Ikea Billy Bookcase - how to assemble and strengthen to make it last.

[@iocat]

My friend was a set builder at Ikea. She said they glued everything. So as you build the frame, glue the dowels in, add a seam of glue as you put in the top, bose, and fixed shelf. Ive had great luck doing this, 15+ years of very sturdy Ikea furniture. Great ideas here, thanks!

[@geowatcher888]

Been doing that for 25 years now, and furniture has survived 2 international, 1 transcontinental and innumerable local moves.

[@johannaholmgren8088]

I am so thrilled to hear about the glue trick. I live IKEA furniture and Billy is definitely a big part of our decor....but those damn backerboards ..!!! I have so many bookcases doing the shimmy ...

[@stuartburns8657]

​@@geowatcher888Why on earth would you pay to move IKEA tat to a different Country?

[@thejohnbeck]

​@@stuartburns8657 if it holds together, it's not tat

[@ravent3016]

@@stuartburns8657 If you are in the military or have a company that pays, it doesn't cost anything

[@qxq-]

Nice job, as a designer I add a beautiful wallpaper to the inside of the backing board before assembly, it elevates the look enormously.

[@ProperDIY]

That's a great idea!

[@missirina6912]

❤ Lovely idea! It better works for a Hotel, I think, were you don't have much stuff, and if you have your room finished in the same wallpaper, and/or you need a renovation of that furniture, isn't it? Great idea! Thks! 🥰💕

[@missirina6912]

I used wallpaper on the back of some sliding doors between two hallways. Towards the main holloway, the sliding doors were huge mirrors, and their back - now they are like a brick wall with ivy on it - facing a plain white, very tiny hall, but of a good height, and a good light 😅 It's quite cosy! ❤

[@Kate-qq3ez]

I had some of these bookcases. I am done with it. Now I buy real furniture, most of the time second hand, in real wood that I can mounted and dismounted when I need to. IKEA furniture have a nice look but the material is poor, once mounted you will break it if you have to move. And it is not environmentally friendly. Real’plain wood furniture are far better.

[@pppetra]

​@@Kate-qq3ez we got ours 2 moves ago. We glued them. We take the doors of. we lift them on a little plank with wheels, move them standing up, lowering them from windows with a forklift and the ones going upstairs are lifted on a forklift outside and they go in trough a window. We handle them with care. They lasted 18 years.

[@MY-bd3fo]

i usually screw some metal or plastic L-brackets at the 4 corners for all Ikea furniture, seal all exposed particle board edges with PVA glue and fix some rubber/plastic pads on the furniture legs/bottoms. My late father usually went overboard and painted the backboard as well. Usually he just use left over paint or varnish and sometimes just undercoat. And all my Ikea and other particle board furniture still good today when I bought it 10 years ago. These are some tricks from my late father who is a carpenter.

[@johannaholmgren8088]

I like to apply beadboard or other style wallpaper to the backerboard before I secure them to the bookcase. It gives added strength plus visual interest. I also will paint the paper before attaching the boards

[@CallumFaulds1]

When I moved in to my flat, I bought the cheapest possible under sink cupboards for my 2 toilets. I 3D printed some feet to lift them off of the floor slightly as the bottom was exposed chipboard. I then 3D printed some l-brackets which I hid inside to hold the shelf in place. It's little tricks like that which keep cheap furniture going for longer ;)

[@Marlo58]

Everything about this video is great - the way you explain WHY you’re doing every little step not just how, the camera work, the pace. Very easy watching. Thanks so much, I’ve subscribed!

[@i.m.peterrific]

When I did my first ikea kitchen, the store told me to buy one of their large plastic spatula's (the ones for turning fish) and use that for opening all the boxes. WHAT A REVELATION!! I still have that same spatula 7 years later for opening all flat paks. It is perfect for running down the glued seams and does manage to break the tape which is designed to tear length ways so you don't need a knife.

[@pkaaos]

A boxknife with adjustable lenght blade in on the side between the cardboard and the top sheet. Blade in 10 cm. Opens in seconds with no marks.

[@martinjp1]

Good idea I have cut my fingers opening Ikea boxes the glue is so strong on those things.

[@michaelcoll433]

I used an old plastic wall boarding spatula. Garbage for the designed task, but great for opening Ikea boxes.

[@magnusE7]

@@pkaaos I use my hands! And have open hundreds of IKEA boxes over 20 years.

[@c50ge]

@bina nocht God is spelled with a capitol “G”

[@Markusbloodpet]

Very interesting ideas. FYI: You can buy individual boards for the Billy, so you could use those for stiffening and would have perfectly matching material.

[@JasperJanssen]

When I wanted shelving for my DVD collection (dating myself, these days, to say that) I wanted units about 3 meters high and with lots of shorter shelves. I ended up taking two full size Billy, putting the fixed planks at slightly non standard heights (also drilling extra holes to put the movable shelves at non standard heights), and cutting the bottom off one of the sets of standers, then doweling that top half to sit on top of the other unit. Ended up using all the movable shelves, most or all of the fixed ones, and most of the sides and backs. Worked very well. Still there, too. And yes, I could of course have made something much sturdier out of actual wood - it wouldn’t have been much more effort but at my skill level it wouldn’t have looked anywhere near as good and it would probably have cost 5 times as much.

[@wei.j.h.]

Which ones? The BILLY 36x26 cm?

[@benmasi2483]

I’ve put together/installed/moved 5 billy bookcases in the past year, and I have to say I really like the thin & tall version of the billy bookcase the best because it’s only about 40cm across and the shelves will probably never visibly bow. They look small but 3 of them together is more shelf space than a regular billy, and you have the flexibility of being able to set it up in a corner. I’ll definitely remember this the next time I put together another one!

[@PoutingTrevor]

That's a good tip.

[@wordsbymaribeja1470]

This is exactly what I want to do, I have an alcove measuring 99cm and I'm now going to go with three 40cm width Billys, one in the corner which may also leave 20cm each side for the GNEBY.

