ᐅ How can BILLY shelves be securely mounted to the wall?

Hello everyone,

I’m planning to install some Billy bookcases from IKEA at my home and want to secure them firmly to the wall. It is important to me that the shelves are stable, especially since I plan to use them for books and expect them to hold a significant amount of weight. However, I’m unsure which screws and wall anchors are best, particularly because our walls are not uniform – some areas are drywall (plasterboard), and others are brick.

My question is: How do you securely mount Billy bookcases to the wall, especially considering different wall types such as drywall or brick? What fastening materials and methods have you used to reliably fix the shelves? Are there any tips or things to definitely avoid when aiming for a secure installation?

I’m really looking forward to your experiences and advice!

loretta31 schrieb:
I plan to install some BILLY shelves from IKEA in my home and want to make sure they are securely mounted to the wall.

That’s an important question, especially if you want to store heavy books! I was quite cautious myself because I was worried the shelves might eventually fall or damage the wall when mounting them.

At my place, I found that it really depends on the right combination of wall plugs and screws—depending on the wall type.

For solid walls (like brick or concrete), I usually use plastic expansion anchors with matching screws. These are strong and work very well. If the wall is drywall (plasterboard), I use hollow wall anchors or metal toggle bolts that spread out behind the panel and hold quite securely.

I always think it’s crucial to know the wall type accurately, then buy the appropriate anchors and also pay attention to the correct screw length. It’s better to choose screws a bit longer than too short.

If you like, I can also send you a list of the mounting materials I used for my BILLY shelves.

I recommend using metal hollow wall anchors for drywall. For bricks, use standard expansion plugs of the appropriate size. Choose screws that penetrate at least 5cm (2 inches) deep into the wall.

Important: Always secure BILLY shelves at the top to the wall to prevent tipping.

Yay, this is my favorite topic! 🙂 I love BILLY shelves and have installed quite a few – definitely! Always use the metal brackets that come with the shelves from IKEA. You screw them into the wall, and then you can hook the shelf onto them at the top.

For drywall: be sure to use cavity anchors!!! That holds very securely!

I once even hung a whole shelf full of books on a drywall surface, and it held without any issues. Just go for it! And always use at least two screws per shelf.

It doesn’t just feel stable, it really is! 🙂

Hang the BILLY shelf at the top and bottom on the wall. Use expansion anchors for brick walls and toggle anchors with appropriate screws for drywall.

The shelf must be level; otherwise, it will cause problems.

fepau schrieb:
I once hung a whole shelf full of books on a drywall, and it held without any problems.

It always reassures me to hear that others have had good experiences in similar situations!

I’ve also considered the idea of adding metal brackets to secure the shelf to the wall—especially with heavy loads, that could provide extra safety. Has anyone here had experience with this? Or is the IKEA metal rail really enough?