We got creative and created our own ikea billy bookcase hack for a fantastic solution. Its popularity and global spread has led to its use as a barometer of relative worldwide price levels. Remove the adjustable shelves and the back, if possible 2. Using an ikea billy hack is a great way to create a stunning bookcase. Information contained on these pages is offered as a compilation of individuals experiences with ikea products. Place the flimsy backing piece back on your bookcase as directed, but use more nails hammered more closely together. Ikea sells a ton of options when it comes to the billy system and its easier to navigate those options in the store than online. I have tried to replace through ikea but my size is no longer available. Oct 11, 2018 this whole project started way back in 2012 when i decided i wanted a wall of built in bookcases in our living room to add style and storage. If you rip the shelf to make it narrower, make sure the offcut is from the back of the shelf so you can preserve the veneered edge. Begin by assembling the bookcase using the directions included in the box.
How to stabilize a bookshelf without backing the home depot. Grab a sandwich bag or sometho g to keep those small parts in. The new trim was cut to fit around the existing trim so that if the homeowner wanted to remove the bookcase it could be converted back to its original condition. She gave some more details about the project, and i knew i was sold. How i created my ikea billy bookcase shelving hack melanie.
Replacement of cardboard back on bookcase hometalk. I am looking at a different ikea bookcase because billy. Without further ado, heres how to make a walltowall bookcase with our ikea billy bookcase. To get over this i removed part of the skirting against the wall where the bookcase would meet, and cut out a bit of the back end of the billy with a saw so the bookcase sat flush. Apr 28, 2017 am i right so whats an ikea lover to do. The nice thing about the billy bookcase is that it already has a notch in the back to allow for the backside of the bookcase to sit flush against the wall without removing the back baseboard see photo above. Lower the bookcase onto its face so that the back is facing up. How to replace a billy bookcase back remove everything from inside of the bookcase.
You could add crown molding at the top and base molding where the billy bookcase sits on top of the dresser for an even more custom look. If you want to see how we added that awesome pallet wood to the back of the bookcases instead of the sad backer board that the billy bookcases come with, check back for that tutorial very soon. Every model in the billy series also features adjustable shelves so you can fit anything from books to trophies, and everything in between. A new billy and new doors are scheduled to be in the uk in august 2014 but the new doors will not fit on old billy shelves. The ikea billy bookcase is 40 years old and there are so many great hacks out there that celebrate this birthday. Remove the flimsy cardboard from the back of a cheap bookcase. I once took the backboard off my digital piano and it became super wobbly, so dont want the same thing to happen. That was a tough extra cost to pay but these billy bookcases are dang heavy. Whether that means diying together the single and double cases. These white shelves will enhance any room and highlight your favorite home decor elements, by organizing them giving you a styled bookcase.
This is part 2 and today im sharing with you everything you need to get that builtin look with these prefab bookcases. Billy bookcases are built with a stackable design that allows you to attach new units whenever you need additional storage, just decide on what height suits your space best. We also replaced the height extension backs, as they were made from a more flimsy cardboard, and attached the extensions to the bookcases. His initial sketches for the bookcase were done on the back of a napkin. The best way to fill billy bookcase holes lovely etc. Office makeover part 2 building in billy ikea hack. Billy is manufactured for ikea by gyllensvaans mobler at their factory in kattilstorp, sweden. But every once in a while, you just need a change, right. Remove the bookcases removable shelves and set them aside. How to get a builtin library look with this ikea hack billy bookcase office makeover.
It was perfect for their nursery and here it is nearly 7 years later and we are still loving our ikea billy bookcase hack. Feb 15, 2016 billy bookcase from ikea emoji pillows from need video ideas. It was developed in 1979 by the swedish designer gillis lundgren and ikea have sold over 60 million units of the bookcases worldwide. When moving the cardboard back was totally destroyed on my 20 year old ikea billy bookcase. Can you believe this is a billy bookcase ikea hack. There are times that delivery is worth splurging for.
Can billy bookcases be assembled without the backboard. Plus, not to mention that fact that 3x billy bookcases takes me to width240cm. The trick is to make sure that when you remove it from the bathtub that you hold it up for a bit to let the excess water drip off because the wetter the paper the more it warps the cardboard of the bookcase backing. The first thing we did, after getting our bookcases put in place, was attach them to wall behind them using lbrackets. We have brought together the best ikea billy hacks in one place to inspire you to create something amazing. Just discovered today that billy s doors are all discontinued in the uk. We wanted 10 white, glass olsbos but not available.
