ᐅ What can be done if BILLY creaks loudly when opening?

Hello everyone,

I have been having a problem for some time with my BILLY shelf unit from IKEA. When opening the doors, there is a rather loud and annoying creaking noise. The sound does not come from the hinges themselves but more from the connection between the door and the cabinet. I have already tried readjusting the hinges and using some WD-40, but without any lasting success. I am interested in what measures you would recommend to fix this annoying creaking or at least significantly reduce it. Are there any special lubricants or technical tricks that reliably help?

It would be great if you could share your experiences or tips on what to specifically check. I would like to solve the problem permanently and without needing to buy many materials.

Thanks in advance!

lisandro schrieb:
The noise doesn’t come from the hinges themselves, but rather from the connection between the door and the cabinet frame.

I know that all too well! This creaking is really annoying and sometimes even makes me uneasy because I worry it might damage the cabinet. I only noticed it on my shelves when the humidity increased in winter and the wood expanded slightly.

I would recommend trying a special silicone spray in addition to WD-40. WD-40 is originally not a long-term lubricant but more of a water-displacing spray. Silicone spray lubricates more sustainably and does not attract dust.

Also, creaking can occur when joints move slightly due to small gaps. Small felt strips placed at the contact points between the door and the cabinet frame might help to reduce the friction.

If you feel unsure about this, don’t worry – sometimes you just have to try different methods until you find the perfect solution 🙂

Elias schrieb:
WD-40 is originally not a long-term lubricant

That is correct and relevant to the issue. The cause of creaking in furniture like the BILLY often comes from friction between wooden surfaces or plastic components. WD-40 temporarily solves the problem by loosening dirt and rust but is not a long-lasting lubricant.

My approach would be as follows:

1. Remove the doors and clean them thoroughly, especially the contact surfaces.
2. Attach felt pads or special furniture protectors at the contact points to reduce direct impact and friction.
3. Apply a permanent lubricant, such as Teflon or silicone spray, on the hinges and contact surfaces.

Integrating felt or similar sliding materials reduces mechanical stress and prevents creaking noises.

If the problem persists, it should be checked whether assembly errors or material deformations are present, which can then be corrected if necessary.

Hello lisandro,

I have encountered the same problem several times with BILLY shelves and would like to share a brief guide on how I solved it in practice:

1. Check if the doors are properly aligned (using a small tape measure or spirit level). Misalignment increases pressure and can cause squeaking.

2. Remove the door: carefully loosen the hinges.

3. Lightly sand the contact points on the inside of the door and the cabinet with fine sandpaper (grit 240 or finer). This smooths out small irregularities that cause squeaking.

4. Thoroughly clean the affected areas afterwards to remove dust and sanding residue.

5. Lubricant: I recommend a silicone spray for furniture, applied sparingly. It works long-term and does not attract dust.

6. Alternatively, attach small felt or foam pads to the inside of the doors to reduce friction.

7. Reinstall the doors and carefully realign them.

It is important not to use too much lubricant, as it can become sticky and attract dirt.

If you are unsure, proceed step by step and make only small adjustments each time so you can identify what helped.

Good luck!