ᐅ How do I mount BILLY shelves on smooth walls?

Hello everyone, I recently bought some Billy shelves and want to mount them on my smooth wall. Since the walls are quite even and smooth, I’m unsure which fastening method is best to securely and permanently install the shelves. It’s important to me that the shelves not only hold well but can also be removed later if needed without causing significant damage to the wall. Does anyone have experience with which wall anchors or screws work best on such smooth surfaces? I know some anchors are designed for hollow walls or concrete, but my wall is a smooth plastered surface. Are there any special tips or tools I should use? Thanks in advance!

Hello dikarlo60,

I’m happy to address your question since it is quite specific. Basically, the choice of fasteners for BILLY shelves on smooth walls largely depends on the wall material. If you have a plastered wall with sufficient load-bearing capacity, I recommend using standard plastic wall plugs combined with appropriate screws. It’s important to pre-drill with a suitable hammer drill and a drill bit of the right size—usually about 6mm (1/4 inch) for standard plugs.

However, if you have a drywall or cavity wall, you’ll need special anchors or cavity anchors to safely support the load.

Since you mentioned that you want to be able to remove the shelves without leaving any residue, you might also consider adhesive pad solutions or heavy-duty adhesive hooks—though I think these are less reliable and generally unsuitable for shelves, especially if you plan to store many books or heavier items.

If you like, we can go into more detail about the exact wall condition you have, so I can give you more specific advice!

Renla47 schrieb:
Plastic anchors combined with matching screws

That might sound like the classic solution, but in my opinion, it is not always the best choice. On smooth walls, plastic anchors often don’t hold properly—especially if the surface is coated plaster or smooth filler. Then you quickly get the problem that they tear out when tightening the screw.

Instead, I would recommend metal anchors or proper toggle anchors that expand inside a cavity or wall, providing more secure support.

Also, I think it’s often easier to add extra stability directly to the shelf, for example by using larger brackets or wall fasteners, rather than relying solely on the anchors.

My tip: Beforehand, check with an endoscope or stud finder whether there are any cavities or plastered bricks—this will significantly affect the choice of anchors.

To address your initial question "How do I mount BILLY shelves on smooth walls?" in more detail, I would like to provide some technical information.

First, the wall condition is crucial. For plastered concrete or brick walls, standard nylon or universal anchors and suitable screws are usually sufficient. Choosing the right anchor size is important: for light loads up to about 20 kg (44 lbs) per bracket, 6 mm (1/4 inch) anchors work well; for heavier loads, 8 mm (5/16 inch) anchors are recommended.

Always use a drill bit that matches the anchor size exactly. A drill bit that is too large reduces holding strength, while one that is too small makes inserting the anchor difficult. If the wall surface is very smooth, minor cracks in the plaster can affect the grip. In such cases, chemical anchors (e.g., injection mortar) can be a good alternative, as they distribute the load over a larger area.

Regarding residue-free removal: screws can be easily unscrewed without damage, but anchors leave holes. These can be covered with small plastic caps or repaired with wallpaper paste and fine filler.

Also important: regardless of the type of anchors used, always use a level and maintain even spacing between the brackets to distribute the load properly.

A quick question: How tall are the shelves, or what approximate load do you plan for? This will help to better tailor the mounting method.

poted schrieb:
How tall are the shelves or what load do you roughly plan for?

Thanks for the details! The shelves are 80 cm (31.5 inches) high, standard BILLY, and I plan to use them mainly for books and file folders, so I’m estimating a load of about 20–25 kg (44–55 lbs) per shelf. The wall is a typical plastered brick wall, rather smooth than rough, but not highly glossy or anything like that.

SIAURORA schrieb:
First check with an endoscope or phase detector to see if there are any cavities or plastered bricks

That sounds like a good plan. Tomorrow I’ll test with a simple voltage tester and a small drill hole.

Am I correct in assuming that if the wall is stable, 6 mm (1/4 inch) nylon anchors will work well, or should I go for 8 mm (5/16 inch) to be on the safe side?

dikarlo60 schrieb:
Am I correct in assuming that if the wall is stable, using 6 mm nylon anchors will work well, or should I go for 8 mm to be on the safe side?

For your load and wall type, I would recommend choosing the 8 mm anchors to be safe. The larger diameter provides significantly more security and also prevents the anchors from loosening too quickly under stress. 6 mm anchors are fine for lighter loads, but for books and files in your case, I wouldn’t want to take any risks.

Also, don’t forget the screws: 5x50 mm screws usually fit well with 8 mm anchors and offer enough depth and stability. Make sure the anchors are properly recessed into the wall so the screw heads sit flush with the shelf frame.