[@rickau]

80x28x237 cm billy has a 76cm wide shelf. 40x28x237 cm billy has a 36cm wide shelf. And because the shelves are smaller you have also lost load capacity (14kg versus 30kg). The narrower one is almost the same cost as the larger, $124 versus $154. At least in Australia. So just from buying 2 of the narrower ones you have paid almost 2x more and gotten less shelf space and load. The only time I'd consider getting 2+ of the smaller ones over a larger was if my only available space was in a corner and even then I'd try to rearrange other things first to make a full size unit fit.

[@adamgenard3188]

While I agree that you probably don't need to worry about shelves bowing on the narrower 40cm version, going that route does become cost-prohibitive when you have around 15 feet/4.5 meters of wall to cover.

[@brandonhoffman4712]

My main take away. Ikea shelfs still bow... That's what happens when you buy reconstituted wood chips wrapped in plastic.

[@krose6451]

Growing up when it came to preventing bowing in shelves, we always just flipped them as part of our spring cleaning. Empty everything off when dusting, flip, and put everything back. Despite heavily loading them up they stayed fine for decades. The only problem was the middle shelf on our DVD cabinet which was screwed in so couldn't be flipped. That bowed plenty. I still do this even with the solid wood shelves of the bookcase I have now as a precaution and so far no problems. I am definitely going to keep the gluing of the back in mind though as I've seen the backs come off too many when being moved about. Thank you very much for sharing!

[@yathongleung]

I often overlooked the back board thinking it is only cosmetic, didn't know that is the most important bit. Thank you so much 🙏

[@cvanbuilders8992]

Always refreshing to see someone on KZbin who knows what he's talking about. Thank you!

[@andypandy9013]

I have three full height and full width Billys with full height glass doors. I bought them 27 years ago in 1995 and absolutely love them. I will shortly be moving them as I am having my living room altered and may very well take up the tip of the rear batton and drilling through. I have to say that nearly all the shelves are crowded with books and there is no sign at all of them bowing, even after all this time. Thanks for the video. 👍😀

[@andreasbentz6106]

Hey Andy! Keep those old Billys. They were still quality to last. Todays "fast furniture" cannot compete. Cheers Andreas

[@markanthonyharrison5153]

I am a relatively new devotee Stuart but I love your videos. They speak to me as a 56 year old man who is relatively handy but still a DIY’er. The biggest thing is that most of your videos appeal to me as they are the sort of jobs I’m doing for me and my two grown up daughters

[@bobbelsekwol]

I went to a customers house, I'm a gardener, to sort out her Ikea cube thing. It was brand new, only just built, and it was falling apart. I couldn't work out how it was in such poor condition till I asked the question. Who assembled it and how did he do it? My son assembled it, and he he used a drill to really tighten everything up! Every screw a was stripped in the chipboard. I glued it all up and filled in the oversized holes with matchsticks and more glue. Seemed to be ok. And a few weeks later was still standing rock solid. I was the hero! And a few £s better off.

[@LS-uv9gg]

I still have my 3 Billy bookcases from over 35 years ago; and have moved at least 8 times with them. These are the old school ones with the single piece backing hardboard that is thicker and does not bend or fold in any way. They came with all metal hardware (no plastic anything) and fairly big nails with large heads to fasten the backs with, not small pins. Maybe I'm the anomaly, but I'm relatively poor, so hiring a moving company would be totally out of the question. I have always needed to take them back down to flat pack and then reassembled. No issues or problems with degradation of fit or finish, no glue.

[@ivancho5854]

You make a great point. If you are moving your furniture by yourself then disassembly is a must and impossible if glue is used. Thanks. 👍

[@harmzes6415]

Perhaps glue TWO wooden strips at the back instead of just 1. This way you can cover both seams of the triple folding backboard (seams which tend to start wobbling over time, or even partly rip through), and also you can now use 2 screws per shelf to avoid sagging, each at 1/3 of the width.

[@ng990]

exactly what i'm thinking

[@johngriffiths812]

probably one is best. though there's still a tendency for the shelves to push out the sides of the bookcase so you could drive screws on either side and hide them with veneer of some kind or maybe an additional decorative moulding with dowels and glue?

[@guyncali2]

@@johngriffiths812 All you'd really have to do is have a couple of side braces across the back and secure them to the sides.

[@frdgv]

or perhaps glue Four wooden strips at the back instead of just two 😂😂

[@brandonhoffman4712]

Just glue and nail the whole thing to the wall for survivability. It's ikea.

[@daviemaclean61]

The additional wood strip and screws into the shelves is a great tip. I've always glued mine together as well - great minds think alike! ;-) If you wanted to go the centre support route, as you demonstrated, Ikea sell additional shelves, so they'd be the same colour, and you could cut them to size. Cheers

[@brucelee3388]

If you can go to the store in person, look in the 'Dent & Scratch' section (usually) near the registers - lots of ex-demo pieces, slightly damaged panels & 'obsolete' stock for less than full price.

[@auntlynnie]

I always put a drop of wood glue before slipping the dowels into place, and my shelves are very sturdy.

[@magnusE7]

@@brucelee3388 I go through there every time I go to IKEA. Have one IKEA five minutes by car from home.

[@TheSuzberry]

My husband insisted on glue when assembling the Billys for our library. He also ran power to the skirt because we were covering our outlets with the shelves.

[@swedishpsychopath8795]

I've had luck fastening a horse shoe on the outer wall where the sides of each shelf meets the wall.

[@cliveevonhall9233]

Some 20 odd years ago we built a rank of standard Billy bookcases 3 wide + corner units each end + narrow units next to them to make a shallow U shape. To tart them up to go in our period house we stood them on several 4 inch fence posts, put ogee skirting board around the bookcase base & sides, picture rail around the tops, decorative timber mouldings down the fronts to hide the joins between units, & painted them pale cream. They look fabulous, haven't sagged, & I get admiring comments about my expensive bookcases. I dont always own up to them being Ikea....

[@Neil-Hanson67]

Fab video Stuart, i build & fit quite a lot of this type of furniture & also glue wherever i can, another tip i will share with your viewers is at the back of this unit (Around 9.20 mins) into your video you will see raw chip board, i usually paint some sort of wood sealer on to this, especially if it's an old house i'm working on just to prevent expansion in the board due to high humidity or damp in the house.

