ᐅ Why do screws keep loosening in Billy-type shelving units – and how can I prevent it?

Hello everyone,

I have recently noticed multiple times that the screws in my Billy shelves keep loosening, often after only a short period of use. My specific question is: Why does this happen so frequently with Billy shelves, even though the screws are properly tightened? And more importantly, how can I effectively prevent them from loosening repeatedly? Are there any special techniques, materials, or tips that have proven effective in practice?

I would appreciate any experiences, explanations, or advice, as I am concerned that the shelf may become unstable over time – also for safety reasons. Thank you in advance!

jasar schrieb:
Why does this happen so often with Billy shelves, even though the screws are actually tightened properly?

This is really a frustrating issue because you think you’ve done everything correctly. I also noticed with my Billy shelves that the screws seem to loosen by themselves—probably because the wood or particleboard moves slightly under load or expands and contracts with temperature and humidity changes.

jasar schrieb:
How can I effectively prevent them from loosening again and again?

What helped me was, first of all, applying a small drop of medium-strength threadlocker to the screws. It’s not complicated, it’s inexpensive, and it holds surprisingly well.

Also, with older shelves, I sometimes put a little wood glue into the drill holes before screwing in the screw—that improves the grip in the material.

I hope this helps you a bit! Keep us updated on how it goes. 🙂

The problem often is that the screws go into particleboard. It isn’t as strong as solid wood. It’s best to use dowels or small wooden spacers. Apply threadlocker. Done.

Hello,

I understand that loosening screws in Billy-style shelves can be not only annoying but also cause uncertainty. In my opinion, the main issue is that these shelves are mostly made from particleboard or MDF. While these materials are fairly sturdy, the screw threads have limited grip in them.

Mechanical stresses from loading the shelves, vibrations when taking books in and out, or even slight movements in the room (for example, from a gently shaking floor) can cause the screws to slowly loosen over time.

A proven trick is to apply a bit of wood glue or a drop of medium-strength threadlocker (e.g., Loctite 243) to the screw threads before driving them in. This increases friction and prevents the screws from loosening on their own.

Sometimes, tightening the screws a bit more helps, but be careful: too much force can damage the material and have the opposite effect.

There are also small plastic or rubber washers that can be placed between the screw head and the shelf board to help secure the screw.

If the holes are already worn out, I would recommend filling them with wood filler or wood glue, letting it dry, and then pre-drilling the holes again. This will give the screws a firm hold once more.

I hope these methods can help you. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask!

klo61 schrieb:
Mechanical stress from loading the shelves ... causes the screws to slowly loosen again.

Haha, totally understandable! Especially with Billy, which is a standard choice for many rooms 🙈

I’ve made it a habit to check and tighten the screws again 2-3 weeks after assembly – a small step that saves a lot of trouble.

Also: small plastic washers can work wonders by adding a bit of “rubber grip” if the holes have become a little stretched out.

jasar schrieb:
How can I effectively stop them from loosening repeatedly?

If you haven’t tried it yet: besides thread-locking compounds, sometimes a tiny piece of felt strip under the screw head helps prevent the screws from loosening so quickly due to doors being opened and closed or the load shifting. Sounds odd, but it works! 😉

Good luck and don’t worry – even Billy needs a bit of care now and then :-)

Just as a supplement:

It should be noted that bolt-together shelving units are often designed for light to medium loads. The material of the shelves and side panels is not solid wood, so the screw threads are usually anchored only in thin particleboard. This inevitably leads to limited holding strength and loosening over time.

I recommend, especially for heavily loaded shelves, not only using medium-strength threadlocker on the screws but also using metal dowels or insert nuts, which allow the connections to be made significantly more stable.

Alternatively, in some cases, longer screws can be used so they penetrate deeper into more stable material.

If the shelf is fixed to the wall, this also helps to increase stability and relieve stress on the screw connections.