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BILLY Bookcase, white, 40x28x202 cm
BILLY Bookcase, white, 40x28x202 cm
BILLY Bookcase, white, 40x28x202 cm
BILLY Bookcase, white, 40x28x202 cm

BILLY Bookcase, white, 40x28x202 cm

Price £ 35
BILLY Bookcase, white, 40x28x202 cm
BILLY Bookcase, black oak effect, 40x28x202 cm
BILLY Bookcase, brown walnut effect, 40x28x202 cm
BILLY Bookcase, oak effect, 40x28x202 cm

How to get it

Available services

It is estimated that every five seconds, one BILLY bookcase is sold somewhere in the world. Pretty impressive considering we launched BILLY in 1979. It’s the booklovers choice that never goes out of style.

Article Number502.638.38

Product details

Shallow shelves help you to use small wall spaces effectively by accommodating small items in a minimum of space.

Adjustable shelves; adapt space between shelves according to your needs.

A simple unit can be enough storage for a limited space or the foundation for a larger storage solution if your needs change.

Article Number502.638.38

Good to know

Min. ceiling height required: 205 cm.

Keep in mind that you need enough space between the top of the furniture and the ceiling to be able to anchor the product to the wall.

1 fixed shelf and 4 adjustable shelves included.

May be completed with BILLY corner fitting to form a stable corner unit.

May be completed with doors; available in different colours and designs.

May be completed with extra shelves to add storage space.

May be completed with BILLY height extension unit in the same width and depth for added vertical storage.

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:
Particleboard, Paper foil, Plastic edging
Side panel:
Particleboard, Paper foil, Melamine 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

Must be anchored to the wall. Different wall materials require different types of fixing devices. Use fixing devices suitable for the walls in your home, sold separately.

Assembly and documents

Assembly instructions

BILLY Bookcase502.638.38

Advice and care instructions

BILLY Bookcase502.638.38

Weight & measurements

  • Width: 40 cm
  • Depth: 28 cm
  • Height: 202 cm
  • Max. load/shelf: 14 kg

Package details

BILLY

Article Number502.638.38
  • Width: 39 cm
  • Height: 6 cm
  • Length: 207 cm
  • Weight: 24.30 kg
  • Package(s): 1

Reviews

Functional and modernAnonymous reviewerI love the billy system, we have used the Billy bookcases in a couple of different rooms in our home and love how you can create your own custom system with them. Making them super useful for your space!5
Easy to assembleAnonymous reviewerThis product is easy to assemble. I now have a new bookcase to replace my old one5
GreatAnonymous reviewerSolid and straightforward5
RecommendedAnonymous reviewerBought this bookcase along with a wider one to create a library corner. Looks very stylish. Adjustable shelves are handy too. Great value5
Overflow for all my booksAnonymous reviewergreat quality and easy to assemble, these look really good with all my extra books in them. Smell a bit odd when they are new but that fades quickly. Really happy with the colour.5
Could be slightly better.Anonymous reviewerI had a space in my craft room which measured 50 cms wide. IKEA was my first port of call for a storage solution and I couldn't believe it when I saw this tall narrow BILLY bookcase measuring 40 cms wide. In March 2025 I purchased a white one because in September 2024 I purchased the MELTORP 75 cms table, PAHL table top shelf unit and ADDIS chair (white), so the bookcase had to be white to match. I put it together on my own with no problems, arranged the items and purchased 3 additional shelves (one arrived slightly damaged, as did the replacement). The BILLY is doing a great job in helping to store my craft supplies. I will purchase 2 more for my craft books and a possible 3rd for my hallway. A good find for my purpose. There is something that annoys me about the unit. The holes for the shelf pins do not go down the full length of both side panels. There is a hole on one panel side but not a corresponding hole opposite. Annoying when trying to get as much space from it as possible.4
Butchered My BillyAnonymous reviewerDue to the location where this product was being placed, I had to make some adjustments to the product to allow access to a plug socket. Along with the correct sized boxes for this unit, I created a shoe tidy in my entrance hall so shoes aren't left laying around.5
Great shelf unitAnonymous reviewerBought this as extra shelving for my kitchen and it fits in really well. Plenty of storage5
Goes well with our Billy with doorsAnonymous reviewerWe bought this to go next to a Billy with doors and it looks great. Easy to assemble and goes well with the other light oak cupboards from another supplier.5
Great!Anonymous reviewerSturdy book case. I’ve bought a few. One for books. Others for kitchen storage as they aren’t too deep!5
Billy BookcaseAnonymous reviewerGreat storage whilst not taking up much room, that good I went back and bought a second one 👌5
Great value, reasonable qualityAnonymous reviewerI was looking at the price of board to build something of my own, but it just wasn't worth it. The Billies were pretty much what I needed anyway for dimension, the work is done for you, the strength and quality is good and it's cheaper than D.I.Y. Assembly was reasonably easy and with minimal tools. I bolted six of them together to make a bigger bookcase and it looks and works well.5
Sturdy and practicalAnonymous reviewerExcellent quality, easily assembled and very sturdy5
SturdyAnonymous reviewerWas bigger that expected but loving it5
Storage unitAnonymous reviewerYou get what you pay for. I only needed help to put a door on it. I'm 64 year old woman.4
Shame about the paper foil replacing wood veneerAnonymous reviewerFunctionally I can't fault this. It's a sturdy and versatile bookcase designed to hold the weight of actual books. The appearance, though, is a big disappointment compared to previous versions of BILLY. The old wood veneer really made the bookcase look and feel like genuine wood. Paper foil just feels flimsy and artificial. It's a bookcase wrapped in a picture of a bookcase. I understand the price of wood has increased, but I'd prefer to have the option of paying slightly more for the quality I expect from Ikea.4
Walk in closetAnonymous reviewerAmazing little room all from billy bookcase just the job very robust exactly what I needed5
BeautifulAnonymous reviewerBeautiful addition to my living room5
BookcaseAnonymous reviewerDoes what it says on the tin, Billy bookcase always looks classy.5
Perfect solutionAnonymous reviewerPerfect solution for a home with very limited space and no cupboard space5

Customer reviews

4.8Average rating
197Reviews
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Functional and modern
5
I love the billy system, we have used the Billy bookcases in a couple of different rooms in our home and love how you can create your own custom system with them. Making them super useful for your space!
Anonymous reviewer, United Kingdom
Easy to assemble
5
This product is easy to assemble. I now have a new bookcase to replace my old one
Anonymous reviewer, United Kingdom
Recommended
5
Bought this bookcase along with a wider one to create a library corner. Looks very stylish. Adjustable shelves are handy too. Great value
Anonymous reviewer, United Kingdom

Accessories for BILLY

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Material

What is particleboard?

Particleboard is made from recycled wood and sawmill leftovers – so wood pieces with the wrong shade, woodchips and sawdust become a resource instead of possibly being discarded. We use boards for things like bookcases, bed frames, sofas and kitchen frames. To protect from wear and moisture, we apply varnish, veneer or foil that adds to the furniture's look.

Designer thoughts

Designer thoughts

"When I got the assignment to design a simple, functional and smart storage for books, I couldn’t have imagined that BILLY bookcase would wind up in so many homes across the world. I remember being especially pleased with the adjustable shelves and the depth of the bookcase – perfect for books. We were also able to transport it in a flat pack - an idea I was actually first to develop. The bookcase is one of my favourites and I hope it will be around for many more years."

Designer Gillis Lundgren (1929-2016)

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