Ikea Billy Bookcase Built-In Hack

Planning.

The finishing touches have just been added to our custom shelving unit and it’s been styled to within an inch of it’s life. Fancying seeing how you can pimp up a cheapo set of bookshelves, into a thing of style and substance? Then prepare yourself for the Billy Bookcase Built-In Bonanza!

Billy Bookcase Plan

If you haven’t already read about my plans for the living room, then you can catch up (here).

My initial plan was to create a sleek ‘high gloss’ wall hung storage/display unit, which would provide a contrast with the traditional woodwork within the rest of the room. By keeping the unit off the floor, we wouldn’t lose any visible floor space, creating the illusion of space.

I sketched up a few plans as a rough guideline to follow, then measured and ordered up the main bits that I would need in order to get started. The main body is made up of: 2 x 80x40x202 Billy Bookcases, 2 x 40x40x202 Billy Bookcases and 4 x 600mm wide kitchen bridging units (ours were from B&Q).

Building Billy Bookcase

As this beast was going to be wall-hung, it needed to be secure. Fixing into the wall studs would be essential in order to provide sufficient support for the weight of books/ornaments/crap, it would be carrying. For added strength and security, I decided to go a step further and screw in a further two support beams into the wall. I ain’t no risk-taker!

Billy Bookcase Hack. The beginning

You can see (behind the mess) in this photo, the big hole in the wall with the added support beam in place. The wood I used was 2″x 1″ unfinished timber. Onto this, I then hung four 600mm kitchen bridging carcasses (from the B&Q take home range), to form the base of my unit.

Billy bookcase hack. the beginning

I added a sheet of ply on top of the four units, to provide a top on to which I could ‘clad’ my top surface. Each Billy bookcase would rest on top of this, as well as being screwed into the support beam, further up the wall. Levels were constantly checked throughout so that it didn’t end up wonky.

Billy bookcase hack. The beginning

When all four bookcases were in and secured to the wall, they were then screwed to each other.

Billy bookcase hack original

Instead of using the bookcases as they should be, I removed the top and flipped them round so that the plinth became the top. This was so that it still retained the strength, from the support provided by the plinth. It also meant that it had an area to attach a cornice to.

And so, the poor Billy bookcase hack, lay dormant for quite a while. He got his high doors and a temporary cornice (the pins were never hammered right in!) and a quick liven-up with some painted grey back panels.

Billy bookcase hack original

He looked good, just a bit unfinished.

Fast Forward; Billy Bookcase 2017

Times had changed. High gloss Billy Bookcase was no longer desirable and a new look was imminent. Having lived with the white behemoth for a wee while, I decided that as much as I wanted a feature, I didn’t want the shelving itself to stand out. I also wanted something a bit more traditional and in keeping with the more formal style of the room.

Billy bookcase hack progress

Billy bookcase hack progress

Billy bookcase hack progress

Various mouldings and trims were added to cover up joints (all glued and pinned in place) and to bulk out panels, giving the impression of a substantial piece of fitted furniture, rather than a cobbled together DIY.

The original gloss doors were sanded down and a flat trim added to create a simple panel. Beading was then attached with glue and panel pins to keep with the more traditional style of the bay window panels. The assembled units and doors were then each given two coats of Zinsser primer. I’ve found this gives the best adhesion for difficult surfaces such as laminates.

Two topcoats of eggshell, in the same colour as the walls, gave the unit it’s final finish.

So far it has all held up well.

Billy bookcase hack progress

The finished Billy Bookcase Hack.

Finished Billy bookcase hack

Smart new handles (cup handles, found on eBay) and some display lighting completes the finished makeover (ours is IKEA, although no longer available. The URSHULT is similar though) . I have to say, painting EVERYTHING out in the grey really makes a difference in both the size and atmosphere of the room. The shelving really drew your eye before, but for completely the wrong reasons. Now, they blend in well with the rest of the room, allowing our objects and artwork to stand out.

