Hello everyone,
I am currently planning to redecorate my apartment and want to mainly store my extensive book collection appropriately. I am particularly interested in the BILLY shelves from IKEA, as they are well-known and relatively affordable.
Which BILLY shelves from the current range do you think are best suited to safely and aesthetically store books? I am especially asking with regard to load capacity, adjustable shelves, and possible additions like doors or drawers.
Additionally, it would be helpful to know if there are practical tips on how to set up the shelves to keep them stable when fully loaded. I look forward to your feedback and experience reports!
I am currently planning to redecorate my apartment and want to mainly store my extensive book collection appropriately. I am particularly interested in the BILLY shelves from IKEA, as they are well-known and relatively affordable.
Which BILLY shelves from the current range do you think are best suited to safely and aesthetically store books? I am especially asking with regard to load capacity, adjustable shelves, and possible additions like doors or drawers.
Additionally, it would be helpful to know if there are practical tips on how to set up the shelves to keep them stable when fully loaded. I look forward to your feedback and experience reports!
Hey Gaman,
great topic, I love my BILLY shelves for books! 😍 From my own experience, the standard BILLY shelves with adjustable shelves are really ideal. It’s important to securely fix the shelves to the wall – that makes them very stable and you can store a lot of weight without any problems.
A big advantage is that you can always add extensions, such as extra shelves, doors, or colorful backs – it really livens up your bookcase!
Of course, the larger models (80cm (31.5 inches) wide) are especially suitable as they offer plenty of storage space. And if you have many heavy books, it’s better to choose wooden shelves instead of glass ones.
I hope this helps you already! 🙂
great topic, I love my BILLY shelves for books! 😍 From my own experience, the standard BILLY shelves with adjustable shelves are really ideal. It’s important to securely fix the shelves to the wall – that makes them very stable and you can store a lot of weight without any problems.
A big advantage is that you can always add extensions, such as extra shelves, doors, or colorful backs – it really livens up your bookcase!
Gaman schrieb:
Which BILLY shelves from the current range do you think are best suited to store books safely and attractively?
Of course, the larger models (80cm (31.5 inches) wide) are especially suitable as they offer plenty of storage space. And if you have many heavy books, it’s better to choose wooden shelves instead of glass ones.
I hope this helps you already! 🙂
Hello Gaman,
to answer your question precisely: The standard BILLY bookcases measuring 80x202 cm (31½ x 79½ inches) are best suited for books. They feature multiple adjustable shelves, allowing flexible adaptation to books of varying sizes.
According to the manufacturer, the shelves have a load capacity of approximately 25 kg (55 lbs) per shelf, which is sufficient for standard books. For heavier loads, it is advisable to install additional reinforcements or to space the shelves closer together.
Using doors—whether glass or wooden—protects against dust and gives the bookcase a tidy appearance. Drawers are more suitable for small items but are less practical for books.
Finally, I recommend always securing the bookcases to the wall to avoid stability issues, especially when they are heavily loaded.
to answer your question precisely: The standard BILLY bookcases measuring 80x202 cm (31½ x 79½ inches) are best suited for books. They feature multiple adjustable shelves, allowing flexible adaptation to books of varying sizes.
According to the manufacturer, the shelves have a load capacity of approximately 25 kg (55 lbs) per shelf, which is sufficient for standard books. For heavier loads, it is advisable to install additional reinforcements or to space the shelves closer together.
Gaman schrieb:
I’m asking especially regarding load capacity, adjustable shelves, and possible additions such as doors or drawers.
Using doors—whether glass or wooden—protects against dust and gives the bookcase a tidy appearance. Drawers are more suitable for small items but are less practical for books.
Finally, I recommend always securing the bookcases to the wall to avoid stability issues, especially when they are heavily loaded.
L
luAlbert15 May 2017 08:16I find it interesting how many people still believe that BILLY shelves are the ultimate solution for books.
Optimal? Definitely not. For very heavy academic books or large encyclopedias, the shelves are often too thin and tend to bend. It’s better to opt for sturdier, more solid furniture or professional bookcases in those cases.
Who says that "affordable" automatically means "perfectly suited"?
That sounds nice, but in practice, it’s often less, especially when the shelf is old. I recommend viewing BILLY more as a nice occasional shelf rather than a long-term solution for extensive libraries.
Lucki schrieb:
The standard BILLY shelves with adjustable shelves are really optimal.
Optimal? Definitely not. For very heavy academic books or large encyclopedias, the shelves are often too thin and tend to bend. It’s better to opt for sturdier, more solid furniture or professional bookcases in those cases.
Who says that "affordable" automatically means "perfectly suited"?
Enrico4 schrieb:
The load capacity of the shelves is about 25 kg per shelf
That sounds nice, but in practice, it’s often less, especially when the shelf is old. I recommend viewing BILLY more as a nice occasional shelf rather than a long-term solution for extensive libraries.
I understand that the stability of shelving is not a trivial matter when dealing with a large book collection.
From my experience with BILLY shelves in my own apartment, I can say that securing them to the wall really makes a difference. Especially if you have children (or pets), it gives a greater sense of safety.
I see this more nuanced. For many people who don’t store hundreds of kilograms (pounds) of books, the quality is perfectly sufficient, and the value for money is great. It’s important to be aware of how many and which books you have, and then decide accordingly.
Also, there are versions of BILLY with doors, which I find very practical for my collection, especially if you don’t want to dust frequently.
I also hope that when assembling the shelves, there’s always someone in the group with the right tools to help ;-)
From my experience with BILLY shelves in my own apartment, I can say that securing them to the wall really makes a difference. Especially if you have children (or pets), it gives a greater sense of safety.
luAlbert1 schrieb:
I recommend considering BILLY more as a nice side shelf rather than a long-term solution for extensive libraries.
I see this more nuanced. For many people who don’t store hundreds of kilograms (pounds) of books, the quality is perfectly sufficient, and the value for money is great. It’s important to be aware of how many and which books you have, and then decide accordingly.
Also, there are versions of BILLY with doors, which I find very practical for my collection, especially if you don’t want to dust frequently.
I also hope that when assembling the shelves, there’s always someone in the group with the right tools to help ;-)
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