Instead of a thin layer of wood veneer, BILLY now has a hard surface of durable paper foil. ”The foil has different printed patterns that look like natural wood and means that less wood is needed to make each BILLY,” says Umut. Using materials only where they are needed is resource-efficient. “And it has meant another positive thing – an even more affordable BILLY.”
More from the BILLY series
BILLY Bookcase, oak effect, 80x28x106 cm
Price £ 50
Available services
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BILLY bookcase is a beloved icon that never goes out of style. Thanks to its versatility you can use it in many different ways at home – regardless of whether you store books or everyday items in it.
DesignerGillis Lundgren
Article Number904.773.85
Product details
BILLY is a versatile bookcase that works just as good as a storage unit and is suitable to use in many different ways at home.
The shallow and adjustable shelves help you customise your BILLY and allow you to use it as you like – for storing everyday items, memorabilia or other things you collect.
BILLY has a simple and timeless design that is easy to personalise by adding boxes, lighting and your favourite items.
Make it even more personal by adding doors, allowing you to both hide and display things. In this way your BILLY can get new functions and a new look as your style and living situation changes.
A single unit can be enough storage for a limited space – but you can add more bookcases and shelves to create a larger storage solution if your needs change.
The wooden expression with a tactile wood texture brings a warm and natural feel into your home and adds a beautiful and vibrant look to the room.
The back panel fixes in place with snap fittings – making BILLY easy to assemble and disassemble, so you can bring it when moving instead of buying a new one.
Designer
Gillis Lundgren
Good to know
2 adjustable shelves included.
May be completed with doors; available in different colours and designs.
May be completed with extra shelves to add storage space.
Product is possible to recycle or use for energy recovery, if available in your community.
IKEA of Sweden AB SE-343 81 Älmhult, IKEA.com
Materials and care
Material
- Basematerial/ Side panel:
- Particleboard, Paper foil, Plastic edging
- Plinth front:
- Particleboard, Paper foil
- Back:
- Fibreboard, Paint, Paper foil
Care
Wipe clean with a cloth dampened in a mild cleaner.
Wipe dry with a clean cloth.
Safety and compliance
WARNING! Tipping hazard – this product must be securely anchored. Use suitable screws and plugs for your home. If you are uncertain, seek professional advice.
Assembly and documents
Assembly instructions
BILLY Bookcase904.773.85Advice and care instructions
BILLY Bookcase904.773.85Weight & measurements
- Width: 80 cm
- Depth: 28 cm
- Height: 106 cm
- Max. load/shelf: 30 kg
Package details
BILLY
Article Number904.773.85- Width: 31 cm
- Height: 15 cm
- Length: 110 cm
- Weight: 22.67 kg
- Package(s): 1
Reviews
casebook bookcasesAnonymous reviewersimple to assemble, solid construction, does the job well. I have a set of three
One of the uprights was badly damaged.Anonymous reviewerNot only are your delivery charges very high, I don’t find care is taken with the packs. They were literally thrown on the floor with a big thud. I would not be surprised if that caused the damage.
I reported it to customer service on 7th March, and was promised a new part in 3 to 5 days.
We are 10 days on now and I have not received any communication.
The staff at the end of the phone are very helpful, but I am very dissatisfied with the rest of your after sale service.
Great productAnonymous reviewerVery sturdy and great value for the money
Bookcase. Very sturdy well worth the moneyAnonymous reviewerSee above
Absolutely terrible quality yet staff are in denial Anonymous reviewerDo not buy. In just 4 months then wood has peeled absolutely the poorest quality. Took it back and the very rude assistant said it wasmy fault wear and tear! I'm never going to buy anything from this awful shop again
Shelved keep dropping its quite annoyingAnonymous reviewerWe brought a billy bookcase, around 10 years ago and never had any problems with it, we had to leave it behind when we moved last year. And brought new ones for our new home. One is fine. The other, the shelves keep dropping. I do hope to return this as faulty?
Billy bookcase (small)Anonymous reviewerAssembling is a bit fiddly particularly the back flat sheet as one piece.
Poor quality - loads of minor damage to veneerAnonymous reviewerI’ve had Billy bookcases for many, many years and on buying these latest ones I am shocked by the deterioration in quality. There are numerous areas of damage to the various parts - all minor but enough to ruin the overall look. I won’t be buying again.
The product is brilliant. Packaging is a lot to be desired for Anonymous reviewerI have no issue with the product. They’re brilliant and great value.
My issue is I have ordered them on two separate occasions now and the packaging is not fit for purpose. They always arrived with ripped corners on the boxes and damaged pieces inside. The first time I had to dispose of the item and get another ordered. This one also arrived damaged, but luckily the damaged side was against a wall so you couldn’t see it so I just put up with it. I have just ordered again and again it has arrived damaged and have had to get another one ordered. Let’s wait and see if this one is damaged too…
Good quality.Anonymous reviewerNo bits missing, despite what you hear! Easy to build; put the shelves wherever you like. End result is a good quality bookcase at a reasonable price. You get what you see in the picture.