Hurrah for IKEA and DIY cheapness!

75 thoughts on “Ikea Billy Bookcase Built-In Hack”

  1. You are awesome! Bravo it looks so good! I was wondering how you did the drawer fronts on the bottom of the shelf. Do those fronts already come with unit and you added the trim or did you build the fronts from scratch?

  2. Hello
    your work is incredible … this library is superb ..
    I souhiate do exactly the same in my stone house.
    Could you describe to me precisely the furniture used? especially the one who is suspended? I can’t find it on ikea!
    On the other hand, could you tell me where your drawers come from?
    Finally could you describe to me precisely the paint used?
    I come from France!
    Thank you for you precious help.

    1. Hello!

      Thank you so much for your message. The bookcases are the Billy bookcase. These should be widely available in all IKEA stores worldwide. The storage underneath was bought from B&Q which is a UK DIY store- 600mm wide kitchen bridging units. I made the drawer fronts by adding moulding to the flat front door units. The paint is Zinsser primer with Whistling Whipoorwill Eggshell paint by Valspar.

      1. Hi Malcolm love your Ikea hack, especially the paint colour. I am currently working on my own hack and noticed that the Whistling Whipoorwill Eggshell paint by Valspar is no longer available. Do you have any reference for this paint colour. Thanks Stuart

        1. Hi Stuart. Apologies for the delay in my reply, I’ve been unable to access comments for months now. Somehow, I am now able to! That’s such a shame that it is no longer available. I don’t have any reference other than the name.

  3. Hi I know this is an old post but hopefully you might have time to respond. What depth of billy bookcase did you use please? Was it the 28 or 40? I’m about to embark on your amazing ikea hack in our lounge and can’t wait to have somewhere to store all my books. If it looks half as good as yours I will be very happy! Hope the extension is going to plan. Thanks Jenny.

  4. Hello,

    I have just seen this brilliant idea and trying to recreate it at my house (although I am not very good at DIY!).
    Where did you get your cornices from?
    How did you attach the wood that covered the joints?
    Would really appreciate your advice.
    Kind regards,
    Laura.

  5. Hi Malcom! Thanks a million for this post it is really inspiring. I’ve decided to replicate it in my living room in a 4 mt wall. Still, I’m concerned about how to hang (safely) both the bookshelf and the cabinets altogether. Aren’t they a bit heavy to be placed on top of the floating cabinets (plus the wooden top)? I went thru all the q&a and I read that you used battles. So you fixed them to the wall and then the shelf to the battle? Sorry, if this sounds a too obvious but I can’t make up my mind for this. Here my wall is made out of thin bricks. And I’m not sure what kind of accessories I need to look for.
    Thanks a million and regards from Barcelona!

  6. Love your design on this! I’m building my own plans based off of your work and instructions from another blog (https://abeautifulmess.com/2018/06/built-in-ikea-billy-bookcase-hack.html).

    She painted all of the components separately and then tried to fit the shelves into place. She mentioned that her shelves were very tight and she scratched off a lot of paint trying to jam these in. She suggested filling all of the holes and painting the shelves into place.

    You mentioned not wanting to fill the holes so that you could add, but I was curious if the ones you have in place are movable or if they are permenantly in place as well.

    Thank you for sharing your design and insight!

  7. Hi Malcom,

    Wow! Your creativity is inspiring! Floating modern wall design works beautifully with the traditional elements of the room I hear a lot about the backs being replaced with heavier material. Did you replace the backs or use the tri-fold ones that came with the Billy bookcases. Thank you!

