Tylko vs Mestra: an honest UK comparison

The short answer: choose Tylko if you want furniture that stands on the floor, a wide range of colours, very tall or very wide units, an optional assembly service, or a 100-day return window. Choose Mestra if you want shelving that hangs on the wall from rails, in 18 mm Baltic birch plywood with a hardwax oil finish, which you can rearrange and add bays to later, made in Norfolk. Both are made to order, and both come with ten years’ cover against defects.

We make Mestra, so we have an interest here. We have tried to be fair. Every Tylko fact below comes from Tylko’s UK website, checked on 6 October 2026, with prices re-checked on 7 October 2026, and we say plainly where Tylko is the better choice.

Tylko and Mestra at a glance

Prices at the time of writing (October 2026).

What is Tylko?

Tylko is a Polish furniture company based in Warsaw. You design a piece in its online configurator, and Tylko makes it to order in Poland and ships it flat-packed. In the UK, you buy from its UK store at tylko.com/en-uk. Tylko also lists partner spaces in London where you can see its furniture.

Its storage lines are Original, Edge, and Tone. Original comes as Original Classic, formerly Type01, and Original Modern, formerly Type02. Tylko also sells sofas and blankets.

Mestra is a different kind of product. We make one modular shelving system that hangs on the wall. It is made to measure at the bay: you choose each bay’s width, the layout, and the finish, then we make it in Norfolk. See the Mestra shelving system.

Materials: where Tylko is plywood, and where it is not

Tylko Original Classic is real birch plywood. Tylko describes it as 19 mm plywood, made from 13 cross-laminated layers of Northern European birch, with the edges left exposed and hand-oiled. The optional back panels are particleboard. If you want Tylko in plywood, this is the line to look at.

Tylko’s other lines use different boards:

• Original Classic Veneer: 19 mm particleboard with a top layer of oak, white oak, or walnut veneer.
• Original Modern: 18 mm particleboard, colour-wrapped.
• Edge: 18 mm particleboard with a melamine coating. Its White Plywood and Grey Plywood finishes use 19 mm plywood walls topped with high-pressure laminate, with oiled edges.
• Tone: particleboard, with lacquered MDF fronts on the wardrobe.

Mestra is 18 mm Baltic birch plywood. We finish it by hand in Rubio Monocoat hardwax oil, in 13 colours. The oil soaks into the birch, so the grain shows, and worn spots can be re-oiled. If you want a solid colour, we also offer melamine over the plywood, and we confirm the colour and price with you. Read more about our materials, or order samples from £24 to see the finishes at home.

If plywood is the reason you are looking, compare Tylko Original Classic with Mestra. The other Tylko lines are a different material.

Fit and sizing: on the floor or on the wall

This is the biggest difference between the two.

Tylko furniture stands on the floor. Tylko recommends fixing it to the wall against tipping, especially above 60 cm high or 150 cm wide, and puts brackets and screws in the box. It says an Original unit should not be hung without floor support. In its Tone line, the Tone Floating style has no legs and mounts to the wall.

Because Tylko stands on the floor, plan around the skirting. Tylko does not offer a cut-out for skirting boards. Its FAQ says an Original unit may sit slightly away from the wall, and an Edge unit rests against the skirting. Original units are built lying down and then stood up, so you need floor space to build and enough ceiling height to lift them into place.

Mestra hangs on the wall. Rails fix to the wall, and shelves and cabinets hang from steel pins in the rails. That keeps the floor clear and lets you move shelves later. It also means drilling, and a wall we can fix to. If you cannot drill, a freestanding unit is the better choice, and we do not make one.

On size, Tylko goes further. Original goes up to 403 cm high and Edge up to 600 cm wide, both set by the centimetre. Our runs are 900 mm or 1800 mm high, made from bays between 500 mm and 800 mm wide, set in 1 mm steps. That suits alcoves and set wall widths. Our configurator makes straight runs, and our bays are not scribed to uneven walls. For more on fitting a wall, see made-to-measure shelving.