[@andrewreaney]

KZbin tip: you just need to give the time in digital to get a link to that part of the video. Like this: 09:20

[@martinjp1]

PVA wood glue or varnish works best.

[@Gregg_22]

One thing I've learnt from these - if you want them to sit flush to the wall, before building sit the side panels up against the skirting board, mark them up and then cut the profile out on the side panel of the billy (it's harder to do this when they are built). I usually keep the cardboard too when working on carpet and set the panels on it to stop any carpet dents until its in its position.

[@jayt9882]

Not sure if it's the case with all newer BIlly units now, but Ikea have kindly cut out the profile for you these days. Also, a good point worth remembering when you're placing the unit on carpet, if you've gripper-rod around the perimeter it makes it even more important to fix the top of the unit to the wall as that tiny height difference will tilt the unit forwards.

[@LynetteMcGrath]

The ones I bought had the profile already cut out.

[@Gregg_22]

The pre-cut profiles weren't high enough for the skirting board I have so I had to modify them after it was on the wall so worth checking that before building it

[@javax00]

These boards can easily been cut usin a router. Well, if you have one. If you do not, then it is extremely difficult to use one.

[@PurpleTT99]

While you're at it, if you have gripperods under the carpet, take an inch and a half x half an inch off the bottom of the side panels. It reduces the tendency for the whole thing to want to tip forward, plus when you fix back at the top all of the weight isn't just on the gripperods. Minor stuff, but I do it!

[@JohnHill-qo3hb]

YEAAA!!! Finally someone who knows what they are talking about... glue dosen't dry, it CURES!!!

[@janverhave]

I assembled 3 billies at around 1984, moved 4 times, they’re still fine and probably will outsmart me.

[@cng7183]

Great idea for the back bone support! I agree glue the backboard before nailing it will make the structure a lot stronger. I also apply acrylic paint / water sealer to all bare "wood" sides of panels, as moisture will attack those areas more often. Especially important for those living in those hot and high humidity countries. For heavy books like those full of art and photography, solid wood is my first choice.

[@hoomee119]

I assemble IKEA and Steen furnisher as a side hustle and have always recommended to my customers that I glue all joints and backs. I do this for book cases, chest of drawers etc, plus I have invested in an electric staple gun to aid the process. Nice tip in bracing the back, I'll use that in future.

[@ProperDIY]

Nice one!

[@artyb27]

Is this via something like TaskRabbit? I've been curious about doing something similar but the platform seems to have lots of bad reviews. Do you find it a decently lucrative side hustle?

[@great-garden-watch]

Yes you can do criss cross in the back using a piece of thin moulding. Ive used yardsticks for this as they’re wood

[@geoffreystevenson2609]

@@great-garden-watch

[@bumbozambumbazebulon6738]

As the glueing and the piano soundtrack flowed in, fat warm tears arrived to my face in awe. Beautiful.

[@janethomyer6253]

Thank you so much for this! I am about to use Billy cases to create a built-in-looking bookshelf wall and I want it to be cost effective, handsome, and sturdy. Your instructions are exactly what I needed!

[@OldAlexCat514]

I want to do the same :) would you let me know how it goes? Thanks!!

[@janethomyer6253]

@@OldAlexCat514 Well, the Billys are sold out! I cannot find them anywhere. I wound up getting shelves by "Concepts in Wood" through Bed Bath & Beyond (online). I got them in cappuccino, 84" tall. I got two of the "doubles" (48" wide) to flank my fireplace, and one that is (I think) 84" wide to go on another wall. I'm sorry I couldn't do the build-in - I was looking forward to the project.

[@MizLizCatHouse]

I've done this probably hundreds of times. It's much more fun to watch you do it! 😁👍🏻

[@robsworder]

Love the ideas here. Though I might go with countersunk screws for the vertical support into shelves, to avoid the risk of the domed screws scratching the wall

[@av_oid]

I’ve been doing Billys this way for 15 years. It’s great to see a video promoting this commonsense fix to the weakness of flat pack, assemble with a screwdriver “furniture”.

[@arashy]

Great tips for strengthening a bookcase! Gluing a strip to the back and screwing shelves through it is brilliant!

[@maryanneschuessler2231]

Just built the 1st of 2 Billys and slid it into place after watching your video several times. Felt like an expert, thanks. The Proper DIY videos are WONDERFUL, not only in the advice and clear directions, but in the excellent camera work and editing. And you're adorable. 😁

[@eattherich9215]

My days of assembling IKEA furniture are behind me, but your video was most instructional.

[@SIC647]

Thank you, this is super useful. I have 5 BILLYs, which I put on floor-particle board and added wheels, for a pull-out archive. And while it works well, then after 5-7 years they have become a little unstable, and the back pieces keep popping out. I will definitely use your tricks for them.

[@ddfann]

A drop of wood glue on the dowels works really well as they usually remain fairly loose and don't give the furniture any additional strength.

[@keithwebb658]

MFI used to supply little tubes of glue for this but they're long gone now and I m showing my age 😜

[@markmiwurdz202]

MFI - More Frustration Indoors.

[@ivancho5854]

​@@markmiwurdz202I used to know people who worked at MFI's head office in north London. They referred to it as Made For Idiots. They had utter contempt for their customers. Good riddance. 👎

[@psdaengr911]

I have 4 Billys that haven't been moved from their initial positions in 30 years. I had glued them as you showed here. I found that: 1) PVA glue didn't bond to the hardboard. 2) If you aren't careful about placing items on the shelves they will apply force to the hardboard that makes the hardboard separate from the middle fixed shelf and pull out of the grooves, leaving the PVA glue behind. When I had to move these this year I rebuilt them using Gorilla multipurpose glue and ring shank nails AND I applied a piece of 1-1/4" x1/4" (~30mm x 6mm) lattice to the center of the back, running top to bottom, glued in place and weighted for 24 hours before I moved the shelves. I omitted the toe nailing along the edges. It might help if PVA glue were used to hold the edges stable during curing.

