ᐅ How do I properly mount BILLY shelves on drywall (plasterboard)?

Good morning everyone, I hope you can help me. I want to mount my Billy shelves on a drywall, but I’m unsure about the best and safest way to do it. The wall consists of two layers of drywall with a wooden stud wall behind it. Which fasteners would you recommend to ensure the shelves hold securely without damaging the wall? Are there any special anchors or screws you would suggest? I have read about hollow wall anchors and metal expansion anchors, but I’m not sure which ones are best suited for the load capacity of the Billy shelves. Thanks in advance for your advice!

Hello, the best option is metal hollow wall anchors that have a high load capacity. Screws should be long enough to accommodate the double layer of drywall. Beforehand, use a detector to check the position of the studs.

As a supplement: For a double-layer drywall installed in front of a timber stud wall, it is advisable to screw shelves directly into the timber studs whenever possible. Ideally, use a stud finder to accurately locate the stud positions. If fastening into the drywall surface is unavoidable, high-quality metal cavity anchors, also known as toggle bolts, are the best choice. These distribute the load and allow for high load-bearing capacity. Plastic cavity anchors are generally not suitable for heavy shelves like the BILLY. Screws should have a minimum diameter of 6 mm (0.24 inches) and be at least 70 mm (2.75 inches) long to ensure sufficient holding strength.

Here’s a tip for you: When attaching your BILLY shelves to drywall, measuring beforehand is essential 🙂 A good stud finder will help you a lot – the wooden studs are your best friends; they hold the shelves most securely. Without that, you’ll be balancing the anchors. And yes, metal toggle anchors are really strong – they don’t tear out easily. So: measure, anchors, screws, done 🙂 Good luck, and don’t stack too heavy!

Screwing directly into the wooden studs provides the highest stability. If this is not possible, use metal toggle bolts. Do not use plastic anchors for heavy shelves.

I would also point out that with double-layer walls, it’s important to know the entire wall construction before making a decision. Just because there are wooden studs behind it doesn’t automatically mean their position is ideal for every shelf. It may be necessary to install special mounting panels behind the drywall to properly distribute the load—especially if the shelves are going to hold a lot of weight. How heavily do you plan to load your BILLY shelves with books or decorations? That could affect the approach.