DIY Built In Bookshelves Using the IKEA Billy Bookcase Hack
How to make DIY built in bookshelves with glass front Oxberg doors using the budget-friendly IKEA Billy bookcases hack.
We’re no strangers to the IKEA BILLY bookcase hack around here. After our third set of these bad boys that we built in the home office makeover, Robert and I could probably make these DIY projects in our sleep at this point.
But every time we’ve done one of these hacks, we’ve used a different size or type of Billy bookcase, and with out-of-stock issues popping up at IKEA lately, I thought it would help to make a tutorial for this specific skinny version with glass panel doors so you can adapt to availability.
See our DIY built in entertainment center using tall, wide Billy bookcases here. Or see our DIY playroom built in bookshelves using short, wide Billy bookcases here.
They all follow mostly the same steps, but we feel like we’ve officially mastered DIY built in bookshelves with this method.
Why IKEA Built-In Shelves Are the Best Solution for DIYers
These shelves work beautifully in a living room, playroom, media room, home office, or dining room. Built-ins are a classic design feature that will never go out of style.
Related: Classic Interior Design Trends That Never Go Out of Style
The best part of this DIY project is half of the work is already done for you since you don’t have to build the bookcases from scratch.
If you’re looking for a less expensive way to create a custom high-end look in your home, need lots of vertical storage without wasting space, or just want to try a great beginner-level carpentry project, the tutorial in this blog post will guide you along the way!
How to Make Built-In Bookcases Using the IKEA Billy Hack
Tools
- Circular saw or table saw
- Coping saw or jigsaw
- Saw horses
- Power drill and bits
- Orbital sander and medium to fine grit sanding pads
- Cordless brad nail gun
- Hammer
- Pry bar
- Tape measure
- Step ladder
- Clamps
- Combination square
- Utility knife
Supplies
(This is what we used, but you can change the number of Billy bookcases and Oxberg doors to fit your wall’s dimensions or needs.)
- 8 – 15 3/4″ x 93 1/4″ Billy bookcases
- 4 long Oxberg panel/glass cabinet doors
- 4 short Oxberg panel/glass cabinet doors
- #8 1 1/2″ Wood screws
- Bookcase anchors (come with the IKEA bookshelves)
- 5 – 2x4x8 pine boards
- 2 pre-primed 1x10x8 boards
- 4 pre-primed 1x4x8 boards
- Finishing nails
- Caulk
- Wood filler
- Loctite foam
- Painters tape
- Satin finish paint (We book a small detachable shelf board to Home Depot and had them match the IKEA white for the paint color.)
Notes: Consider the measurements of the length of the wall and ceiling height to adjust the number of bookcases and board sizes you’ll need to create the built-in look.
For reference, we had 8 foot ceilings and our wall was 11.5 feet wide. The top of the bookcase came to about 7.5′ tall leaving 6″ to close the gap with a trim board.
We placed these shelves on hardwood floors, but if you have carpet, I would suggest removing that section of carpet underneath the bookcases.
Steps
Step 1 – Remove Baseboard
To get the Billy bookcases as flush as possible to the blank wall, remove the baseboard and shoe molding trim piece.
Use a utility knife to cut along the caulk lines of the baseboard.
Then, use a claw back hammer and a small pry bar to pull the baseboard away from the wall.
Step 2 – Assemble
The first step is to assemble all of the boxes of the Billy bookcases, including the height extenders.
Leave the bookcases without the thin backing that comes with them since the back wall will become the bookcase backing since you’re building them in.
You can keep the height extenders off in the next step until after you anchor the bookcases to the wall.
Step 3 – Correct Gap
Since the bookcases are designed to have a backing (but it’s best not to have one in a built-in to allow access to outlets), there will be a small gap at the back.
To make this look a seamless wall of built-ins, measure the bookcase and cut a piece of 1×2 board.
Attach the 1×2 to the back of the bottom of the bookcase along the lower shelves with the finish nailer.
And the gap is gone! Caulk will fill any cracks later.
Step 4 – Anchor Shelves
Get the exact measurements of your wall and make sure the bookcases are centered and place where you want them.
Use a stud finder to locate studs in the middle of the wall.
Anchor the middle bookcase into a stud.
Step 5 – Attach Each Billy Bookcase Together
Use your clamps to tightly hold together the sides of two bookcases.
Then, screw the wood screws through both sides of the bookcases to secure them to each other.
Once you begin adding boards around the top, bottom, and sides of the bookcase, they will do a great job of securing everything together too.
Step 6 – Build In the Gaps
See that little bit of space around the sides and top of the Billy bookcases?
We want to fill that in with trim work to make the bookcases on the entire wall look like built-in bookshelves.