[@UberAlphaSirus]

If your going the glue route. Glue the dowels as well. I use 25-32mm gyproc screws instead of the pins for the back board and either side of the folds to prevent it splitting over time. This stops heavy handed people knocking the back out.

[@g.e.b.8159]

Gluing the dowels is very important.

[@Furthea2]

yeah, that was my first thought. If you're setting this up to not be dismantled for moving, then go all out. Those screw-lock things are great for pulling and holding pieces together but can unscrew over time with micro movements.

[@abbylynn8872]

I'll add, if you don't have wood glue and can't get a dollar store bottle good old fashioned white school glue works as well. I've fixed a door stop hole with toothpicks and a little glue.

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

All my flat pack furnitures are glued where ever possible. It makes them heavy as hell when moving, but still sturdy and strong when filled with your belongings.

[@g0uus]

​@@abbylynn8872white school glue is PVA which is often used as wood glue!

[@darlenebradley6756]

I have lined one end of my family room with Billy bookcases and added lighting and glass shelves to the top shelf. I used glue on my shelves, too, and they look great! Much less expensive than built-ins!

[@dadich]

Great video! Good pacing, very clear instructions and nicely filmed. Wish I saw it before assembling my own shelf. I'd definitely use some of the techniques used here :) Looking forward to more of simillar content!

[@heatherjones6647]

I have three, fully loaded with academic hardcover books, 3 feet wide, glass-doored Hemnes bookcases. Bought and assembled in July 2014 and not even a hint of sag. Real wood is much stronger than particle board.

[@NameyNames]

Thanks for the good ideas! I've built a bunch of these over the years and can definitely see the benefit of making it more sturdy. One slight issue to have in mind when it comes to screwing the shelves in place from behind is of course that it will leave visible holes in the back if the shelves would ever need rearranging.

[@29mailman]

One could easily countersink the screws

[@SplicedSerpents]

​@@29mailman I think he means holes in the back panel where the shelf was originally located. You'd need to fill or plug it

[@jamesrodgers3132]

Yes, but if your shelves are carrying books, then hopefully the books would obscure the hole.

[@DEtchells]

Fantastic tip to run a 1x2 up the back! It not only keeps the backboard from being pushed back, but the idea of using it to support the middles of the shelves is brilliant! Thanks!

[@dalemurphy7505]

Wish I had watched this before I recently assembled 12 x 80cm full-height Billys and 5 x 40cm full-height Billys, all with Oxberg doors and extensions. Great video, thank you. The Billys, especially with Oxberg glass doors, are just great and make a fabulous library at a reasonable cost. As an engineer, I really appreciate the precision of their manufactured parts. Not once was any part or screw missing and everything fitted precisely. I found it best to assemble them on a big table, just to save my back and knees. I thought about gluing but decided not to as I wanted to keep the disassembly option open, but I agree with you that removal companies will just take it away whole. I can always retrospectively glue or silicon but don't really think it is worthwhile. With multiple bookcases, I joined them together using Hafele's cabinet screw-and-sleeve 36 cm connectors for added solidity. When each of these is connected to the wall (preferably via a stud, but this is not essential) the whole assembly is as solid as a rock. As you say, the shelf bending issue is the biggest issue with Billys as it is for all bookshelves, an issue I puzzled over for a long time. Not only is there simple bending that relates to the elasticity of the shelf, which the current thicker shelves largely solve, but more importantly is the issue of creep. Creep, or stretch, occurs over years and all wooden shelves, regardless of wooden material or manufacturer, are susceptible to. This is the major problem with any wooden shelf, solid hard wood or chipboard. I have very heavy books that are at the 30kg limit of each shelf, This is where I wish I had used your batten at the back. My solution was twofold: a) on the fixed shelves, hammer in a lot more more nails. The most recent Billy have a pretty solid backing (not as flexible as shown in your video, although I was using White Stained Oak as opposed to the white you used). These were more expensive so that may explain the difference. With a more solid backing and lots of nails, I am confident that this is equivalent to the rear batten in the video. b) I used an aluminum U-channel cut to precisely the width of and length of each shelf and just slotted this into each shelf, I had these cut by an aluminum company here in Melbourne Australia. They each cost about a third of the cost of a new shelf ($8). The bottom and top shelf don't need these. The middle shelf could use this but I used extra nails to strengthen it. All other shelves have this U-channel at the back. Yes, it creates a lip that prevents sliding books to the back, but I was willing to accept this tradeoff. The tradeoff is that these shelves will never bend!!

[@mrsducky3428]

The advantage to having the books not reach the back is that the heavy handed people can't push the books through the back! 😂

[@CallumFaulds1]

I have an old IKEA wardrobe which used to wobble about. The shelf above the clothes hadn't been moved in years so I pre-drilled and put 4 countersunk screws in to it, through the outside of the wardrobe. It has been rock solid ever since.

[@remischmitt9308]

Nice video. tip: if you want extra shelves check the prices for those shelves separately compared to how much another billy costs. When i bought my Billies in 2001 the price of a Billy (which has 4 movable and 3 fixed shelves) was only 80% of the price of 5 extra shelves. So i bought 8 Billies and built up 5 of hem and added the shelves from the other 3 for very full bookcases (2000 pocketbooks); built 1 with only the middle shelf for board games. And when my friend moved and severely damaged one of her billies i gave her 2 sides as replacement. Still have 2 sides left to this day.

[@JasperJanssen]

I built two Billy based cases at 23 cm dvd height and running up to the ceiling which is about 80 cm above a full size Billy on my top floor. I needed four extra shelves in each of the main ones, so I did that from an extra unit and then used the top of the left over sides and three fixed shelves to build custom cabinet-toppers - so four full size Billy into two custom units about 1.5 times the size each.

[@iepieboekholt463]

Nice video. I have 8 Billy bookcases since 1996, which are filled with books and are still fine. Back then Ikea only added a few nails to secure the backboard and we added our own nails to secure it. This helped to keep the boards pretty secure. But if I could do it again I would definitely add a plank im the middle like you did. If you decide to follow the advice and add a board in the middle between the shelves to prevent sagging, you don't need to buy an extra Billy bookcase. Ikea sells extra shelves in the same colours as the Billy bookcases. So you could just buy a few extra shelves if you decide to do that.

