IKEA LAIVA bookcase

IKEA LAIVA bookcase by IKEA — bookcases & shelving, Overall: 24.38" W x 9.5" D x 65" H. Compare it with similar pieces across brands, and see the rooms it appears in.

LAIVA Bookcase - black-brown 24 3/8x65 " by IKEA
  • Brand: IKEA
  • Category: Bookcases & shelving
  • Price: $40
  • Dimensions: Overall: 24.38" W x 9.5" D x 65" H
  • Colours: black, brown
  • Rooms: Home office
See it at IKEA

Room×Lab Review · Review updated October 15, 2026 · Evidence rechecked October 17, 2026

Owners like the slim, low-cost LAIVA, but cracked uprights at assembly, wobble before anchoring and shelf bowing keep coming up

Room×Lab read 1,437 distinct written reviews behind IKEA's 1,439 ratings for the LAIVA bookcase as of September 8, 2026; ratings need no written review. IKEA shares the rating and reviews across three listings: most sit under this black-brown 24 3/8 × 65 in listing, in English with some Portuguese and French; the rest sit under two other listings, mostly Japanese and Korean plus some recent English. Ratings and mention counts cover all three. Reviews span 2017 to 2026, rarely stating ownership length. Mention counts are not distinct owners; a few reviews share an author or wording. The reviews below, all from this listing, include a seven-year account and detailed accounts of each recurring problem.

Room×Lab rating: 6.6 out of 10 (medium confidence). Owners widely like this slim, low-cost bookcase and some report years of use, which keeps owner satisfaction solid. Across all three IKEA listings, owners repeatedly report parts cracking during assembly, wobble before wall anchoring and shelves bowing under heavier books.

  • Uprights and legs can crack during assembly: 4 favorable and 53 critical mentions, across all three IKEA listings, about cracked parts or weak joints at assembly. — Owners describe uprights snapping where the two-piece supports join, legs splitting, and panel edges splitting while nailing the back. Outcomes ranged from returns and refunds to glue or tape repairs and month-long waits for parts. Some owners blame their own force; a few say parts fit cleanly.
  • Steady once anchored, wobbly for some without it: 15 favorable and 37 critical mentions, across all three IKEA listings, about wobble, leaning or tipping. — Favorable reports include eight fully loaded units with no wobble and units that steadied once secured to the wall. Critical reports describe wobble from light contact, uneven feet and movement on carpet; climbing cats set one unsecured unit rocking and tipped another forward. IKEA requires wall anchoring however steady a unit feels.
  • Shelf bowing reports diverge with load: 15 favorable and 31 critical mentions, across all three IKEA listings, about book loads and shelf bowing. — Some owners keep shelves full of heavy books without bowing, including two units kept two-thirds full of hardbacks for seven years. Others report bending under about five large cookbooks or considerable bowing with books, or keep shelves to light items. Most reports do not give the load or how long the unit was used.

Before buying

Choose the LAIVA for a narrow spot and modest loads, since owners report shelves bowing under heavier books. Join the two-piece uprights gently, as cracks at assembly come up repeatedly, and anchor it with wall screws suited to your wall.

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