Hello everyone, I have noticed that some of my Billy shelves warp noticeably shortly after assembly. The side panels no longer appear completely straight, and sometimes the shelf seems to fit crookedly into the corner. I would like to understand why this happens. Is it due to the properties of the material, humidity, or could there be certain errors during assembly that should definitely be avoided? I followed the instructions for assembly and tightened the screws by feel. It would be great if someone with experience could explain the reasons for this common warping.
For a clearer explanation: The BILLY shelves are made of particleboard, which responds to environmental changes both thermally and hygroscopically. Fluctuations in relative humidity of more than 10% over short periods can cause the material to warp. It is important to tighten the screws with a torque between 2 and 3 Nm to avoid local stress concentrations. Additionally, back panels made of hardboard are a key factor in stabilizing the unit against warping. An assembly instruction from IKEA highlights that the shelf should be placed on a level surface and indoors without extreme humidity fluctuations.
mifra schrieb:
Tighten the screws with a torque between 2 and 3 Nm (18 and 27 in-lb) to avoid local stress concentrations. Thanks, that is very helpful for me. How do you check the torque? Do you use special tools, or are there rule-of-thumb values for how tight screws should be for these shelves?
BELLA34 schrieb:
After assembly, the shelf should ideally be loaded for several days. This "settling in" often helps stabilize it. That sounds reasonable. I assume the load should be applied evenly, not just fully load individual shelves? Are there any recommendations on this?
Many thanks to everyone who has already shared such useful information here!
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