Currently people are often finding that they need to downsize just to make ends meet. The global downturn in the economy seems to be like an office flu that spreads everywhere. Countries in Europe are now experiencing difficult times and citizens everywhere need to make the most of both their space and their money. For this very reason, a solid pine bookcase should be considered as a key component to any furniture set.

The first thing that needs to be considered when buying a bookcase is to make sure that it is a solid piece of furniture. This does not necessarily mean that it need be the best or most expensive type of wood, an unfinished pine bookcase can be great, just that it is solid through and through. A bookcase is going to have some fairly heavy weight on it, when all is said and done, and it needs to be able to hold up to that.

Tight budgets mean that pine is the perfect solution. A solid bookcase can be purchased for far less money in pine than a bookcase that is made of a better type of wood and which, nevertheless, has particleboard in the back. We have all seen the mess that is created when the staples come off the back of this cheap board and the magazines have slipped off onto the floor behind it. First and foremost if you are buying anything made from wood, make sure it is solid all the way through.

Bookcases also offer quite a bit of flexibility and that is why they are a perfect space saver. Even if there are no books to put on it, it can hold collectibles, office supplies and even shoes and sweaters. Some homes are “cupboard challenged” and what better way to solve this dilemma than with a nice bookcase that matches the rest of your home furniture?

Today, a TV is commonplace in most bedrooms, but again, the challenge is where to put it whilst finding a place for everything else that is needed in the room. By taking one of the shelves out of the bookcase, the TV can be positioned inside the case and it can serve as an entertainment center while the remaining shelves are still used for storage. It will literally take care of two needs at once.

Finally, the one use that we have not spoken about is the use that it is actually meant to be used for… and that is books. Homes that have a many children can be a bit disorganized, especially in the morning when it comes time to getting everyone out the door for school. Now imagine a nice solid pine bookcase that has a shelf assigned for each child. They can put their schoolbooks, book bag and mom can even have their lunch ready to go for them on their own shelves. It is organization at its finest.

As we have said, times are tough right now, but something like a solid pine bookcase can make life a little bit easier. They are by far the most affordable of all cuts of wood and they still look great. By purchasing a solid piece of furniture instead of something made from fabricated products, you are getting quality and a piece of furniture that will last a lifetime.

As pine is a soft wood you probably know by now that it is more prone to damage. Dents and scratches are common on well used pine bookcases but if you can find an antique pine bookcase that has been well looked after then you will be getting a beautifully aged piece that really looks great.

There are a couple of considerations that you should bear in mind before starting your search for the ideal antique pine bookcase and they are as follows – where are you going to buy your bookcase and is it really antique.

Shopping around – There’s no two ways about it, buying antique furniture is an art and not something to be taken lightly. Pricing an old piece of furniture is very subjective, so be prepared to do your research if you want to come close to discovering a fair price for antique pieces. There are two reasons why you will be in the market for an antique bookcase, the first is that you are looking for a “one of a kind” statement piece to put the finishing touches to a room.

Secondly you want a piece of furniture that is an investment as well as a practical object, if this is the case then you will want to shop wisely and be sure that your bookcase really is an antique rather than just plain old.
Antique shops and auction sites like EBay are both places where you could look for the right product but be wary of buying anything online that you have not seen in person, and when buying from antique shops don’t assume that the seller is setting a fair price, get a second opinion or do your research.

A cheaper option – While trawling the internet you may come across pine bookcases that appear to be antique but are they really antique or just antique in style? A proper antique pine bookcase will definitely set you back a few bob when perhaps all you really need to create a great look is a bookcase designed in an antique style. This could be a great compromise and a lot less hassle.

I’m pleased to say that this trend for light brown pine wood furniture is not the rule anymore and there are plenty of manufacturers staining their products in a richer tone. Nevertheless, I often look these days to buy unfinished pine, which I first discovered at IKEA, and in this article we will look at three reasons why an unfinished pine bookcase might be a great choice.

