ᐅ Questions about the BILLY shelving unit from IKEA – where can I get help?

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a Billy bookshelf from IKEA and am currently trying to assemble it. However, some details remain unclear—especially regarding the attachment of the back panel and the connecting dowels, which I cannot clearly identify. My question is: Where is the best place to get help if I have technical questions or encounter problems during the assembly of the Billy bookshelf? Are there official contacts, online resources, or perhaps experienced users here who can offer tips for the assembly?

I would be very grateful for any guidance on how to get targeted support, especially if visiting an IKEA store in person is not an option. Many thanks in advance!

Hey Lanepeo,

great that you’re asking here! 🙂 Regarding the BILLY shelf, there are actually some really good options: IKEA offers assembly instructions as PDFs for download on their website – usually with very detailed diagrams. If that doesn’t help, you can call IKEA customer service or even send them an email. They are usually very helpful and can assist you specifically with any issues.

Also, there are plenty of assembly videos on YouTube, including some made by fans, that show step-by-step how to put the shelf together.

Sometimes an outside perspective is really valuable – if you want, you can send us your exact question here, and we’ll try to help you with some tips! 😉

Hello Lanepeo,

I can only agree with tutan; the official IKEA instructions are usually very helpful, but often it’s the small details that cause uncertainty. For technical questions about the correct assembly of dowels or the back panel: in addition to IKEA support, there is also the IKEA community forum where users share their experiences.

If you could describe the type of dowels and their exact function, I’d be happy to explain which dowel is used for what. With the BILLY bookshelf, there are often different dowels for stability and for attaching the back panel.

One more tip: if you are unsure about how to secure the bookshelf to the wall (very important for safety), I can recommend the appropriate screws and brackets that IKEA suggests. Just ask if this is relevant for you.

tutan schrieb:
IKEA offers the assembly instructions as PDFs for download on their website – usually with very detailed drawings.

Thanks, I will take another look at that right away. I only had the printed manual, which sometimes seemed a bit jumpy to me.

Kinbu schrieb:
If you could describe the type of dowels and their exact function, I’d be happy to explain exactly which dowel is for what.

Sure, they are small gray plastic dowels that are inserted into pre-drilled holes in the carcass. The manual says to use them with a long screw, but it doesn’t specify clearly whether they are for the side panels or the back panel.

A tip on how to best attach the back panel would also be very helpful, as the thin plywood sheet feels somewhat unstable when installed. IKEA mentions using small nails—is there a special recommended method for this?

I also want to make the shelf stable since it will have to support quite a lot of weight later on.

It's great that you're asking such detailed questions! 🙂 The gray dowels are usually called connecting dowels – they hold the side panels together. The long screws are screwed in to tighten the dowels and secure everything firmly.

The back panel on BILLY units is typically attached using small, thin nails that come with the package. It's important to lay the back panel flat and tap the nails in lightly to prevent splitting or tearing the wood.

Tip: When hammering in the nails, it helps to stabilize the back panel on a soft surface to keep it from slipping. And don’t worry – the back panel adds a lot of stability, especially when the shelf is loaded with heavy books.

If you have a bit of DIY experience, you can easily manage this! 🙂

The gray plastic wall plugs are intended for connecting the side panels.

The back panel is nailed to the side of the shelf using the small nails provided. No great force is needed, just apply them straight.