How can I upcycle and personalise a BILLY Bookcase?

Category: FAQ

“How can I upcycle and personalise
a BILLY Bookcase?"

Kayleigh Sherbourne

DIY Expert

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Question

I've got an old Billy Bookcase I want to upcycle, but where's the best place to put it and how do I make it unique?

Answer

I love a BILLY Bookcase! And I’m not alone, according to IKEA, they sell one every five seconds around the world. There are a lot of them out there!
Firstly, here’s a hack I’ve only just discovered, the BILLY Bookcase has a relatively shallow depth of 28cm, making it the perfect fit behind a door. It’s been a brilliant space saving hack in our house.

Secondly, how do you make it unique? Well, my son, whose room the BILLY Bookcase upcycle was for, loves a Jackson Pollock-style paint splash. I got creative with a splatter of Frenchic’s Al Fresco Dazzle Me! paint, and I absolutely love the result. Here’s how I did it…

First up, if you’ve got a brand-new BILLY Bookcase get cracking on assembling it.

Tip: get a friend to help, they’re very tricky to put up on your own. My BILLY Bookcase was a second-hand one, so it needed a very good clean before I started sanding it down. You’ll be surprised at how grubby they can be.

To use Frenchic’s Sugar Soap, add approximately ¼ (125ml) of the bottle to 4.5 litres of warm water and give it a good stir. I like to apply the solution liberally with a sponge to make sure it’s squeaky clean. If your BILLY Bookcase is brand-new, straight out the box, then the Sugar Soap step isn't necessary.

However, whether your BILLY Bookcase is new or old, it will need the sanding step. If you have used Sugar Soap, make sure the bookcase is fully dry before you start sanding.

I like to use a 120-grit sandpaper, which is a medium sandpaper and great for general-purpose projects and prepping wood for painting. I hand-sanded my BILLY Bookcase, but you could use a power tool.

However, whether your BILLY Bookcase is new or old, it will need the sanding step. If you have used Sugar Soap, make sure the bookcase is fully dry before you start sanding.

I like to use a 120-grit sandpaper, which is a medium sandpaper and great for general-purpose projects and prepping wood for painting. I hand-sanded my BILLY Bookcase, but you could use a power tool.

Once you’ve sanded it down, make sure you wipe away any excess dust from the bookcase, before applying your first coat of paint. I used Chalk Wall Paint in Smooch, which has great coverage. I applied three coats to get the exact colour I wanted, making sure each one was completely dry before adding the next. When you paint each coat, avoid painting too thickly to prevent paint drips.

Then for the fun part, for some contrast to the dark colour, I flicked on Dazzle Me! with a Frenchic Oval Brush.

This is very much personal preference, but once I’ve finished painting and the paint is totally dry, I like to add a layer of Tuff Top Coat or Finishing Coat for extra protection against chipping.

So, there you have it. A personalised Billy Bookcase and extra space in your room! Win, win.

This is very much personal preference, but once I’ve finished painting and the paint is totally dry, I like to add a layer of Tuff Top Coat or Finishing Coat for extra protection against chipping.

So, there you have it. A personalised Billy Bookcase and extra space in your room! Win, win.

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