[@saltech3444]

The timing on this video is pretty extraordinary. I just assembled a Billy bookcase two months ago - before this video came out - and I came to the same conclusion that strengthening of the structure was desirable. I did this by doubling the number of nails going into the backs of each shelf, and also added wood glue to the backs of each shelf. This entailed pre-preparing a damp cloth to wipe up the trails of wood glue that I knew would squeeze out as I nailed through the cardboard backing.

[@cherokee7411]

Thank you for stating the glue that you use as I was clueless. I am going to put mine together over the weekend and really wanted to use the glue to make it sturdy. I’m new at this so wish me luck.

[@saltech3444]

@@cherokee7411 White wood glue/PVA glue is suitable.

[@cherokee7411]

@@saltech3444 Thank you very much

[@vikingraider1961]

I used to replace the hardboard with thin ply and glue/pin it in place - made it truly bomb proof

[@malsurvives]

My Billy bookcases are now 30 years old. They have moved house with me SIX times over those years and are still in excellent condition. If I ever needed another bookcase, I'd head straight for Ikea and look for the Billy section 😎

[@malsurvives]

@Capri Yes, I believe they are, but they've proved to be rugged over the years and the veneer still looks like real wood.

[@twinwankel]

@@malsurvives You are fortunate. We have a bunch of these and their durability varies. We just put them in the basement where we don't really care how they look.

[@tubros]

I have four of them between 10-30 year old. Also moved with them many times. Very solid, never needed strengthen them of anything else from Ikea.

[@Jehty_]

How did you manage to keep the back panels alive during 6 moves? 😱 In my experience just looking at them the wrong way and the seams will rip 🤣

[@ulie1960]

@@Jehty_ 30 years back those backboards were somewhat stronger.. I have some of the old ones 60 and 90 cm wide. I believe they changed to 40 and 80 cm because now they can use the same additional doors for both bookshelfs. I also have some of those additional parts to have more height. Fun fact: At some point IKEA had the idea to end the Billy line. This caused kind of a shitstorm, and even the German chancelor Helmut Schmidt spoke against this idea of IKEA. If you see some videos about him in his private home (now a museum) you will see that he had lined almost all of his walls with Billy shelfs.Finally IKEA continued the line. if I remember correctly only the Ivar line is older an still in production.

[@ThePathNotTaken]

Enjoyed your well-explained Billy assembly modifications! To avoid sagging, at the time I bought half-width Billy units. These can easily be bolted together. Have them now almost ten years, fully loaded with heavy books, and zero sag. The downside is that you need two half-width units to replace the shelve space of a single full-width unit. But when indeed used as a book shelve (I.e. when heavily loaded) it’s worth it.

[@Mark-jp9dz]

Chipboard is not inherently strong with screws in the width as shown here. In fact they can themselves be the cause of the shelf delaminating. However, if you predrill the screw holes completely, and use long screws, then fill the predrilled holes with wood glue, this will make a much stronger support, and the glue will help prevent delamination. I had a number of these shelf units which lasted very satisfactorily, but had to be left at he last house as I was moving internationally again.

[@stanimir4197]

I'd consider drilling the 10mm holes filling them with epoxy (5min one), then inserting a dowel, instead of a screw. My experience is mostly negative when it comes to wood screws and chipboard, esp. on pull out action (e.g. hinges). The case is different, yet the flex around the screw is likely to chip the chipboard, loosing with time.

[@brandonhoffman4712]

At this point your just sourcing crap lumber for your wood project. I left ikea furniture in its own dust 15 years ago. I wouldn't consider any of it. They have full kitchens in there these days. And I just know it's trash made for a wet environment that wasn't made to hold up to a wet environment... there's no trust left when you make your products from shop scrapings.

[@fotticelli]

I was going to mention strengthening the screw holes and the peg holes as well. I may not be necessary in case of a bookshelf but I would definitely recommend it when assembling drawers or doors which can be stressed by opening and closing. I dilute a polyurethane (PVA), water soluble glue which is pretty much the standard indoor wood glue (such as the Titebond brand) with 1/4 of water for better penetration into the chip board and apply it to the inside of the screw and peg holes. Watching the video I got uneasy about glueing on top of unprotected carpet. I would leave the cardboard packing because getting a dried glue out of a carpet is not possible. Also, and again this applies to drawers especially, glue forms a permanent bond once dry so if you assemble something skewy you will be looking at it for years. Even if it's a couple of millimeters and it works you will not be able unknow it and unsee it.

[@clairestreb]

Thank you so much! I followed your instructions, then I asked my son-in-law to make it looked built-in next to my fireplace. Beautiful!

[@johannechampagne7332]

I bought the Bill bookcase back in the first half of the eighties. It STILL looks new!

[@stephenfishman4964]

Billy bookcases are a great starting point for other projects. The side of a Billy bookcase makes a great 6' shelf with two wall mount brackets at 24" intervals. I've used extra shelves to add storage to kitchen cabinets and custom built-ins for other rooms.

[@rbrooks2007]

On another point, one trick I found for Ikea drawers was to use a bit of beading lengthwise underneath the hardboard base of each drawer. It then allowed me to put more than one pair of socks in before the base slowly warped downwards.

[@CherDele]

😂😂😂😂 ''more than one pair of socks'.......damn, good to know the flimsiness b4 purchase!😂😂😂

[@g0uus]

Most of the IKEA drawers I have built over the last few years (most recently last week!) have a metal bar from front to back underneath to provide support.

[@rbrooks2007]

@@g0uus In the UK the base of the drawers were a sheet of hardboard which, when the main wood hulk was put together, was slid in from the back and pinned along the back. As the widest part would be affected by bowing, I always put a strip of hardwood beading which worked. Another design flaw with chests of drawers was if the side cheeks bowed outwards over time even for a fraction of a millimetre, the drawer would drop out of the slider slot and fall down onto the drawer below. That too could be cured in a couple of ways.