  8. Hello Malcolm,
    Loved this Ikea hack and it suits our Victorian cottage perfectly; you are so inspirational…..now then….we have an Italian house that is medieval outside but has had int inners removed. therefore, its all white, and we’ve gone with a 70’s vibe – Danish sideboard, Davide Groppi floor lamp (bought for 15 euros, she says smugly) and Italian grey sofa. Accent colours are turquoise as I have some lovely Whitefriars glass so that is picked up in some mohair throws and velvet cushions. Sorry, must get to the point. We were going to paint said unit in Annie Sloan Turquoise but now feel this will be too dominant and as you pointed out, matching the unit to the walls belnds everything in to perfection. Billy comes in white but it has a shine so do you think we should paint it white to a matt finish as it would give it a more bespoke look? Keep up the cleverness

    1. Hello Paola,
      Your house sounds gorgeous! I love hearing of a bargain too (although I am a little jealous!). I would be tempted to blend the unit to the walls, to keep your beautiful furniture the focus. Zinsser primer is brilliant!! You don’t even have to sand beforehand. It’ll save you so much time.

      1. Thanks for your suggestion Malcolm; we were wondering about a black skeletal frame unit but I think something that blends in will be better.
        Keep up the good work…..

  9. Malcolm, I am totally trying to do your hack right now. My issue is I couldn’t do the floating cabinets (because I’m renting) so I’m trying to figure out how/where to do that one shelf that you did the extra piece of wood on. I think it makes it look custom. I’m heading to Home Base now to ge the primer and paint. My question is: did you fill in all the holes for the shelves? If so, how did you do it? So many thanks!

    1. Hi Jeanne, many apologies for the delay in reply, I hadn’t received a notification of your message. I didn’t actually fill the holes as I wanted to be able to add more shelves, if I fancied it.

  10. Great hack. I’m starting one myself and will use an ikea Bobyn door but will need to paint, would the halfords etch primer still be ok to start with? Did you use spray paint for your other coats and can you recommend a brand?

    Many thanks in advance

    1. Hi Charlie,

      If I was to do it again I would use brush-on for cost. The spray etch would work but it’s a bit more costly. I have since used Zinsser primer and it is amazing. No sanding required and provides a really strong key.

      Hope this helps,
      Malcolm

      1. Hi Malcolm, thanks for the feedback, will take a look at the Zinsser.
        I have one more question if you do not mind, I will need to fill the holes left for shelf’s that I will not use, which filler works best for this? The units are white melamine so unsure if this complicates things.
        many thanks again and looking forward to seeing more of your handy work online.
        Kr

  11. Hi there, where did you get your four base units from as I can’t find them in the IKEA brochure?

    1. Hi David, these are standard kitchen bridging units, bought from B&Q. Ikea has the Metod range which has similar units in 60cm or 80cm widths. I used 4 B&Q units at 60cm each. The wider billy is 80cm. Hope this helps.

      1. Hi Malcolm,

        Thanks for the info but what height are they? They look like 20cms. The IKEA ones are all 40cms which is too high for us.

  12. Hi Malcolm,

    I stumbled across your blog after doing some ‘Ikea nockeby’ searches on Pinterest, then found a pin with this gorgeous shelving unit on it and didn’t realise it was all in the same room!!!
    I’ve been reading through and have felt so inspired to paint living room! I’ve been looking at swatches from Valspar and LOVE darker colours but we have a very small east facing lounge and I’m terrified of painting every wall that dark but then I change my mind completely when I see a blog like yours!
    Great colours and love the Ikea billy hack – best one I’ve seen yet!

    1. Thank you so much! I totally recommend going darker, but would advise against a ‘strong’ dark. I like chalkier shades so that it looks softer. Sometimes strong shades can feel overpowering.

  13. It looks gorgeous – love it! Felt so inspired I started preparing to do a similar version but standing on the floor instead of being wall hung. Am however struggling to find cabinets with a good depth compared to Billy. The ones I have found so far have been 38 cm or deeper which is 10 cm deeper than Billy :-/ How deep are the cabinets you used? The exact same as Billy, and if not, how much deeper? Thank you in advance! And again, love your work!

