IKEA-BILLY shelf hack: upcycling & DIY instructions

4 min reading time

It can be found in countless flats and houses around the world: the indestructible IKEA BILLY shelf. With its perfect depth, it is simply the ideal bookshelf. As with most IKEA furniture, however, the choice of colours is unfortunately limited - we therefore provide you with a BILLY shelf upcycling hack: Just paint and turn your IKEA BILLY into your personal DIY favourite!

Would you like to paint your BILLY shelf?

To the product set

1. Before & after photos from our community
2. Which shades are suitable for painting a BILLY shelf?
3. BILLY shelf hack: step-by-step instructions from MissPompadour
4. Video: IKEA BILLY makeover
5. FAQ about the IKEA BILLY shelf hack
6. You’ll need these tools to paint the BILLY shelf

How our customers have painted their BILLY shelves

Be inspired by the ideas and successful realisations from our community!

Which colours are suitable for painting a BILLY shelf?

The BILLY shelf is incredibly versatile – it offers essential storage space in children's rooms or kitchens and is the ultimate bookshelf for so many people. Fitted with doors, the furniture can easily be transformed into a simple cupboard.
To make your IKEA BILLY shelf truly shine, we recommend priming it first and then applying paint. Our Easy Eggshell! is a beautifully soft, silky matt, and durable lacquer available in a rainbow of fantastic colours. Whether you prefer a subtle pastel shade like MissPompadour Beige with Peach, or a vibrant hue like MissPompadour Orange with Tangerine, we've got you covered.
If you're after a completely matt finish for your IKEA BILLY furniture, you can also paint your BILLY shelf with chalk paints. Pick your favourite shade from the CosyColours or LittlePomp chalk paints and get creative!

Your newly painted furniture will be dry to the touch in just a few hours, and it will reach its full durability during the curing time of approximately 10-14 days. After this, you'll have a robust, everyday-ready surface that will bring you joy for years to come! If your furniture experiences heavy use, we suggest sealing the paint finish with a clear lacquer.

BILLY shelf hack: step-by-step instructions from MissPompadour

Whether you use your IKEA BILLY as a classic bookshelf or as a shoe rack hack, a new coat of paint can quickly and easily turn your BILLY into a real design eye-catcher. IKEA BILLY shelves are covered with plastic veneer and have a very smooth surface. They therefore need to be well prepared for a coat of paint. To make sure your IKEA BILLY hack is a success, we have some very simple instructions and tips for you here.

Step 1: Cleaning

Clean all surfaces thoroughly before painting your IKEA BILLY shelf. The surfaces must be completely free of dust and grease. We recommend our environmentally friendly MissPompadour To Cleaner for this. Clean your BILLY thoroughly even if it is completely new. Even new furniture can have residues of grease or silicone.

If you plan to repaint all parts of your IKEA BILLY shelf in the same colour, you don't necessarily have to dismantle the shelf before painting. If you decide on different colours, it is helpful to dismantle the BILLY shelf first and paint the individual parts separately.

Step 2: Priming

Now prime all surfaces of the furniture with our To Bond & Block - MissPompadour Primer. This creates a perfect base for your varnish and allows it to adhere firmly. Leave the primer to dry for at least 3 hours, or overnight. Always make sure to use clean tools.

Step 3: Painting

Once the primer has dried, the actual painting begins with the furniture paint of your choice. We recommend our satin matt Easy Eggshell! It provides a robust and easy-care surface and is available in many great colours. Paint your IKEA BILLY shelf with a brush or Roller. You should paint at least twice. For light colours on dark surfaces, even three times.

Step 4: Leave to dry

Allow the paint to dry thoroughly before reassembling your BILLY. After 14 days drying time, the books can be put back on the shelf.

Tip: If you use your BILLY shelf as a shoe rack, for example, or if it is subject to heavy use in other ways, we recommend applying an additional layer of MissPompadour To Seal, at least on the shelves. This will make your coating even more impact- and scratch-resistant and longer-lasting!

FAQ about the IKEA BILLY shelf hack

So it doesn't work completely without work and that's why you probably have some questions about upcycling IKEA BILLY shelves.

How can I make my BILLY bookshelf look expensive?

There's a very simple way to give your IKEA BILLY shelf a new look: this shelf will make a huge difference if you give it a new colour. Choose a bold contrast to your wall paint. Or paint it tone-on-tone with the wall behind it. Another option is to make the shelf multi-coloured. Paint all the front-facing surfaces in a different colour to the horizontal and vertical surfaces. Or just give the back wall a bright colour.

Your BILLY can also be given a completely new, elegant look if you finish it with a matt varnish. Use our CosyColours chalk varnishes, for example, in one of the many great colour shades. Your IKEA BILLY shelf will quickly become a designer piece in your living room!

Painting BILLY shelves: Which colour lasts?

All varnishes from MissPompadour are perfect for pimping your IKEA BILLY shelf. An additional primer coat of MissPompadour Paints guarantees that the paint adheres perfectly to the smooth plastic veneer. Once your paint is completely dry, the colour will hold firmly and securely.

You need these tools to paint an IKEA BILLY shelf

Firstly, protect the floor under your work surface well. MissPompadour has a plastic drop cloth in the shop for this purpose. It would be practical if you could get one or two work trestles. This is because the shelves can be easily worked on them. As a shelf consists of lots of large, smooth surfaces, we recommend working with a paint roller. You will need the matching paint tray! It makes it easier for you to pick up the paint and protects the wood paint in the original tin from contamination. The narrow edges of the IKEA BILLY shelf are best finished with our fine MissPompadour brush.