[@g0uus]

​@@rbrooks2007well the ones I put together last week were bought in Southampton and had the metal bar. I also know this is not particularly new as I have put together a number of IKEA drawers in the last couple of years and they all had the strengthening bar. I remember thinking "that's a good idea" the first time I came across the new design drawers, and I do remember the older design.

[@sgibson6296]

I have an unassembled Billy just waiting for me to finish building out my office. Lots of great tips. Thank you!

[@jontemple1038]

Great video...certainly agree with the glue reinforcement and I've also used a staple gun to provide additional strength through the backboard/rear shelf edges with a run of staples there. Also, regarding your additional mid-point shelf supports, another way (similar to your first suggestion) is to simply glue in very thin vertical laser-type ply panels (3-4mm) that are not as deep as the shelf by about 20-30mm so they sit well back from the front shelf edges. Incredibly strong in compression, but so thin that in practice, and even unpainted, they are almost invisible between the vertical spine lines of your books..

[@ReasonablySane]

That was actually hugely useful. Thank you. I just bought four shelves like these from a friend who was closing down her shop. I just put them in my garage but I had to buy a bunch more nails to fasten the backs on them because a lot of them had pulled out. Though a lot of your advice was the types of things I might expect, one was true genius. That is the use of that centerboard in the back. Thank you!

[@Scruff19821]

I can't imagine what my wife would say if she saw me with a bottle of glue near that beautiful carpet, to be fair to her though, I can't be trusted

[@frankblack1481]

I was once assembling a unit on carpet and the kit came with a tiny tube of glue. That I knelt on. And watched helpless as the glue squirted all over the carpet.

[@ProperDIY]

@@frankblack1481 I can visualise that!

[@japspeedgirl6216]

😂

[@tomf4547]

😂👍

[@ithacacomments4811]

I would use the cardboard box it came in to protect the carpet from glue drips.

[@kathymcdonald8234]

I have been following your instructions, thank you. The bookcases now come with pre drilled holes and plastic plugs that the plastic "nails" go into. I secured it with more nails and glue as suggested by you.

[@c.s.1141]

I put aluminum L profiles with epoxy clue on the back of heavy loaded shelves to prevent bending. Worked like a charme - they're almost invisible, don't change the look and are still movable.

[@captainlengthwidth6692]

My thoughts exactly. With the 'visible', horizontal part of the angle on the underside of the shelf - so anything you put on the shelf doesn't hit it.

[@kewlking]

Would it not push the shelf outward and mess up the alignment?

[@c.s.1141]

@@kewlking No, it doesn't. Have a look at 12:25: the shelves don't sit loosely on these little metal pins, they're fixed by them, i.e. no change of the alignment (even with the L profiles). The profiles are no problem there because A) they add only an extra of 1 mm to the shelf, B) there's a little gab between the shelf and the backside and C) the backside is also slightly flexible.

[@tonyantonuccio4748]

All good points presented. Been screwing and gluing this type of "furniture" for years, and it works.By the way, should have glued the wooden dowels. Also, glue will run so you should have left the cardboard on the carpet.

[@johnalvitre3154]

Good info. My only Suggestion if I may, "When adding timber to the back center, leave it long by 2cm or 3/4" so you can adhere to the wall. Also, using three timbers on the back can add more strength to the overall shelf especially against sagging and can allow 3 points of contact to the permanent wall." I appreciate this video and do have a job to do much like this. I will use some of your ideas to strengthen the shelf. Thank you.

[@garydargan6]

Nicely done. I didn't think of the bracing strip at the back. Mine suffered from being moved so I replaced the hardboard back with some slightly thicker plywood then I screwed the fixed shelves to it. I also tried screws in the back of the adjustable shelves but they still sagged. The vertical partitions do work but I stagger them on each pair of shelves so they get support above and below at two points. However when I needed more shelves the cost of Billy Bookcases had gone up considerably so I built my own 8ft x 4ft shelves out of 18mm ply with a 3mm backing. They hold almost as much as two Billy bookcases and are much stronger and cost about the same as two bookcases. Much more satisfying when you build your own.

[@robertfuller9128]

Great video Stuart. Was thinking at 2min58secs in that we might be seeing you glue the tip of your finger back on as well! Another idea is in old houses with carpet where the floorboards might not be so level is to put some small spacers underneath the bookcase frame to ensure its all level before you then load it up with books and fix to the wall. The spacers get hidden by the carpet pile.

[@alankilpin2511]

An accomplished and easy to follow video. Great common-sense approach, clear explanation, and your sponsors have definitely struck gold with you. Well done, and I am now a subscriber.

[@yorkaturr]

I've had a bunch of these bookcases for almost 20 years now. The last time the back boards started coming out again I simply used plywood screws to drive them into place, and it has worked so far. Additional glue would definitely do an even better job.

[@raph1136]

what size? and how much weight would u say is on them, a full shelf of paperback books?

[@TheTorkerman]

When I built my Billy cases, I glued every dowel and every fixed shelf jointing face, the lower stiffener as well as the backing as shown in this video (but I doubled the amount of Brad nails in it) Been rock solid for 10 years!

[@seannalexander]

Went in thinking this was going to be something that made it impossible to take apart, and was really happy to see this simple addition is college student friendly!

[@richardstewart6900]

Last year we helped our son move into his new flat, including a couple of Billy Bookcases and some other Ikea stuff. It's 3rd floor with just stairs, no lift. Although they had to go up each in their box, if, as and when the time comes for him to move out and I'm still in a condition to help, I can guarantee that if it's anything to do with me, they're all coming out bit by bit rather than as complete units! 🤣

[@carolyncopeland2722]

i have used the batten under the shelf before and its great. You just need to attach it at the back of the shelf though, not the front. Then minor colour changes/gaps etc don't show. It also means the shelf is adjustable in the future. Love the idea of the extra backing board, will use that in the future Also I always glue all fixings, both the dowel and the screws. I think although it doesn't bond to the screw it stiffens the chipboard, giving a firmer foundation to the screw

[@fredMplanenut]

Great, well presented video which I know is not new, but for a lot of viewers, is. When it comes to marking the back board, mark above the shelf to be fixed so that mark, if it shows, will be behind the loaded items.

