That pre-cut notch at the bottom of your BILLY is maddeningly close to clearing your baseboard but close isn’t good enough. Here’s how to fix it, from the most polished finish to dead-simple solutions.
The IKEA BILLY bookcase is a legend when it comes to furniture hacks. People have turned the popular bookshelf into everything from custom built-ins to standing shoe closets to mega entertainment centers.
But to get these DIYs to look their best, the key is to clear the baseboards so the BILLY bookcase sits flush against the wall.
Baseboards get in the way when it comes to plenty of hacks, but luckily, it’s pretty easy to work around them if you know how.
Years ago, I set up a PAX wardrobe in one of my homes, and I removed a section of my baseboards so the unit could go right up to the wall. It really enhanced the whole built-in look, not to mention it gave me about an extra 1½ inches of floor space.
Since then, anytime I’ve added any type of large furniture against a wall, I think about how to get it to sit flush. It turns out that plenty of people on Reddit had the same idea about getting the BILLY bookcase off the baseboards.
If you’re looking for ways to keep your BILLY off the baseboards, check out these ideas.
How To Clear the BILLY Bookcase Off Baseboards
If you buy a new BILLY bookcase and have typical baseboards, you won’t get the shelf to sit right up against the wall. But that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. These ideas offer all sorts of ways to make the BILLY sit flush.
1. A Custom Platform for BILLY Built-Ins
If you’re dreaming of beautiful BILLY built-ins, many hackers swear by creating a platform for the BILLY bookcase to clear the baseboards. Construct a frame using 2x4s or 2x6s, often set back slightly from the front, to act as a plinth. You get a stable base that lets you install baseboard molding along the bottom for a custom look.
2. Raise the BILLY Bookcase With Furniture Legs
Add legs to your BILLY bookcase to give it the boost it needs. IKEA sells a bunch of different furniture legs that are great options for raising the BILLY bookcase. You can also find various styles of furniture feet at home improvement stores and online, making it easy to get a style that matches your overall design.
3. Remove and Replace the Baseboards
This hack is similar to the one I did for my PAX wardrobe (and other pieces over the years). Remove the section of the baseboards from behind the BILLY so it sits flush against the wall. Then add trim around the base, or leave as is.
Tip: Don’t toss the piece of baseboard you remove, and don’t modify the baseboard! If you ever decide to move the BILLY, you can replace the baseboard, caulk the seams, and paint to make it look like you never did a thing. I did this in my hallway with a bookshelf, and you would never know I had once removed a piece of the trim.
4. Cut the Back of the BILLY Bookshelf
The BILLY does actually come with a notch pre-cut into its base. The problem is that baseboard profiles vary wildly from home to home, and if yours sits even a whisker taller or deeper than BILLY anticipated, you’re stuck with a bookcase that won’t sit flush against the wall and totally ruins the aesthetics.
There are two ways to cut the BILLY notch to clear your baseboard:
- Use a hand file or rasp
If the BILLY’s base is almost over the baseboards, try using a rasp or file to sand down as needed. Hold the file flat against the inside edge of the notch and work in smooth, controlled strokes along your marked line. It takes a little longer but gives you the most control, and there’s genuinely no risk of overcutting. Test the fit regularly as you go — you’re aiming for a small gap rather than a tight fit, so the bookcase rests on the floor rather than on the trim.
- Use a multitool
If you need to remove a little more, a multitool with a wood-cutting blade is your best bet. Start by marking your cut line with a pencil, or run a strip of masking tape along the base and mark on that if you’d rather not mark the bookcase directly. Lay the bookcase on its side so you have clean, stable access to the base, follow your marked line carefully, and keep the cut just inside the line so you can refine it afterwards with sandpaper.
5. Stick Some Rubber Feet or Felt Pads Underneath
This is the fastest fix, and perfectly effective if your gap is small. Stick a set of rubber feet or felt furniture pads under the two side panels of the bookcase base, and you raise the notch just enough to clear the baseboard and sit flush against the wall.
A Reddit user demonstrated how the large rubber pads from IKEA’s curtain hook set helped give their BILLY just enough of a boost to get over the baseboards. But you may not have spare parts from the BETYDLIG curtain set, then these furniture rubber strips may do the job.
6. Place It on a Cut-to-Size MDF or Plywood Sheet
A couple of users mentioned cutting a piece of plywood or MDF to size to fit the exact footprint of the BILLY. They painted it to match the bookcase and placed it underneath to raise it up a bit.
7. Fit IKEA Floor Protectors
This tip is similar to the furniture sliders one, but a Reddit commenter (who claimed to be a previous IKEA builder) suggested contacting IKEA for nail-in floor protectors. This way, they point out, you’ll stick with all original IKEA parts, and you might even get them for free.
Is It Time to Give Your BILLY a Raise?
There is certainly something about getting the BILLY to sit flush against the wall that gives it a whole new look. Overall, it comes across as a bit more sophisticated and polished, not to mention it saves you space. And if you’re working with a small room, you know that every little bit counts!
How about you? Do you need to get your BILLY off the baseboards? Which of these tips do you think would work best for you? Or do you have a new idea to share?