
A book can take you to places you may not be able to go to otherwise. It can enhance your knowledge, and it can entertain. It can be your faithful companion. Having a great number of books is like keeping lots of treasures. However, you need to keep your books preserved. In case you leave them lying around and stocked in boxes, they can wear out quickly. However, the question is would you preserve them in a bookshelf or bookcase?
Identifying the difference between a bookcase and bookshelf may not be a great deal to a few people. The terms are often interchangeable, but there are certain differences between these two furniture pieces. Understanding these distinctions may come in useful when the time comes that you have to purchase one. Here are a few of the key differences between bookcases and bookshelves based on mobility, size and design.
A bookcase can be called a closed unit that encases books and is designed to sit on the floor whereas a bookshelf doesn’t have ecased ends and is often designed to hang on the wall. Bookcases are more traditional compared to bookshelves and are often installed as permanent fixtures in a house.
Since they are large, heavier pieces of furniture, most freestanding bookcases can be narrow. On the other hand, bookshelves must not be permanent fixtures. They are also modern in style as they are composed of stacked and floating shelves. Since the bookshelves don’t feature encased ends, they need bookends to keep the books upright. Because they don’t feature a frame, bookshelves weigh quite less compared to bookshelves. For such a reason, it is quite common to choose larger bookshelves that span the complete wall.
The choice between a bookcase and a bookshelf is a matter of personal preference. You have read certain differences above, and from there, you can figure out the pros and cons based on the situation. For instance, in case you own a house, going for a permanent piece of furniture such as a bookshelf is a better choice. It can offer more storage and give those extra compartments that don’t take up too much space.
On the other hand, choosing a bookshelf can be a better choice in case you are in a rental property because it is lighter and smaller if you need to move them from one place to another. They are interchangeable terms more often than not. Hence, it won’t matter so much which you can prefer but how would you choose one from that many choices in the market when you are looking to buy one.
So, it can either be a bookcase or a bookshelf; many don’t even know the differences. However, no matter what you choose, the important thing is to pick the right one that gives the best value. Check the size, price, durability and features and choose the one that suits your needs.