[@GWL420]

It makes sense with flat pack furniture that they would orient the face side of the boards towards the cardboard because they would be least likely to get friction damage from rubbing against other parts during shipping. The hint of using a chisel is great.

[@holton345]

I purchased my three Billy bookcases (with the beautiful glass doors) in 1999, and I have moved six times since then, disassembling them each time. The only thing I have had to do was relocate the tacks in the backer board to new holes so they could bight into fresh chipboard each time. They look brand new, have very little visible sag, and suffer from no leaning at all… and are 23 years old! I love IKEA! I have plans to rebuild them this next year, replacing the cheap backer board with actual wood, and dividing the shelves along the centerline as you did. I think they will last me until I die. Good video. I will look at some of your ideas when I undertake this project.

[@aphexHQ]

The content we didn't know we needed! This is DIY on a whole other level

[@Roaming50]

I have some some Billy Bookcases that were bought in 1995. They were moved from the UK to the US in 2000 and since then have been moved through five more moves and three states. Still going strong and have not sagged!

[@missusclarke007]

My trick to keep it sturdy without glueing is to fix an Observator cross brace to the back. Works like a charm. All the other tips are sound too 👍

[@ivancho5854]

Excellent tip. Thank you. 👍

[@andreasbentz6106]

Hi! Very good video indeed! Your method of glueing in the backboard and additional strengthening works absolutely wonders, as long as You do not need to take the cabinet apart - as you mentioned. But I strongly disagree at one point: If you do it right, also IKEA Cabinets survive being taken apart a couple of times. I have put together so many Billy's and other IKEA Cabinets over the years, that I can probably do it blindfolded. And I moved them successfully. Here are my additional tricks: I absolutely agree that the backpanel is key for the stability of the cabinet. Instead of glue or the nails, that IKEA provides, I use screws. The German company Spax makes 2x25mm as their smalest size, but if you can't get those, 2,5x25mm are more common and will also do the trick. I do not pre-drill, I punch a hole with an awl (a vintage shoemaker tool that I misuse by putting a hardened steel nail in). This way, I compress the material of the particle board and do not remove material from it. For the currently available cabinets (especially the huge PAX cabinets) I recommend to replace the flimsy backpanel with a thicker one, that is not weakened by the folding lines. I've seen so many cabinets, that had backpanels split at the folding lines after some years. IKEA uses 2,5mm while the panels from the hardware store have 3,2mm (at least here in Germany). I have an additional hack to strengthen the structure: at 03:25 before You screw in the pins, just add a drop of wood glue into the hole. The pin will press the glue into the airspaces of the particle board, creating sort of a threaded insert within the board. This is especially helpful with the low compressed boards IKEA uses today in order to save weight. If you wonder, how I can take it apart with that glue - the thin oil-film on the pins (from production) is usually enough to keep the glue from sticking too tightly to the pin. So you can take the cabinet completely apart when you move. My 30 year old Faktum Kitchen moved three times with me this way. If you cannot transport the cabinet in one piece, I always recommend to strip it down completely. I have seen too many boards that got scatched by the hinges or with pins and dowels that were broken out of the board. With the decline of quality, I experienced over the years with IKEA, I am very happy, that I have kept the good old pieces. If I need something additional, I rather try to get a second-hand old Billy than a new one from the store. IKEA somehow lost me on the way to maximize profit. Recently I found old manuals from my kitchen that made me smile: in 1990 they gave for Faktum a functional warranty of 25 years! I cannot imagine, that they would dare to do the same for the Method kitchen of today. Greetings from Germany! Andreas

[@keithwebb658]

One thing you forgot to mention was to ensure that the little arrow on the cam points in the right direction. Easy to forget and can cause issues when assembling large pieces. Also I use a dish or Tupper ware container for all the little fixings, you can be sure that you will nudge the cardboard box during assembly sending bits everywhere.

[@kevinrichards6506]

Great video, thanks. I've used a couple of 2nd hand Billy bookcases to build some custom shelving under a sloping roof for my office. The backing boards, as usual, had not withstood the test of time (& dismantling) but the rest was sound. With some careful planning and, in places, double thickness I've been able to hide all the shelf support holes too - just a handful of screw caps visible 👍 But there was awful lot of extra dowels and additional gluing involved 👍

[@derekr1113]

We had a library room of these Billy bookcases with glass doors. The cut out for the skirting and fixing to the rear wall were essential.

[@haakmaaraan6075]

I used to have the older billy bookcases, 90cm wide, three of them against a wall, completely filled with books. The shelfs never sagged. Now, many years later, I have bookcases from another store, sort of billy look-a-likes, 80cm wide and all the shelfs have sagged in no-time… Thanks for sharing these great tips! When I go back to billies, I will follow your instructions!

[@MidnightVisions]

Glueing isn't necessary, it's quite messy and will run, but doubling the amount of tac nails is better. Also the adjustable shelves have very weak plastic inserts that will stretch and fail under a heavy load. Replacing them with all metal fittings is best. My local hardware store carried these for a dollar. You can't go wrong.

[@abbylynn8872]

My Billy bookcases are 20+ years old. I have 12 lined around my apartment with the ceiling toppers. Some have extra shelves, some have wooden doors and some glass doors and shelves. I have the old oak looking ones. I have some 30year old Abodio cabinet cases in redwood. I do something a little different for the backboard. I use wood glue or mod podge and decoupage the back with newspaper, wrapping paper, or brown craft paper. Let it thoroughly dry to one solid piece.

[@dorothyyoung8231]

You’re like me. I always pour all the small parts into a bowl (or, like you did, the small piece of cupped cardboard) to keep them together. It drives me bananas when folks pour them out onto the floor and they go everywhere!

[@MarkHarmer]

Egg cartons are good for keeping different parts separated and safely contained

[@markdyballuk]

excellent work Stuart and nice to see you use the lidl gauge as well!

[@malcolmwallace33]

Another good tip is to use small screws, instead of the nails, easier to take out if you want to dissmantle the case when you move.

[@malcolmwallace33]

@@Macron87 when its screwed, you don't need any glue

[@hoomee119]

I use staples after gluing, I must have a builders bucket of nails from flat pack furniture I haven't used.

