ᐅ How can I repaint BILLY shelves to change their color?

Hello everyone,

I have several Billy shelves from IKEA and would like to repaint them. Since the surface is painted or melamine-coated, I’m wondering what the best approach would be to achieve an even and durable finish.

What should I pay attention to regarding preparation, sanding, priming, and type of paint? Are there specific paints that work better for making the shelves stable and visually appealing?

I look forward to tips and experiences, including concrete product recommendations and do’s and don’ts. Thank you!

Hello Gitau,

I would be happy to give you a step-by-step guide on how to repaint your BILLY shelves. First of all: It is important to properly prepare the old surface so that the new paint will adhere well.

1. Clean the surface: Remove dust and grease residues using a cleaner like denatured alcohol.
2. Sanding: Use fine sandpaper (grit 180–220) to lightly roughen the surface. This improves adhesion.
3. Primer: Apply an adhesion-promoting primer suitable for melamine-coated surfaces (for example, a bonding primer for plastic surfaces).
4. Painting: Acrylic paint or alkyd enamel paint works best, depending on how durable you want the shelf to be.

For painting, you can use a roller for smooth surfaces and a brush for corners. Lightly sand between paint coats!

Common mistakes are insufficient preparation and using paint that is too thick.

If you like, I can also share some product recommendations.

Clean, sand, prime, and paint with acrylic lacquer. Let dry, possibly apply 2 coats. Done.

LOJOPAR schrieb:
Typical mistakes are insufficient preparation and using paint that is too thick.

Thank you, that is very helpful. Could you please explain in more detail the best way to sand? Should I use sandpaper or a machine? I am afraid of removing too much material or damaging the surface.

Also, I am interested to know if I should sand the entire surface again after priming before painting.

Gitau schrieb:
Could you explain in more detail the best way to sand? Should I use sandpaper or a machine?

Very good question. For BILLY shelves, sandpaper is usually sufficient; a grit of 180 or finer is ideal. A machine (random orbital sander) is faster but can cause uneven surfaces, especially on edges.

My advice: sanding by hand with even pressure allows better, controlled material removal and only lightly affects the top layer.

Gitau schrieb:
whether I should sand again completely after priming before painting.

Yes, that is highly recommended. After priming, you can sand lightly with 240 grit sandpaper to ensure a smooth surface. Then dust off thoroughly before painting.

I recently painted BILLY shelves myself and find your questions very relevant. At first, I was uncertain about sanding, but with patience, it works surprisingly well.

My tip: Take your time with the preparation – that is really the key to success.

And don’t worry if a small scratch appears; you can fix it later. It’s simply enjoyable to create something unique. 🙂