A bookcase can be a great addition to the living room whether you are using it to store books or as a decoration. Besides, if you’re acquiring one, you may be asking yourself if you can attach it to the wall to prevent it from dropping. Therefore, can an Ikea Billy bookcase be wall-mounted?
You can wall-mount an Ikea Billy Bookcase, provided you have the necessary tools and sufficient space. Doing this comes with many benefits, like making your home improvement easy. Besides, mopping and vacuuming will also be simpler.
Here, you will have a perfect idea of whether you can fix a bookcase to the wall, the best way you can fix it, how to stabilize it, and much more. So, stick around to learn more.
Can An Ikea Billy Bookcase Be Wall-Mounted?
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An Ikea Billy bookcase can be wall-mounted. If you possess the right tools and have adequate space, you can go ahead with the procedure. When a bookcase doesn’t rest on the floor, vacuuming and mopping the area beneath it can be quite easy.
Moreover, a wall-mounted bookcase allows your home improvement undertakings like carpet replacement and removal to be effortless. Billy Bookcase is simple to operate, accessible, and inexpensive, and if you need one, you can go for it. Besides these bookcases, stores are based in Europe and North America and finding them isn’t hard.
They also offer an amazing delivery service that you will appreciate. Since almost all the Ikea furniture is self-composed, they make good black canvases for do-it-yourself furniture projects. This means Billy Bookcase is not an exception and is great to work with. They also come in several color options and sizes, and hence, you can frequently add or customize a shelving project.
When you wall mount your Billy Bookcase, you’ll achieve the same objective as the tiny brackets incorporated in the packaging. This will make your room safer. Still, the bookcase will be safe if you have kids as it is fall-proof.
Do You Need to Secure Billy Bookcase to the Wall?
You don’t need to secure Billy’s Bookcase to the wall unless you have safety concerns that you must look into. Besides, you won’t get a lightweight bookcase with hardware or backing, and thus they are likely to fall if not secured to the wall.
Note that bookshelves like the ladder-designed ones should be secured to the wall to be safe. If your home has children, pets, or elders, a shaky bookshelf can be dangerous. Moreover, if you stay in earthquake-prone areas, it may fall.
How Do You Attach a Billy Bookcase to the Wall?
1. Clear the Bookcase
Consider discarding all the things kept on the upper shelf and the one under it.
2. Install the Brackets
Put a right-angled bracket on every end of the upper shelf so that the bracket remains at the shelf and against your wall.
3. Mark Mounting Holes
Consider marking the four mounting holes on the shelf and wall using a marker. Then set off the brackets towards the sides.
4. Drill the Holes
You can drill holes through every mark you make on the walls. If the holes don’t get onto a stud, ensure you drill adequately large holes for the wall anchor. However, if the holes go to the stud, drill holes that are half the diameter of a bolt you’re planning to use when securing the bracket to a wall.
5. Propel the Anchor in Your Wall
You can propel the anchor to the wall using a hammer. If a hole is in the stud, you can skip this step.
6. Drill Holes on the Bookcase Top
You can use a hand drill to create holes on the top of the bookcase. Make sure they are sufficiently large to fit the bolts you’ll be using to tighten the bracket on the shelf.
7. Install the Brackets Back
Put the back on the shelf and then line up mounting holes above the drill holes. Go ahead and secure the brackets to the wall. Do this by driving bolts in the wall anchors using a ratchet and a socket.
8. Put a Washer Above Every Bolt
When you are done placing a washer above the bolts, you can put the bolts through the shelf and bracket. Ensure the washer on every bolt protrudes via the shelf’s bottom. Then secure the bolts using a nut fastened using a socket wrench.
9. Clear the Place
Finish off by clearing any drywall powder or sawdust produced when drilling and then replace the stuff which was on the shelf.
Can I Stack Billy Bookcases?
You can stack Billy bookcases though it’s not advisable. This is because it results in reduced stability and may lead to severe injuries. However, if you yearn to stack the bookshelves, you can attach both of them to a wall to avoid any risky conditions. Besides, if getting yourself shelving at an elevated height is your main objective, you can wall-mount the bookcases as it is a safe technique.
How Do You Stabilize a Billy Bookcase?
You can stabilize a Billy Bookcase by following the steps below;
- First, get some nails, ensure you use double the nails and wood glue.
- Put the thin backing piece on the bookcase and consider using extra nails hammered closely.
- Ensure the Billy Bookcase is square before you begin nailing. You will realize it’s already sitting sturdier.
- If you are passionate about taking everything to another level, ensure you apply wood glue on the furniture edges. That is the area enclosed by the backing before nailing.
- If you went nail crazy, you could apply a thin bead inside the bookcase seams where the sides and the back piece connect like you are caulking it.
- Smoothen the glue and put it also in the crevices using your finger or a flat tool.
- Allow your Billy Bookcase to sit for approximately half a day. That will let it dry before you add the shelves.
Does the Billy Bookcase Need a Back?
Billy’s bookcase needs a back. Remember, if you don’t use a backing, the bookcase will be less stable. I won’t advise using an Ikea bookcase without a back, not unless you’re planning to somehow strengthen it. You can place a square dowel behind the Ikea bookcases’ bottom shelf.
Whenever you remove the backing, you’ll have a groove on both sides holding the back in position. You can then fill the groove using a caulk. Besides, you will realize a small opening on the shelves’ back where they join the wall.
Ensure you nail a tiny half-inch dowel behind the lowermost shelves back of each bookshelf so that not a single thing can fall from it. Still, there is a tiny opening between higher shelves and the wall. However, you can not easily notice it.
Do Billy Bookcase Shelves Sag?
A Billy bookcase can at times sag, though Ikea claims it’s continually working to improve the shelf’s strength. Besides, how much the bookshelves sag depends on the weight of the stuff on the shelf, exposure to moisture, and shelf dimensions.
Keep in mind that Billy bookcases are created from particleboard which also increases the possibility of sagging. The material is cheap and isn’t as long-lasting as pure wood or some shelf materials. Still, this doesn’t mean that all Billy bookcases will sag as some won’t.
