ᐅ How easy is it to disassemble BILLY shelves?

Created on: 1 Jul 2020 21:07
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Kisin
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Kisin
1 Jul 2020 21:07
Hello everyone,

I am planning to completely disassemble some of my BILLY shelves soon to make them easier to transport and possibly reassemble in another apartment. Therefore, I am interested in how easy or complicated it generally is to take apart BILLY shelves. Are there any special tricks, pitfalls, or tools that might be needed? How much time should one roughly expect to spend, even if they have average experience with disassembling furniture?

I would be very grateful for any tips or experiences to help me be well prepared and avoid damaging anything. Thanks in advance to everyone who takes the time!
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Marlenepa
1 Jul 2020 21:52
Hello Kisin,

I had the experience of taking apart my BILLY shelves twice already when moving. Basically, it’s not too complicated, but there are a few things you should keep in mind:

First of all, you’ll want a Phillips screwdriver since most of the connections are held together with those screws. Taking the shelves apart mainly involves removing the screws step by step. Depending on how long the shelves have been assembled, some screws might be a bit tight – patience helps here, and sometimes a little WD-40 can be useful if it’s a stubborn metal screw.
Kisin schrieb:
How much time should I roughly plan for this, assuming average experience with disassembling furniture?

If you’re reasonably practiced, allow about 30 to 45 minutes per shelf. Sometimes it goes faster, but it’s better to be cautious than to risk breaking something by forcing it.
Kisin schrieb:
Are there any special tricks, pitfalls, or tools I might need?

One tip: make sure to keep all screws and small connecting parts safely in a container so nothing gets lost during transport. When reassembling later, I recommend having the instructions handy just in case you need to refer to them.

I hope this helps! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.
K
kla65
2 Jul 2020 08:23
Kisin,

simply unscrew the screws with a Phillips screwdriver. Some plastic anchors can be a bit tricky, but that’s all. Tools needed: screwdriver, nothing else. Time: 30 minutes per shelf, depending on size.

Regards!
D
DAMALO
2 Jul 2020 22:16
Hello Kisin,

I understand well that it can sometimes be unclear how to disassemble furniture that has been standing for a long time without damaging it. I had similar uncertainties with my BILLY shelves.
Marlenepa schrieb:
A tip: Make sure to keep all screws and small connecting parts safely in a container

That is really important because I actually lost a few screws on my first attempt. This delayed the reassembly and caused some stress. So take your time and work systematically.

What helped me was photographing each step before removing individual parts. This made me feel more confident about how everything was originally connected.

If you feel nervous about taking it apart, maybe have someone help you – that way, the effort is shared.

I wish you good luck and hope everything goes well, as the BILLY shelves are generally solidly constructed and quite durable. 🙂