Step 7 – Attach 2x4s
In the small gaps, drill 2x4s to the wall and the side of the Billy bookcases.
Do the same for the top of the shelving unit too.
Step 8 – Attach 1×4 Boards to Front of the Bookcase
To make the bottom of the bookcases look like one solid built-in piece of cabinetry, attach 1×4 pre-primed boards with brad nails.
Use a coping saw or jigsaw to cut out the sides of the boards to mimic the shape of the baseboard on the wall.
It doesn’t have to be perfect as caulk can later fix imperfect cuts.
Repeat the process for the top of the Billy bookcases, coping the sides of the 1×4 boards to fit the crown molding.
Step 9 – Cut 1×10 Boards to Fit Sides
Since the sides of the bookcases typically aren’t the exact width of a board, measure the gap between the bookcase and the wall and cut down the 1×10 board to fit along the bottom shelf as the face on the sides using a circular saw or table saw.
Step 10 – Attach 1×2 Boards to Front
Use the finish nailer again to attach 1×2 boards to the fronts of the bookcases to hide the cracks where the bookcases meet together.
Doesn’t it look so flush and solid now?!
Well, it will once the cracks are filled with caulk and gaps are filled with Loctite foam.
Step 11 – Fill Gaps, Cracks, and Nail Holes
Use Loctite foam to fill any larger gaps.
We used it to fill the small gap between the bottom 1×4 and the bottom of the bookcases since it was slightly too big for caulk.
Once dry, cut the foam and sand it smooth.
Use caulk to fill any cracks between the wall and boards.
Then, use wood filler to cover any nail holes or cracks in the boards where they meet. Let dry.
Step 12 – Sand Smooth
Once all of the fillers are dry, use an orbital sander to smooth it out.
Step 13 – Remove Dust
We used our shop vac to remove any sanding dust from the built ins to make it ready for paint.
Step 14 – Paint Boards
Paint all of the visible boards with the satin paint you had matched to the bookcases to make everything look like one solid piece of built in bookshelves.
I discovered Sherwin Williams base white paint is the best match for IKEA white.
You don’t have to apply an entire coat of paint to the Billy bookcases themselves, just the boards so they’ll match them.
If you do plan to paint your bookshelves, I strongly suggest lighting sanding, applying a shellac-based primer, and using urethane alkyd enamel paint in a paint sprayer.
The final result will make the paint stick to the veneer and keep the paint job as durable as possible. My favorite paint for cabinets and furniture is Benjamin Moore Advance.
Painting the BILLY bookcase built-ins all over a different color from IKEA’s factory finishes does create a statement-making design element with a more custom look.
Related: The Trick to Paint IKEA Laminate Furniture
Not bad for using an IKEA hack, huh?
Step 15 – Add Doors (optional)
We wanted to add glass/panel Oxberg doors to the front of a few of the bookcases to provide some concealed storage.
Oxberg doors are designed by IKEA to fit Billy bookcases, but by making these built in, there’s a trick to hang them properly.
Step 16 – Mark on a Combination Square for 1×2 Depth
Since the existing holes on the Billy bookcases are no longer useful for hanging Oxberg doors as they are intended in design, you have to make new holes to account for the depth of the 1×2 boards added to the front of the bookcases.
Place a combination square against the 1×2 and mark its depth with painters tape.
Step 17 – Mark the New Hole
Use the marking on the combination square to mark new holes closer to the front of the bookcases.
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Step 18 – Mark the Hole Depth on a Drill Bit and Drill a New Hole
Place your drill bit inside of an existing bookcase hole.
Use tape to mark where the hole stops so you know how far to drill the new holes.
Drill into where you marked for the new holes to that depth.
Step 19 – Attach Hinges and Door Hardware
Screw the door hardware into the new holes you drilled, and attach hinges to the doors.
Step 20 – Hang Doors and Add Knobs
Hang the Oxberg doors to the bookcases, and check to make sure all doors on the built in unit align properly. Then add pulls or knobs.
Style the Shelves
Have fun filling up those bookcase shelves! I like to alternate stacking books and lining up books with decor mingled in.
Play around with heights and shapes until you’re happy with the decor placement.
Related: Tips for decorating shelves
That’s it! There’s one more IKEA Billy bookcase hack in the books!
I didn’t originally intend on using these skinny shelves, but in the end, it definitely worked out!
The entire piece is even more study than the wide version and can hold more books on the shelves because they have more support.
You can see the fully finished home office here with all of the paint colors and decor/furniture sources we used!