    1. Hi there, thank you so much! Delighted that you’re trying one out as well. My base units are about 10cm deeper too. I placed wood inbetween to form a worktop. I wanted it to be that bit deeper to comfortably hold lamps and deeper items. Hope this helps.

  14. Found you thru a link on Comfort Slipcovers’ article on IKEA hacks. Love what you did with the final up-grade of the Billy bookcases, they look great painted to match the room and really showcase the items in them. Only change – I am not a fan of floating bookcase, vanities, cabinets, etc, so I would have continued then to the floor onto a heavier base similar to the crown on top. Could still use the covered cabinets with the drop down doors. To me, floating storage/display works in a very modern setting, but in your more traditional room with it’s lovely moldings, I would prefer a unit that went to the floor. Again, personal preference, not knocking the lovely job you did changing a rather pedestrian bookcase to a true feature. You are doing some great design in your new home and I look forward to seeing more. By the way, I live in the US, in Arkansas and my great-grandmother (on my mother’s side) came here from Scotland.

  15. Very impressed with your work!
    I am part way through my own very large (6 metre!) Billy hack and need to prime it prior to painting, which primer did you use?
    Thank you

  16. Very impressed with your work!
    I am part way through my own very large (6 metre!) Billy hack and need to prime it prior to painting, which primer did you use?
    Thank you

    1. Hello Phil, Many apologies, I’ve just noticed your comment. That sounds like a huge hack! I used Zinsser primer. No need for sanding, it keys and adheres extremely well.

  17. Hi, so nice! Could you rely with a picture of how it looks from the side? I wounder how you solved the side panels when the shelf going out a little bit further in the lowest part? Thanks!

  18. This is beautiful!! Did you use the back board that comes with the Billy units? Or did you mount the upside down Billy to the wall without the back board?

  19. I’m really looking forward to your full kitchen hack. I’m a bit of a blog newbie but I’ll follow you for that! Good work with the billys!!

  20. What a fab idea. I’m inspired to tackle my billy bookcases! Though it’ll be a much smaller project. Can I ask what type of paint you used?

    1. Hi Claire, sorry for the delayed response, it’s been a hectic few weeks! I used Valspar eggshell finish for the top coat, but I would recommend a few coats of a good primer to start.

  21. It looks absolutely great! Giving the fact that it looks so great that I’m planning to copy it (sorry!), could you please give me more detailed information on how you secured the bookcases to the wall? Thanks!

    1. Hi Giulia,
      That’s great! I’m all for folk taking inspiration! The units were screwed on to 2″x1″ battens, which were screwed directly into the wooden wall uprights. As the walls are old plaster and uneven, I actually removed the plaster so that I could connect straight on to the wood. This probably wont need done in most cases though. Hope this helps.

  22. Absolutely the best Billy hack I have yet seen! Congratulations on your design and seeing it to the finish with the best workmanship.

    1. Thank you so much! That’s such a kind thing to say. I’m planning a few smaller IKEA hacks before I move on to a VERY big one later this year…I’m hoping to ‘hack’ a whole kitchen! 😀

  23. Dear Malcolm, we love it. Could you pls share this color name more clear. We could not find it in Valspar website. Do you now RAL name of this color?

  24. Love this, looks sooo good! I desperately need to update my office and I’m loving the Billy in terms of cost – but need drawers as well as shelving. Are the units you used on the bottom from Ikea too? They don’t look like they’re too deep compared to the bookcase and all I can seem to find is 600mm deep ones 🙁

    1. Thank you so much! The units underneath are actually kitchen bridging units, bought from B&Q. I’m not sure of anywhere that would do shallow drawers.

  25. Love. Found this reno on Apartment Therapy and had to come check out your site. Swooning over the shade of paint on the walls. Name of color, please, please, please?

    1. Haha!! Thank you so much for coming over to the blog Anita. The colour is whistling whippoorwill by Valspar. It changes tone in various light. Absolutely in love with it. 🙂

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