ON&ON SPAN alternative: aluminium modules or birch plywood made-to-measure fit?

Do you have to choose between two good shelving systems? No — you're likely deciding between two routes.

If you want to find an ON&ON SPAN alternative, you will probably be weighing up options based on the same factors. Not good against bad shelving. Routes.

ON&ON SPAN is a floor-standing aluminium modular shelving system. It is a clean, modern, architectural product with colour and flexibility. Modules can be combined to create larger units.

Mestra is the other solution. It is a real birch plywood modular shelving and storage route. Mestra is developed around the dimensions and constraints of a room.

So there is a key question here. Is there something you prefer? Aluminium modules (and therefore colour) versus birch plywood modules (therefore warmth).

Quick answer

Pick ON&ON SPAN if you would like a floor-standing aluminium shelving system with clear modular identity. This might be a suitable option for a room in which you want the shelving to be seen as a precision-manufactured modular unit.

Pick Mestra if you believe that the room itself will determine how your shelving and storage solutions work together. There may be an alcove or an irregular wall, or you simply think that using birch plywood instead of aluminium is more desirable. It is worth noting the Mestra shelving can be painted any colour the customer desires.

There is no one solution for all situations. Both SPAN and Mestra have strengths in different areas. The strength of SPAN lies in the fact that it is at its best when the desire is to see the shelving as a single modular unit. The strength of Mestra lies in providing modular clarity while being able to develop a bespoke fit based upon the room itself.

What SPAN does well

As mentioned earlier, SPAN is described by ON&ON as a floor-standing modular shelving system that can be adapted, reconfigured and moved. The collection pages show various ways to use these modules such as: sideboard; TV stand; media unit; bookcase and home library.

In addition to this clarity, the materials used in SPAN provide a distinct visual identity. Aluminium provides a sharp, engineered, architectural look and feel and works well with colour. Depending on the room, this could be the main attraction to choosing SPAN.

A notable point to consider is that SPAN is not part of ON&ON's complete range. ON&ON offers additional wall-mounted products including made-to-measure components and long aluminium shelves custom-cut to meet client requirements. Therefore the only fair comparison is between SPAN as a floor-standing modular collection, ON&ON's broader wall-based product offering and Mestra as a birch-plywood made-to-measure route.

What Mestra was designed for

Mestra differs from SPAN both in terms of the material used and the method through which the fit is established.

Firstly, the material used in Mestra is real birch plywood. The layering of the ply edges is part of the manufacturing process and not an added finishing detail. As a result, it produces a warmer, less intrusive aesthetic compared to aluminium.

Secondly, the fit route is fundamentally different. Mestra begins with the room: wall width; wall height; available depth; position of alcoves; skirting; location of socket outlets; radiators; chimneys; pictures; sloping ceilings etc.

This is relevant to many UK homes. A few cm can transform whether the feeling of storage is 'at home' or 'forced'. A chimney breast, picture rail, sloping ceiling or uneven wall can convert a product decision into a room-fitting requirement.

Mestra aims to replicate neither metal modular systems nor SPAN. Instead, it is aimed at customers who require a modular design (order); birch plywood (warmth); locally-made in Norfolk (locality); and a fit that reflects their space.

Material affects how a room feels

Which route best suits your room?

Select SPAN if you require a mobile/reconfigurable shelf with visible modularity in an aluminium format and colour.

Select ON&ON's wider wall system route if you prefer aluminium as your preferred material and require wall-mounted shelving and made-to-measure/cut-to-sized parts within that system.

Select Mestra if you believe the room itself dictates how your shelving and storage solutions interact. Examples include: an alcove, a precise run of wall space with irregularities, obstacles within the room etc.

Select bespoke joinery if your storage needs to become part of the building structure, conceal complex services or solve details which modular systems should never be expected to address.

Preparation required before choosing

Measure wall widths, ceiling heights and available depths. Record positions of skirting boards, electrical sockets, radiators, doors swinging open/closed, window sills, alcove edges, picture rails and uneven surfaces etc.

Capture straight-on photographs of walls and wider room areas. List what items require storing using shelf units: books, records, speakers, toys, crockery, files or closed storage areas etc.

Decide how you want each unit to make you feel: crisp and architectural; warm and furniture-like; highly mobile/reconfigurable; and how close the design will reflect the room's dimensions.

Consult Mestra about your shelving specification

If comparing ON&ON SPAN against Mestra begin with the room rather than product name.

Provide Mestra with your wall widths and ceiling heights together with photographs of the room area and constraints that you have identified. Identify any storage requirements for each section of the room and preferred material characteristics. Mestra can then assist you in determining whether a birch plywood-based modular shelving and storage solution developed around your room dimensions provides the best option for the brief.

Ultimate goal

Determine which route best fits the room, not just which looks better on paper.

Frequently asked questions

Good alternative to ON&ON SPAN in UK?

Mestra may provide a reasonable alternative to ON&ON SPAN if customers are seeking modular shelving constructed from real birch plywood and made-to-measure fitted based upon their room dimensions.

Is SPAN made to measure?

SPAN is presented by ON&ON as a floor-standing modular shelving collection. ON&ON offers additional components and long aluminium shelves cut to customer specifications within their wider wall-mounted system therefore only fair comparison between SPAN (floor-standing modular), ON&ON's broader wall-mounted system offering and Mestra (plywood made-to-measure).

Is aluminium better than birch-plywood shelving?

Aluminium may suit you better when you desire a thin; sharp; architectural-shaped system with colour and visible modularity. Birch-plywood may suit you better when you prefer a warmer appearance; more visible material texture and furniture-like presence.

Can birch plywood be used as a modular system?

Yes — modular refers to logic of a system and not solely the materials used. Mestra develops modular shelving and storage solutions utilising real birch plywood and made-to-measure fit principles.