[@rupertmiller4718]

Imhave 4 billy bookcases in the house, none glued, but all with the backing hardboard anchored firmly in place, I don't remeber when buying them but more than 20 years ago as they have been in at least 3 houses, so probably in the 90s. probably Ikea's best furniture product and if assembled properly will last a very long time. Kallax, Ivar, kitchens and beds also last a long time.

[@heleneculioli-atwood6997]

No glue. We bought our shelves in 89 in Holland, took them apart and moved to Switzerland where they put together. 22 years later, we took them apart to move them again and put together again. They are still good. Great product.

[@darkangelkate3950]

Thank you, thank you. I just had a Billy fall apart due to overloading and too many moves. When I acquire my new one I shall definitely follow your sage advice and strengthen the poor thing.❤

[@xorsyst1]

Another option for shelf stiffening is to glue a length of aluminium angle (say 16mmx16mm) along the back edge of each shelf. This helps enormously and is pretty subtle to look at against a white shelf.

[@MattOGormanSmith]

or....screw something like a 25x25mm angle to the front of the shelves, and stuff an LED strip into the gap, so you get invisible (if you can hide the wiring) shelf lighting.

[@craftypam9992]

I used board inserts as he described, but instead of trying to match the white, I matched my room decor (red, as it happens!), and made a feature of them. As well as putting them in the middle of the shelves, I added extras to make the effect of cubbies, rather than shelves. It also helps me to be tidier......

[@Orange-Jumpsuit-Time]

@@MattOGormanSmith To get some good ideas, check out how they are lighting display cases.

[@brandonhoffman4712]

Yep. Re engineer the inferior engineering. While doing so. Consider re engineering your next future ikea purchase. Or maybe stop shopping the bottom of the pond. A woodworker.

[@mrdennischapman]

Interesting video. I have been in woodworking for over 50+ years and another thing that you could have done to help strengthen the shelves would be to put some screws into the shelves from the back and thru the backing--that is what I did. Another thing I did was to go to the library where they were giving away hardbound books and got 3 books, each were the height of one of the shelves. That served as a middle support, much like you proposed with the piece of wood, but this way it is a more hidden means of support . Each shelve rested on the top of one of the free library books.

[@valkyriesardo278]

Good point. When you cannot get an exact match, go for contrast. A book cover wrapped around the laminate would resemble a book. The center brace doesn't have to be a matching section of laminate, but anything rigid that fits the height of the shelf.

[@geewiz8253]

I like this guy. Great sense of humor too. 😆

[@thomasscharnhorst2381]

I need to reinstall two Ikea Pax cabinets. They already went through three moves and are quite wobbly. So the tips to strengthen cabinets will work well for them. Thanks!

[@Bettys_Eldest]

I use the area where they sell damaged goods as a source of sheet materials. They usually have a stack of damaged or odd panels for a few pence. I've made loads of stuff for my home and garage out of bits I have bought there.

[@AccountantDoesDIY]

Likewise for me but with the B&Q charity bin. Amazing finds in there over the years

[@elisabetk2595]

Ours always shrink-wraps a whole cartful so there's no way to just get a few boards. Way more than I'd be able to use or store, and that's assuming I could even load it into my car. Not to mention it's like $50 which I'm sure is a deal for some people, but not for someone wanting just a few odd pieces.

[@Bettys_Eldest]

@@elisabetk2595 I've not been in store since before COVID, so it could be the same for me. In the past I bought single shelves for 20p, and side panels for 50p or £1.

[@tablameister]

Last year, after moving to a new house, I assembled 3 of the Billy bookcases. I used wood glue everywhere to provide additional rigidity. I am fairly efficient at assembling Ikea products, having assembled many of their products over many years so I could have one fully assembled before the glue finished drying.

[@michaelcoll433]

Well done. I've tried all three suggestions you've made in regards to preventing shelf sag and found them all lacking and honestly not worth it. I've learned to accept that they will sag, but not the sag. I merely flip the shelves twice a year and use the tendency to sag to straighten the sag.

[@justmejo9008]

That is a great tip. I am a flipper.. mattresses, couch cushions and now will take shelf flipping into my tool kit 🤗

[@SS-wi4tm]

You can't flip Billys because they have a peg hole only on one side

[@justmejo9008]

@@SS-wi4tm oh darn .. thanks

[@michaelcoll433]

@@SS-wi4tm I swapped out those things for straight pegs as soon as I could.

[@michaelcoll433]

@@justmejo9008 you can swap them out for straight pegs I made from common nails.

[@ehntals1394]

I always use my drill, but I make keen use of the torque clutch settings. I start low, I think the sweet spot for most flat-pack furniture usually ends up around 7-10 on the dial. Just enough to get it flush but the clutch will engage as soon as it's set.

[@lisanetgark415]

One design tip: add wallpaper or paint or contact paper to the back board prior to securing it to the bookcase if you wish to have a custom look or to camouflage the creases while it was folded for packing.

[@ivancho5854]

Neat idea. Thanks. 👍

[@dandmpug]

Thanks so much for sharing your expertise! This is going to help me a lot when I assemble the bookcases I'm getting ready to buy at IKEA! So appreciate this.

[@tassie7325]

A fourth option is one that you kind of covered. Use a horizontal stiffener beneath the shelf, but rather than putting it at the front of the shelf, put it at the back. Not only does this eliminate the problems associated with matching the existing material, it also means that the shelves remain adjustable.

[@Orange-Jumpsuit-Time]

He was on the right track, instead of using a wood screw anchored into the adjustable shelf like he did, just drill a thru hole in that vertical strip of wood in the back, now inside the bookcase just install another one of those shelf pins into your newly drilled hole. Home Depot sells an 8-pack of shelf support pins for under three dollars.

[@tassie7325]

@@Orange-Jumpsuit-Time Another great option 👍

[@magnusE7]

@@Orange-Jumpsuit-Time You can get those shelf pins for free or not much money at ikea.

[@karlineschrubberstiel]

We bought our first Billy bookcases in 1974! I have used them ever since. Some moved with me from the UK to France to the US.