1)    Versatility – When you buy untreated pine you can decide exactly how you want to present it, which can be a really creative process and leave you with a unique piece of furniture. For instance in a child’s bedroom you could paint the bookcase with cartoon figures or pretty nature motifs. If you’re not that confident with drawing or painting consider using stencils. In your bedroom or other parts of the house you could stain the bookcase the exact color you want it to compliment your interior décor. Staining unfinished pine wood is a breeze and very satisfying, just be sure to do the staining somewhere safe where you are not in danger of staining something valuable by mistake.

2)    Natural wood – There’s a lot to be said for sometimes leaving your unfinished pine bookcase exactly as it is. In my opinion the very light, almost white finish of natural pine can look attractive in the right environment like an office, workshop or teenagers room. Being able to really see, in detail, the grain and knots in the wood can be very appealing. In a light minimalist environment this can add a nice element of nature into a room.

3)    Price – Unfinished pine bookcases are even cheaper than finished pine bookcases and this should also be a consideration. Yes you will have to possibly finish the piece yourself but as mentioned above this can be a real positive.

Just because pine furniture is cheap doesn’t mean it should look shoddy and with an unfinished pine bookcase you can make sure that it looks just right.

Some people look down their noses at furniture made of pine or believe it is inferior in some way. While there is a lot to be said for oak furniture, to suggest that it is far superior to pine would be a mistake. It is true that pine is a softwood, rather than a hardwood, like oak, but pine furniture made from a good-quality pine and crafted with care can be just as attractive and very hard wearing. There is often no need to go to the added expense of an oak kitchen table or bookcase, unless you feel the need to impress your neighbours.

It is undoubtedly true that as pine is a softwood it will be prone to picking up damage more easily than a hardwood. It is far easier to dent or scratch a piece of pine than a piece of mahogany. It is also true that pine furniture has a lighter tone than some of the other hardwoods. And this can be a consideration when making decisions about your interior decoration. There are two things worth pointing out about these negative features, firstly on this website we are stressing the importance of buying solid pine furniture, this high-quality pine will certainly stand up to bumps and knocks very well. Secondly, there is so much pine furniture out there that finding an item that is stained to the colour you desire is really not a problem.

At the end of the day the price savings more than make up for any noticeable difference between pine and another type of wood.

The key to finding high-quality pine furniture is to look for manufacturers with a reputation for design. If they are using a high quality solid pine for production then you can feel safe that you are buying a piece of furniture with longevity. Try to avoid pine bookcases from cheap sources and don’t be afraid to ask if the wood comes from eco friendly sources. A well made solid pine bookcase will serve you well.

The history of pine is a long one. Before the term “furniture”, or even “pine” for that matter, hand been coined stone age man was making use of this tree to fuel their fires and and construct their primitive weaponry. OK, perhaps not the most important fact that will spring to mind when considering pine furniture! What is a little more interesting is that pine has been the most fundamental wood used since man started building. Larch wood as it was known centuries ago is the material that our ancestors built their cities with.

Today pine is still one of the most commonly used building materials and is, commercially, the most important source of timber. These trees grow quickly and can be planted close to one another making plantations very profitable, and not just for construction timber. Pine is used all around your home for windows and paneling, furniture of course, and roofs and flooring, but it is also the main staple of the paper industry.

Pine wood is also used in the many different types of plywood or ** wood and this is where they buyer of pine furniture must be careful. Ply wood or chip board are pieces of board constructed by the gluing together of thin sheets of soft wood, or sawdust, like pine. A lot of cheap furniture is made out of this stuff with a thin veneer or *** over the top. So furniture made from this material may be considered to be made of pine but they certainly aren’t made of solid pine and should be avoided if you can afford it.

Personally, I quite like untreated or unfinished pine bookcases, as I can really see the quality of the wood and then stain it according to my interior design needs. Failing that, I always keep my eyes open for antique pine bookcases or other furniture. There’s something about weathered pine which is quite beautiful, whereas brand new pine furniture can look a little garish.