IKEA Billy bookcase
Hacker ApprovedBookcase in Home & kitchen
Cheap, adjustable, and hackable shelving that many owners find sturdy for years. Critics say later versions use thinner paper-wrapped boards that sag under heavy loads.
Cheap, adjustable, and hackable shelving that many owners find sturdy for years. Critics say later versions use thinner paper-wrapped boards that sag under heavy loads.
25 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 17
- criticize it
- 8
- approval share
- 68%
Recommended in 6 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: recommended
- April 2026: recommended
- May 2026: recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it carries the badge
- 17 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 2.1 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 6 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Sturdy and long-lasting
“I have some older Billy shelves that have been very solid, even when overloaded with books”
Comment from 16 Sep 2026 in “Let's make quality the norm again” “It's a shelf and in the past few years it has not yet failed at holding my books.”
Comment from 5 Mar 2026 in “Billy bookshelves as a retro motherboard "rack"” “they have lasted many years (eve ones bought second hand) and moves.”
Comment from 22 May 2026 in “Google Declaring War on the Web” - Comment from 23 May 2026 in “My two-part desk setup”
- Comment from 19 Aug 2026 in “How does IKEA come up with names for its products?”
Cheap for what you get
“Looks amazing, cheap as hell.”
Comment from 31 Aug 2026 in “Hacking IKEA Furniture” “Billy's are fairly cheap.”
Comment from 6 Mar 2026 in “Billy bookshelves as a retro motherboard "rack"” Easy to adjust and hack
“IKEA furniture is great for small adjustments to fit your needs.”
Comment from 30 Aug 2026 in “Hacking IKEA Furniture” “Billy bookshelves are well known for their hackability.”
Comment from 5 Mar 2026 in “Billy bookshelves as a retro motherboard "rack"”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Flimsy paper-based materials
“The later years replaced veneer with paper foil, used thinner shelves, frames, and backing panels, and was just significantly weaker.”
Comment from 30 Sep 2026 in “Livenerf: Has Opus 5.5 been nerfed yet?” “they replaced the previously decently durable wood veneer surfaces with glued on wood-pattern paper wraps”
Comment from 30 Aug 2026 in “Hacking IKEA Furniture” “Their stuff makes frickin' papier-mâché look like a steel girder in comparison.”
Comment from 5 Mar 2026 in “Billy bookshelves as a retro motherboard "rack"” - Comment from 5 Mar 2026 in “Billy bookshelves as a retro motherboard "rack"”
Sags under heavy loads
“it can substantially sag with heavier loads”
Comment from 5 Mar 2026 in “Billy bookshelves as a retro motherboard "rack"” “it's still a cheap ikea, cardboard shelf, that will bow under weight”
Comment from 30 Aug 2026 in “Hacking IKEA Furniture” “The shelves will start to sag substantially if you fill them.”
Comment from 5 Mar 2026 in “Billy bookshelves as a retro motherboard "rack"” Can fall apart over time
“I've bought simple shelving that began to fall apart within years (Billy maybe?)”
Comment from 16 Aug 2026 in “Software Engineering fundamentals matter more” “if they tried it one more time the thing would collapse”
Comment from 16 Aug 2026 in “Software Engineering fundamentals matter more”
What people recommend instead
The same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEA Billy bookcaseThis page | 17 | 8 | 68% | 6 | — | Approved |
| IKEA Kallax shelf | 8 | 2 | 80% | 3 | — | — |
What people said
26 of the 27 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“The later years replaced veneer with paper foil, used thinner shelves, frames, and backing panels, and was just significantly weaker.”
“I have some older Billy shelves that have been very solid, even when overloaded with books”
“Looks amazing, cheap as hell.”
“they replaced the previously decently durable wood veneer surfaces with glued on wood-pattern paper wraps”
“it's still a cheap ikea, cardboard shelf, that will bow under weight”
“IKEA furniture is great for small adjustments to fit your needs.”
“it's sturdy and will last forever”
“I've bought simple shelving that began to fall apart within years (Billy maybe?)”
“if they tried it one more time the thing would collapse”
“They are sturdy, high quality and withstand to abuse.”
“they have lasted many years (eve ones bought second hand) and moves.”
“Might be helpful for the overhang”
“Billy's are fairly cheap.”
“the BILLY does leave a bit of album hanging out”
“the product would be far more sturdy”
“Their stuff makes frickin' papier-mâché look like a steel girder in comparison.”
“Billy bookshelves are well known for their hackability.”
“What can I say, I'm a Billy simp, there's one just behind me as I'm writing this comment”
“it can substantially sag with heavier loads”
“Can't say I can observe this with a few years old ones.”
“Literally best of both worlds.”
“The shelves will start to sag substantially if you fill them.”
“fully populating lack legs is not recommended”
“It's a shelf and in the past few years it has not yet failed at holding my books.”
“That shelf is more glue and fire retardant than it is wood.”
“some items are still cheaper for me to purchase in Canada directly”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.