This simple ikea hack upgrades your billy bookcase cheaply and easily by hiding the holes for the adjustable shelves. This is such an easy way to turn inexpensive billy bookcases from ikea into an entertainment center with a custom, builtin look. Are there lowend bookcases without the cardboardlike back. Place a throw rug or tarp down if youre working in a room with a hard floor. Removing the back panel left a dark crevice in the back of the bookcase that we could definitely do without. Huge builtin bookcases are incredibly expensive, so i decided to save money by using ikea billy bookcases and just adding molding to make them look built in. Do not pry from the back of the bookcase as it will break, as you have. Before you start nailing, get your billy nice and square, and be sure you have plenty of appropriately sized nails along the top, into the middle permanent shelf, and along the bottom. When i placed one of the bookcase structures against my wall i could see that the base skirting on my wall was too high and the bookcase did not sit flush against it.
They are 20 years old a true testament that they are indeed a classic ikea item that you can use by itself or in many. Next get a decent sized book you will use it to tap along the inside back so the nails come out of the back panel. Use a hardback book and run it all g the entire frame of the bookcase from the inside. After we had everything in place, we added the baseboards back in and tied them into our existing baseboards which you will notice in the reveal. How to build easy built ins from ikea bookcases lovely etc. The instructions said that you soak the wallpaper for 30 seconds, remove it for 5 minutes and then apply. Aug 19, 2011 to correct and strengthen your billy, all you need is a few more nails consider using double the nails as suggested in the original instructions and some wood glue.
And can you believe how well this furniture is holding up after 7 years of constant use. How to make ikea billy bookcase builtins place of my. Jul 23, 20 we used 4 billy bookcases with the height extenders and left off the backs and 1 narrower billy bookcase with height extender in the middle. Its the booklover choice that never goes out of style. The scraphacker had four billy bookcases left over from his poor student days, but they were not a good fit for his grownup apartment. You could also try a kitchen knife slide it with the blade parallel to the back, behind the shelf and twisted gently. Jul 10, 2017 chatelaine home editor alexandra gater transforms her drab, tired ikea billy bookcases into a stylish bedroom focal point using removable wallpaper, fun baskets and cute accessories all on a. How i created my ikea billy bookcase shelving hack. I had seen many an ikea billy bookcase hack out in the blogosphere, so i knew how good those composite and laminate shelves could look after a little dressing up. This site is intended as a source of information for those interested in ikea products and is not affiliated with ikea in any way.
For a new billy, measure the inside of the top, back and sides where theres a groove, measure to that point only. Im considering taking the backboard off the billy so it looks like the kallax as the kallax is a bit too high would the billy still be functional without the backboard. We then placed the bookcases on the base and decided on spacing. If updating an assembled billy, remove the shelves and pegs and measure the inside. Remove all contents from the bookcase except the shelves. How to make over and style an ikea billy bookcase using fabric and cardboard. Then, working from the front of the bookcase try and carefully prise the back from the back of each shelf using one of the methods mentioned above. The easiest way to hide the holes in your billy bookcase. And we didnt think we could fit 3 billy s plus 6 doors in our rav4. I want to buy a billy bookcase but i only have 28 of space w, and the two options for billy bookcases are 15 wide and the 31. In fact, years ago i tried painting a billy bookcase only to see the paint on it bead right up.
Jan 25, 2015 are there lowend bookcases without the cardboardlike back. Is there an easy way to dismantle a billy bookshelf. They are 20 years old a true testament that they are indeed a classic ikea item that you can use by itself or in many combinations. After all, painting laminate furniture can be really tricky.
And all the holes for moving the shelves around didnt exactly look high end either. Aug 04, 2015 we went with 3 ikea billy bookcases and used moulding to make them look like one, cohesive piece. This whole project started way back in 2012 when i decided i wanted a wall of built in bookcases in our living room to add style and storage. Where i had cut out the back of the billy to sit against the skirting, i added in a piece of wood in an upright position to hide the cut marks and disguise the extension bar. I had long admired the many amazing ikea billy bookcase hacks that are.
How upscale does this ikea billy bookcase hack look. Even shows how to give the bookshelves crown moulding and baseboards. We didnt remove the baseboards in the other parts of the room. We secured the base to the the studs in the wall but not to the floor in case someone ever wants to remove the bookcases. Is there a cost effective way to replace with something. Apr 12, 2012 how to make over and style an ikea billy bookcase using fabric and cardboard.
Before screwing the bookcases to the wall i had threaded through an electrical extension bar so that the lights could be plugged in around the back of the bookcase. The billy was made to be versatile, so use this to your advantage by creating a bookcase that suits your needs and style perfectly. Measure the height, width and thickness of the backing. Using beadboard wallpaper on ikea billy bookcases overthrow. This is one of the easiest way to give simple ikea billy bookcases and other flatpack bookcases and cabinets a major update. This project required a little more time and planning than what i thought it would take. Enhance your farmhouse office with our easy to do diy book shelf, using the ikea billy book shelf hack. Perfect for an office, library, study, living room, or kids room. Builtin billy bookcases are certainly not a new concept, but i never felt like the directions were close enough to what i needed. Still wanting the builtins of my dreams, but not the steep price tag, i went to research other options. Slide the backing out of the grooves that run along the length of the bookcase. In this situation i had it at my old vintage house you can either snug them up against the baseboard which will leave a gap between the wall and the back of the cabinet box.
