ᐅ Is it possible to replace existing doors in a Billy shelf unit with softer ones?
Created on: 10 Nov 2015 14:03
F
FUTISON
Hello everyone,
I am considering replacing the existing doors on my Billy bookshelf with softer, meaning more gently closing doors. Specifically, I want to know if this is technically possible without much effort or having to make adjustments to the hinges or door size. My goal is to achieve a smoother, softer closing motion so that the doors don’t slam and perhaps close more quietly. Does anyone have experience with this or tips on what to pay attention to? I’m unsure about what alternatives for doors are available and whether dimensions or material thickness play a role. Thanks in advance!
I am considering replacing the existing doors on my Billy bookshelf with softer, meaning more gently closing doors. Specifically, I want to know if this is technically possible without much effort or having to make adjustments to the hinges or door size. My goal is to achieve a smoother, softer closing motion so that the doors don’t slam and perhaps close more quietly. Does anyone have experience with this or tips on what to pay attention to? I’m unsure about what alternatives for doors are available and whether dimensions or material thickness play a role. Thanks in advance!
I’ll go into detail because this topic is quite complex:
First: Replacing doors is not just about precise measurements. The hinge hole positions on Billy bookcases are pre-drilled, and the doors themselves have standardized dimensions.
Second: If you want softer-closing doors, two components are crucial:
1. The hinges – standard hinges are usually simple pivot hinges. Soft-close hinges have built-in damping, often hydraulic.
2. The door material – depending on how thick and heavy the door is, the load on the hinges changes. Lighter doors are often preferable.
The catch is that soft-close hinges usually do not have exactly the same hinge hole positions as simple hinges. This means you either have to fill the existing holes and drill new ones, or find doors that fit the existing holes exactly – which is rare.
Additionally, you should check the maximum weight the hinges can support. Most soft-close models are designed for door weights up to 8–10 kg (17.6–22 lbs).
So my tip: Instead of buying completely new doors, look for IKEA’s own soft-close hinges that you can install on your existing doors. Technically, this is usually easier, and you get the soft-close effect. You can continue using your doors as before.
First: Replacing doors is not just about precise measurements. The hinge hole positions on Billy bookcases are pre-drilled, and the doors themselves have standardized dimensions.
Second: If you want softer-closing doors, two components are crucial:
1. The hinges – standard hinges are usually simple pivot hinges. Soft-close hinges have built-in damping, often hydraulic.
2. The door material – depending on how thick and heavy the door is, the load on the hinges changes. Lighter doors are often preferable.
The catch is that soft-close hinges usually do not have exactly the same hinge hole positions as simple hinges. This means you either have to fill the existing holes and drill new ones, or find doors that fit the existing holes exactly – which is rare.
Additionally, you should check the maximum weight the hinges can support. Most soft-close models are designed for door weights up to 8–10 kg (17.6–22 lbs).
So my tip: Instead of buying completely new doors, look for IKEA’s own soft-close hinges that you can install on your existing doors. Technically, this is usually easier, and you get the soft-close effect. You can continue using your doors as before.
Thanks for the feedback!
The hinges are actually the standard, simple folding hinges with one hole centered at the bottom and two at the top, as far as I can tell. So softer doors probably require different hinges, which I had already assumed. The idea of being able to replace the hinges does sound easier, but I was hoping to get the doors themselves a bit thicker or with some damping, because I don’t really like the look of the standard Billy doors.
Tebilo, thanks for the perfect explanation – that’s exactly the information I needed! So I should definitely look for the correct drill hole positions if I want new doors.
Does anyone have a specific recommendation where to get "softer" doors specifically for Billy, or whether IKEA itself offers such doors?
The hinges are actually the standard, simple folding hinges with one hole centered at the bottom and two at the top, as far as I can tell. So softer doors probably require different hinges, which I had already assumed. The idea of being able to replace the hinges does sound easier, but I was hoping to get the doors themselves a bit thicker or with some damping, because I don’t really like the look of the standard Billy doors.
Tebilo, thanks for the perfect explanation – that’s exactly the information I needed! So I should definitely look for the correct drill hole positions if I want new doors.
Does anyone have a specific recommendation where to get "softer" doors specifically for Billy, or whether IKEA itself offers such doors?
FUTISON schrieb:
Does anyone have a specific recommendation on where to get "softer" doors specifically for Billy, or if IKEA itself offers such doors?Unfortunately, IKEA hardly offers doors with integrated soft-closing features, at least not officially for Billy. The soft-close mechanism is usually separate and part of the hinge. However, there are third-party suppliers or home improvement stores that provide soft-close hinges compatible with Billy, or you can replace IKEA hinges with soft-close ones and keep the existing doors.
Buying doors from third-party suppliers is tricky because exact measurements are crucial, and the drilling patterns often vary slightly.
So my advice is: replace the hinges, keep the doors.
Maybe also a fun idea: simply paint the doors according to your own preferences or cover them with film – this way, you can change the look without modifying the hardware. The soft-close hinges will do the rest :-) You can also try out the combination first and change the doors later if needed.
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