ᐅ How can Ikea Besta units be best used for book storage?

Created on: 1 Mar 2021 08:23
J
jarnoneo
Hello everyone,

I’m looking for the best possible solution for storing books within the Ikea Besta system. My goal is not only to achieve practical storage but also an attractive arrangement that makes accessing the books easier while giving the furniture a stylish appearance. I’m particularly interested in options for using the individual compartments, adding shelves, adjustments with doors or drawers, as well as possibilities for extra reinforcement when bearing heavy loads. Are there any experiences on how to optimize the Besta for different book sizes and larger quantities? Tips on useful combinations with inserts or preventing sagging with heavy books would also be great. Thanks for your opinions and advice!
M
moses
2 Mar 2021 10:54
What was important to me during the implementation was patience and a clear structure. Initially, I equipped the entire piece of furniture with doors, but I soon realized that I wanted to access my most frequently read books more often. Therefore, I removed the doors from the lower compartments.

I can only recommend placing all the books in the individual compartments on a trial basis before the final assembly. This way, you intuitively get a sense of how many books fit in each compartment and how practical the dimensions are.
giabau schrieb:
1. Planning the book height: First, measure your most common book sizes.

I would emphasize this, as the most common cause of frustration with DIY bookshelves is incorrect adjustment to the actual book dimensions.
R
reni45
2 Mar 2021 12:27
A quick tip on stability: If you don’t want to use special panels, it helps to install the shelves at shorter intervals, meaning you add more shelves. This way, the loads are distributed more evenly.
K
keogla
2 Mar 2021 13:01
I also find it practical to secure the Besta units to the wall, especially when the shelving is large and filled with heavy books. Additionally, it makes sense to equip the doors with soft-close mechanisms to prevent rattling, particularly if you have many books.
G
Gino38
3 Mar 2021 09:17
In summary, I would like to highlight the following points:

- Check load capacity: Use stronger boards or reinforcements if you have many heavy books.
- Height flexibility: Adjust the shelves to accommodate different book sizes.
- Choose mixed designs: Combine open sections and closed doors depending on your needs.
- Organization system: Use drawer slides or boxes for small items.
- Don’t forget aesthetics to keep the shelf looking neat and inviting.

For those who place special emphasis on design, Ikea offers a wide variety of fronts and handles for Besta. This allows you to customize the shelf to your interior style and create an appealing area around your books.