If you attach both of them together it will make them more stable but it would be better if you either used the lbrackets like you mentioned in all 4 corners or you could use 18 plywood and just nail it in the bottom 1 or 2 openings. The problem i have is i need at least 3x billy bookcases w80cmd28h202 and if i put another extension billy shelf ontop of the bookcase itself then the height goes to 237cm. A couple of weeks ago i posted the reveal of our billy ikea hack office makeover reveal and prior to that i posted part 1 getting a builtin library home office look using the billy bookcase. Choose from a range of sizes and colours, including bold red and blues to classic white, black and natural wood. Ikea billy could be a transparent bookcase that showcases the beautiful color of a wall behind it. When it comes to hacking beautiful storage, no other ikea product works a room like the billy bookcase. For all covered claims, we will provide stain removal or repair of the covered item. If we are unable to remove the stain or repair your furniture, you will be offered a replacement item, amazon gift card, or cash to settle your claim.
But recently, i figured out the trick to painting ikea furniture that makes it totally doable. Jul 17, 2017 billy shelves have a veneered edge on the front, but not on the sides or back. While i loved the 15 depth of ikeas newer bookcase, i knew i wanted. If you dont have one, wrap the face of a regular hammer with a piece of cloth to soften its blows. Noz design adding lights to bookcases is always a practical decision.
I have not one, but two ikea billy bookcases that need to be transformed so they coordinate with the new color scheme i am doing my studioffice in. How to replace a billy bookcase back home guides sf gate. Plus, itll create a great room divider and look great plush against the back of a sofa. So we broke out some white caulk and filled them in.
I have all the equipment necessary for cutting so i was going to cut the shelves down to 28. I removed the backing from several tall bookcases, partly because i wanted to see the colored wall behind them, and partly because they were torndamaged when i moved. We used 4 billy bookcases with the height extenders and left off the backs and 1 narrower billy bookcase with height extender in the middle. Billy stylised as billy is a bookcase sold by the swedish furniture company ikea. I am building 7 tall narrow billy bookcases to cover a wall. Diy builtin shelves using ikea billy bookcase hack.
How to stabilize a bookshelf without backing hello. Feb 16, 2018 when moving the cardboard back was totally destroyed on my 20 year old ikea billy bookcase. Ikea billy bookcase hacks billy bookcase uk cosmopolitan. The easiest way to hide the holes in your billy bookcase mid. The bookcase was designed in 1979 by gillis lundgren, ikeas fourth employee. Pull out the 18 nails holding the back in place with a claw hammer.
Ikea billy bookcase hack with shiplap angela marie made. Billy shelves have a veneered edge on the front, but not on the sides or back. It is estimated that every five seconds, one billy bookcase is sold somewhere in the world. So, we recently revamped our ikea billy bookcase hack and now we love it even. This diy builtin billy bookcase project gave me an affordable way to create a customcabinetry feel for our home library. How to make ikea billy bookcase builtinsthats what i am going to share with you all today phew. Jul 26, 2012 i then sanded and primed it, and it slid into the bookcase grooves perfectly, and looks much better. Hes coming back to do moulding on the top andown ends. From my experience, the best way to remove the backing board is to use a mallet. Chatelaine home editor alexandra gater transforms her drab, tired ikea billy bookcases into a stylish bedroom focal point using removable wallpaper, fun baskets and cute accessories all on a. Assemble billy bookcase using the included ikea directions. We wanted to remove the baseboard on the the wall the bookcase was going for two reasons. Using an ikea billy hack is a great way to create a stunning bookcase on a budget.
With tips for removing the backing and hiding the groove or channel at the back of the shelves. For the bookcase to sit flush i hd to remove some skirting and cut extra mdf. Then we just slid the bookcase back into place in front of the painted portion of the wall. If you want something similar that holds up without a backboard can i suggest an erik. If you prefer, you can purchase edge beading and apply it to all the edges after youre finished cutting. Youll also need a piece of cardboard to protect the billy backing board against hammer marks. Office makeover part 1 building in billy ikea hack. Remove the baseboard as needed to allow for the ikea billy bookcase to sit flush against the wall. I agree that bookcases do look better if you can see the color of the wall throught them. If somebody was determined theyd get in, but just for random passing nosiness theyd be fine. Filling in all of those shelf pin holes is an easy, inexpensive upgrade that makes a surprising difference if the look of the entire piece. The billy bookcase is one of those ikea products that you buy for your dorm room and hold onto for years after graduation. But, do not add the cardboard backing that comes with the bookcase and dont add the shelves yet either. How to make a diy walltowall bookcase an ikea billy.
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