On depth, Tylko Original comes in 24, 32, or 40 cm, and Edge in 27, 36, or 45 cm. Our shelves are 220 mm or 300 mm deep, or 360 mm between bookends, and our cabinets are 360 mm deep. Our open shelving layout is 254 mm deep overall.

Changing it later

Tylko’s own FAQ says its shelving and wardrobes are made to your exact size and are not modular in the sense of being rearranged after assembly. For Edge, it says you cannot add sections, drawers, or doors once the order is final. Tylko designs its furniture to be taken apart and rebuilt, which helps when you move house.

Mestra is modular. Shelves and cabinets lift off the pins and hook back on 100 mm higher or lower. You can add a bay with one more rail, add shelves or cabinets to a bay, or swap a shelf for a cupboard. We sell compatible parts on their own and make each one to the width of its bay. You can buy single replacement parts too, so a damaged shelf or rail is a part, not a new unit. See modular shelving units.

Ordering and lead time

With Tylko, you design in the configurator, and it shows an estimated production time for that design. The estimate changes with the style, colour, and features you choose, and with Tylko’s order queue. The date is when the piece leaves the factory, not when it arrives. Tylko says delivery then takes a few days. The Original Classic plywood bookcase we checked showed “Ships in 5-6 weeks”.

With Mestra, you design in the configurator or start from a ready-made layout. We make every order in Norfolk, and the lead time is 5 to 10 weeks from order. Our terms commit to delivery within 12 weeks. If we cannot meet that and the delay is significant, you can cancel for a full refund.

On the design we checked, Tylko was quicker.

Delivery, assembly, returns, and warranty

Delivery. Tylko delivers flat-packed, by courier to your door. Its FAQ lists a shipping fee for UK deliveries, and also says free shipping applies above a set basket value. We could not confirm the UK fee or the threshold, so check your basket before you pay. We deliver flat-packed, and delivery to mainland UK addresses is included in our prices. Islands and other remote addresses may cost more, so contact us first.

Assembly. Tylko uses a screw-free click system and sends personalised instructions. It offers paid at-home assembly in England and Scotland, priced by the number of items and their complexity. We do not offer a fitting service. You fit our rails yourself. Fixings and fitting tools come in the box, matched to your wall, including a spacer with a built-in level. We check your wall type with you before we send them. You bring the drill.

Returns. Tylko gives you 100 days from delivery to return Original, Edge, and Tone furniture, free in the UK. Our 60-day Home Trial runs from delivery, and we collect at no extra cost. Parts need to come back in a resalable condition. Tylko’s window is longer.

Warranty. Tylko gives a ten-year guarantee on its furniture and storage, from delivery. We give a ten-year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship, from delivery, on top of your statutory rights.

Price

Prices at the time of writing (October 2026). Tylko was running a 38% sale that ends on 13 October 2026, so its prices move.

• Tylko Original Classic bookcase in Clay Brown Plywood, 151 x 133 x 32 cm, open: £1,095 in the sale, £1,766 before it.
• Tylko Edge bookcase in Sand: £598 in the sale, £965 before it.
• Mestra open shelving, 1800 mm high and 254 mm deep: from £828.34 for one bay (632 mm wide), £1,496.71 for two bays (1234 mm wide), and £2,160.45 for three bays (1836 mm wide).
• Mestra shelving with a cupboard, 415 mm deep: from £1,181.37 for one bay.

Our prices include VAT and mainland UK delivery. Tylko’s may not include delivery.

For a small, simple bookcase, Tylko is cheaper, especially in a sale. For a plywood piece of a similar size, the gap is smaller, and it depends on the line and on whether a Tylko sale is running. The fairest test is to price your own wall in both configurators.

When Tylko is the better choice

• You cannot drill into your walls, or you would rather not fix rails.
• You want a unit taller than 1800 mm, such as floor-to-ceiling shelving.
• You want wardrobes, or furniture that stands on the floor.
• You want lots of solid colours, or an oak or walnut veneer.
• You want someone to assemble it for you.
• You want a longer return window.
• You want a small unit on a tight budget, especially during a sale.
• You want it sooner. On the design we checked, Tylko would ship in 5 to 6 weeks.