More IKEA Hack Ideas
- 30 Inspiring IKEA Pax Closet Makeovers
- The Trick to Paint Laminate IKEA Furniture
- DIY IKEA Pantry Cabinet Using Hemnes
- 5 DIY IKEA Storage Hacks We’ve Used and Recommend
DIY Built In Bookshelves Using the IKEA Billy Bookcase Hack
Equipment
- 1 Circular saw or table saw
- 1 Coping saw or jigsaw
- 2 Saw horses
- 1 Power drill
- 1 Set of drill bits
- 1 Orbital sander
- 1 Pack of medium/fine grid sanding pads
- 1 Cordless brad nailer gun
- 1 Hammer with claw
- 1 Pry bar
- 1 Tape measure
- 1 Step ladder
- 4 Clamps
- 1 Combination square
- 1 Utility knife
- 1 Shop Vac
Materials
- 8 Billy Bookcases size 15 3/4″ x 93 1/4″
- 4 Oxberg doors long glass/panel style
- 4 Oxberg doors short glass front style
- 1 box wood screws size #8 1 1/2"
- 5 boards 2x4x8 studs
- 2 boards pre-primed 1x10x8
- 4 boards pre-primed 1x4x8
- 1 box finishing nails
- 2 canisters white latex caulk
- 1 tube wood filler
- 1 can Loctite foam for gaps
- 1 roll Frog tape
- 1 quart satin finish interior paint matched to IKEA shelves
- 1 2" angled paint brush
- 1 foam paint roller – mini size
- 1 paint tray
- 1 pencil
- 8 cabinet knobs or pulls
Instructions
Remove Baseboard
- To get the Billy bookcases as flush as possible to the back wall, remove the baseboard. Use a utility knife to cut along the caulk lines of the baseboard. Then, use a claw back hammer and a small pry bar to pull the baseboard away from the wall.
Assemble Bookcases
- Assemble all of the boxes of the Billy bookcases, including the top extension. Leave the bookcases without the thin backing that comes with them since the back wall will become the bookcase backing since you’re building them in.You can keep the top extension off until after you anchor the bookcases to the wall.
Correct Gap
- Since the bookcases are designed to have a backing (but it’s best not to have one in a built-in to allow access to outlets), there will be a small bap at the back.To make this look seamless, measure the bookcase and cut a piece of 1×2 board. Attach the 1×2 to the back of the bottom of the bookcase with the finish nailer.And the gap is gone! Caulk will fill any cracks later.
Anchor Shelves
Attach Each Billy Bookcase Together
Build In the Gaps
Attach 2x4s
Attach 1×4 Boards to Face
- To make the bottom of the bookcases look like one solid built-in piece of cabinetry, attach 1×4 pre-primed boards with finishing nails.Use a coping saw or jigsaw to cut out the sides of the boards to mimic the shape of the baseboard on the wall. It doesn’t have to be perfect as caulk can later fix imperfect cuts. Repeat the process for the top of the Billy bookcases, coping the sides of the 1×4 boards to fit the crown molding.
Cut 1×10 Boards to Fit Sides
Attach 1×2 Boards to Front
Fill Gaps, Cracks, and Nail Holes
- Use Loctite foam to fill any larger gaps. We used it to fill the small gap between the bottom 1×4 and the bottom of the bookcases since it was slightly too big for caulk. Once dry, cut the foam and sand it smooth.Use caulk to fill any cracks between the wall and boards.Then, use wood filler to cover any nail holes or cracks in the boards where they meet. Let dry.
Paint Boards
- Paint all of the visible boards with the satin paint you had matched to the bookcases to make everything look like one solid piece of built in bookshelves. You don’t have to paint the Billy bookcases themselves, just the boards so they’ll match them.
Add Doors (optional)
Mark on a Combination Square for 1×2 Depth
- Since the existing holes on the Billy bookcases are no longer useful for hanging Oxberg doors as they are intended in design, you have to make new holes to account for the depth of the 1×2 boards added to the front of the bookcases.Place a combination square against the 1×2 and mark its depth with painters tape.
Mark the New Hole
Mark the Hole Depth on a Drill Bit and Drill a New Hole
- Place your drill bit inside of an existing bookcase hole. Use tape to mark where the hole stops so you know how far to drill the new holes.Drill into where you marked for the new holes to that depth.
Attach Hinges and Door Hardware
Have you made your own DIY built in bookshelves before? Or done any other awesome IKEA hack?
If you haven’t, here’s fair warning that you’ll be hooked once you finish your first one. It really is like the best beginner carpentry project with training wheels.
Most Frequently Asked Questions
IKEA is launching a new BILLY bookcase design in early 2024. The new design will replace the veneer on the old version with a paper foil that will allow more decorative finish possibilities, more durability, and more scratch-resistance.
Target’s Room Essentials brand of the 5 shelf bookcase is comparable to the IKEA BILLY bookcase, though it’s measurements are slightly different.
