, one is the "first generation" (purchased early-ish 2009) that did not have the "pegs" that line up the vertical dividers on the shelves. The second bookcase (Fall 2010) includes the pegs which made assembly much easier.

They're remarkably sturdy - I have numerous "textbook-sized" books in these units. I will note that I too did nail the backing to the frame. I tend to reinforce all shelving units I assemble, so I don't know if this was really necessary. I also added a dab of carpenter's glue in the sockets in the vertical dividers and shelves into which the pegs fit - possibly/probably this too was not needed: as noted, I just tend to reinforce things.

Regarding some of the other reviews:

1.) They'e not made of foam, they're made of recycled paper.

2.) One does need a bit of an "arts and crafts" mindset when assembling the units - it is surprising to see shelves held in place with adhesive (tape) and not nail or more traditional methods. However, when assembled correctly - and patience is a virtue, for sure - they're far from rickety, they're remarkably sturdy. This is noteworthy given how lightweight they are.

3.) Yes, you should avoid to repositioning shelves and vertical dividers once they've come in contact with one another. The aforementioned "pegs" GREATLY simplify lining up the pieces but you still need to make sure that the various shelves and vertical dividers are aligned so that all of the tape strips are facing the back of the bookcase (i.e., as the backing is attached to the bookcase by the adhesive).

4.) As others have noted, don't use these bookcases in an area (e.g., outdoors) where they could get soaked. Don't use them for very heavy items (e.g., don't use them for fish tanks). If you need to move the bookcase, be sure to empty it first - remove the contents on the shelves - before moving it. Also note that the instructions recommend letting the bookcase sit and stabilize overnight before putting items into the bookcase.

But for basic (hence the name, I guess) functional bookcases, they really are very good..._and_ they're made of recycled material!

Some of the reviews mentioned that it wasn't sturdy, so I was nervous about getting it. But, it has been great for a large number of heavy books. It doesn't sag at all, it doesn't feel unstable and it's super cheap. I'm getting at least one more, and maybe two to three more.

We bought this product for my two year old daughter. As you probably already know, this shelf is held together by two sided tape. I was skeptical but figured i could always add some support screws if i needed to. The recycled paperboard is amazingly light and yet still very sturdy. Surprisingly the tape holds the shelf together better than i thought it would. I decided not to add screws and we stacked the shelf full of books. Still held together fine. These are great for kids extra storage.

Within 10 minutes of receiving our Way Basics bookcase we had it together and in place. It's very sturdy and looks sharp, plus it's eco-friendly - all of which makes it appealing despite it being a little more costly than a comparable standard pressboard unit.

And seriously, when was the last time you enjoyed putting together a bookcase? No screws (missing or otherwise), no holes to worry about lining up...Just follow the simple directions, zip off the coverings of the 3M tape that comes pre-applied to the join edges, press the pieces together, and you're done!

We're very happy with our Way Basics bookcase and recommend it to anyone who's looking for a different and satisfying experience in DIY furniture.

I giggled to myself when I received the shipment. I knew the dimensions on the item but had no idea how they got it to fit into the box that it was sent in. Until I opened it up. So, I reached down and placed my hands around the box, stood up and was, yet again, surprised...the box was too light?! What did I just purchase for #$@#$ dollars? Well, I opened it up, the panels were in great shape. Another chuckle came about when I saw that the fasteners were nothing more than 3M double-sided tape.

To be frank, though...if you put this together right, it's light, easy to move around and has more recycled product in it than most anything else boasting to be recycled in the consumer marketplace. I slid this in the corner of my girl's room and topped it off with her printer and let her take the shelves with her own 'method' of organization...

DO NOT:
- Leave it outside
- Beat it and kick it and expect it to survive
- Feed it after midnight

it was a good buy...if the manufacturer is reading this, it would be swell to sell and promote the ability to combine packages and do a more creative assemblage of units together...maybe sell them as individual components down the road...

After securing all the self-stick pieces and back panel, I nailed the back panel on for better stability.

I am in dire need of shelving in my house and wanted a fairly cheap and fairly eco-friendly solution short of buying cinderblocks and reclaimed lumber... but i think that might be a sturdier way to go. The glue solution to assembly is super easy but I would recommend you be very very careful when assembling because you dont want to have to reposition and pieces once they're stuck together. I would also recommend that you not try to move these shelves once you have items on them. I tried to pull it a couple inches with just a few (heavy) books on it and it practically fell apart and tore away some of the attractive but fake wood 'veneer.' It does the trick though, i just dont think it will stand up to any major moves or too much weight.

I've owned two of these for over a year. They are easy to clean, and if you've never had a product like this, the lightness of the carton when it arrives is startling - compared to those pressed wood things. Anyway, I made a bit of a mistake putting together my first one, but was able to correct it. CAREFULLY note what you are supposed to do - it looks so simple (and really is). Also, the maintenance men one day moved it full of books (a no no). The back cover came loose, and I used adhesive caulk to put it back on. Worked beautifully and that was 6 months ago. Very white color - looks great with white furniture. The shelves will hold all the books you can put in.

I don't expect this product to last forever, but it is a tremendously nicer looking, easier to put together, etc etc than those pressed sawdust products. I hope they expand their line - although this material surely would have some limits.

This was one of the biggest wastes of money of my entire life. It is extremely unstable, so much so that you can't get it to stand up straight enough to apply the back "stabilizer". The thing fell apart and the cardboard back has ripped and can't be reapplied. Don't waste your time or money on this piece of junk.