When Mestra is the better choice

• You want shelving on the wall, with the floor left clear.
• You want to move shelves and cabinets as your needs change, and add bays later.
• You want birch plywood with a hardwax oil finish, where the grain shows and worn spots can be re-oiled.
• You want bay widths set to the millimetre for an alcove or a set wall.
• You want shelving made in the UK, in Norfolk, with mainland delivery included.
• You want a media wall, floating drawer cabinets, or shelving with cupboards on the same rails.

Not sure yet? Send us a photo and rough measurements for a free fit and layout review. If you are also looking at metal or other wall systems, see our guide to Vitsoe alternatives in the UK.

Frequently asked questions

Is Tylko plywood?

Only one line is. Tylko Original Classic is 19 mm birch plywood with exposed, hand-oiled edges. Its optional back panels are particleboard. Original Classic Veneer, Original Modern, Edge, and Tone are mainly particleboard, and Edge’s plywood finishes are plywood topped with laminate. Mestra is 18 mm Baltic birch plywood.

Where is Tylko made?

Tylko is a Polish company based in Warsaw. It says all its products are designed and made in Poland. Mestra is made to order in Norfolk.

How long does Tylko take to deliver to the UK?

It depends on the design. Tylko’s configurator shows an estimated production time, which changes with the style, colour, features, and its order queue. That date is when the piece leaves the factory, and Tylko says delivery then takes a few days. The plywood bookcase we checked in October 2026 would ship in 5 to 6 weeks. Mestra’s lead time is 5 to 10 weeks from order.

Can Tylko shelves be hung on the wall?

Mostly no. Tylko’s bookcases and shelving stand on the floor, and Tylko recommends fixing them to the wall against tipping. It says an Original unit should not hang without floor support. In its Tone line, the Tone Floating style is designed to hang on the wall. If you want shelving that hangs from rails, see our wall-mounted shelving units.

Is there a UK alternative to Tylko?

Yes. Mestra makes wall-mounted modular shelving in 18 mm Baltic birch plywood, made to order in Norfolk, with bay widths set to your wall. It suits people who want shelving on the wall rather than furniture on the floor. If you want a floor-standing piece, Tylko or another freestanding bookcase is the better fit.

Is Tylko cheaper than Mestra?

For small units, it can be. In October 2026, a Tylko Edge bookcase in Sand was £598 in a sale, and our smallest open layout was £828.34. For larger plywood pieces, the gap is smaller and depends on Tylko’s sales. Our prices include VAT and mainland UK delivery.

Sources

Tylko, all accessed 6 October 2026:

• Original Classic bookcase in Clay Brown Plywood (price, “Ships in 5-6 weeks”, size, colour options; re-checked 7 October 2026): https://tylko.com/en-uk/furniture/bookcase/9269365,j
• Edge bookcase in Sand (price; accessed 7 October 2026): https://tylko.com/en-uk/furniture/bookcase/521669,w
• What is the Tylko Original Classic made of?: https://tylko.com/en-uk/faq/articles/original/what-is-the-tylko-original-classic-made-of
• Can I hang my Tylko shelf on a wall?: https://tylko.com/en-uk/faq/articles/original/can-i-hang-my-tylko-shelf-on-a-wall
• Can I return my Tylko?: https://tylko.com/en-uk/faq/articles/returns-and-issues/can-i-return-my-tylko
• Does Tylko furniture come with a guarantee?: https://tylko.com/en-uk/faq/articles/returns-and-issues/does-tylko-furniture-come-with-a-guarantee

Mestra, all accessed 6 October 2026:

• Open shelving layout and prices: https://mestrashelving.com/products/mestra-shelving/open
• Shelving with a cupboard, prices: https://mestrashelving.com/products/mestra-shelving/cupboard
• Terms, delivery, Home Trial and warranty: https://mestrashelving.com/terms
• Materials: https://mestrashelving.com/materials