Packaging and delivery could be better...Anonymous reviewerWe have several Billy bookcases at home, and it continues to be an excellent value no-nonsense product that fits in easily.
However, ordering online and paying for delivery highlights the poor packaging, and the poor delivery service from DPD.
This delivery was left on our neighbour's doorstep, even though we were in - and the driver didn't even ring the bell, just dumped the boxes and left. And I do mean dumped - multiple panels were damaged when we opened the box.
A replacement was arranged very easily with Ikea customer services (who are truly excellent on the phone), but somehow this order got "cancelled" on route - by the same DPD driver.
A third was sent out, and this too arrived with damaged corners, but I was able to salvage one reasonably ok bookcase from the two damaged ones, so left it at that.
Next time I guess I'll just make the journey to the nearest Ikea shop!
Great itemAnonymous reviewerGreat item but was delivered damaged - IKEA dealth with this very fairly and quickly - very happy.
Badly packaged and badly deliveredAnonymous reviewerSo badly packaged and handled by your delivery company we had 5 or 6 failed deliveries.
Book case is now fine but the hassle and time spent on replacement deliveries was not worth it for a piece of flat pack furniture.
You claim to sell so many but with that many damaged I suspect the figure is lower.
Billy bookcaseAnonymous reviewerWell presented with clear instructions how to assemble. Only problem was one of the small units had a loose hedge edge strip which was peeling off. Trying to ring and ask for a replacement was difficult, we rang 3 times and each time told we would have to wait for the call to be answered 15/20 minutes which we were not prepared to do. After the service we had received from the staff that was very disappointing. This small unit also carried in by the driver without a box whilst all the other units came securely in boxes.
Looks GoodAnonymous reviewerLooks good, very stylish and easy to put together, though a male friend helped. Sturdy but not too heavy to carry. Backing is a type of cardboard. Would have preferred if backing was a little sturdier. But l really like it. Will be ordering another.
Appalling delivery, twiceAnonymous reviewerMy bookcase arrived with damage to the corners of most pieces, so I was offered a replacement.
The replacement arrived in 2 boxes taped together, much too big, with all the parts loose inside. The delivery driver said it was the worst he'd ever seen.
Not surprisingly parts were damaged, but on top of that, a shelf was missing and so were the instructions. I still can't believe how bad this has been.
PerfectAnonymous reviewerWe needed a bookshelf and this is perfect.
Just the right sizeAnonymous reviewerI bought this for my bedroom to fit across a sealed fireplace. It's lovely. Deli ered on time and easily assembled. Love my Billy bookcase
Packaging not good for courier deliveryAnonymous reviewerI've now had 2 deliveries of this bookcase, the first one had a few chips and a dent in the panels, enought that I asked for a replacement.
The second delivery was even worse. After delivery, I found one side of the box had a large tear. Opening the box and pretty much all the panels except the shelves were damaged, small/big chips and dents. This was even worse than the first delivery. The contents are not protected well enough for courier delivery. Very disappointed.
Great bookcaseAnonymous reviewerThis is assembled to other Billy items. It is sturdy and looks great.
Customer reviews
4.5Average rating
1417Reviews
4.5Average rating
1417Reviews
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Story
An updated storage hero
BILLY bookcase has been a steady customer favourite for more than 40 years – but old faithful servants also need to be updated to keep up with the times. We took a closer look at BILLY and came up with some ideas. One of them means more efficient use of materials, and another makes the bookcase easier to assemble and take apart.
“BILLY was introduced in 1979 and has helped millions of people to organize books and other things in the home. But the world has changed a lot since then, and even popular big-sellers need to adapt to new demands and ways of living,” says Umut Ates, one of our co-workers.
Paper means smarter use of raw materials
Easier to assemble and take apart
BILLY fits just as well in the living room as in other areas of the home – the office, dining room or library. It’s easy to expand and combine with other furniture. But one thing that has had potential for improvement is how the bookcase is assembled and taken apart. “Previously, you had to nail about 50 small nails to get the back panel in place, but that’s history now. Instead, you snap on the back panel without any tools,” explains Umut. It also makes it easier to disassemble BILLY without damaging it if you move or want to resell your bookcase. “The improvements have made BILLY more adaptable – it can keep up changing life situations – and it wouldn’t surprise me if this storage hero is as popular in 40 years as it is today.”
Material
An updated storage hero
BILLY bookcase has been a customer favourite for over 40 years – but old faithful servants also need to be updated to keep up with the times. We took a closer look at this storage hero and came up with some ideas. One means more efficient use of materials – another makes the bookcase easier to assemble and take apart. The improvements can be hard to see – except on the price tag – which has become even more pleasant reading.