Bookcases

onomatopoeia99

Like many, I have my books on the ubiquitous IKEA Billy bookcases. I'm now looking for an alternative, requirements are:

Fully adjustable with no fixed centre shelf. Billy falls down with paperbacks due to this, they don't need the full height but there's not quite enough space for an extra shelf as the middle shelf can't be moved.

Extra shelves available to purchase.

80-100cm width

Shelves won't sag under a shelf filled with hardbacks (so ideally real wood or 25mm thick chipboard).

IKEA fail on the first and last of those. I know there are 'hacks' to stengthen the Billy shelves using U section aluminium, but if I'm going to spend more money I'd rather solve all the problems at once and get away from the restricting middle shelf.

So far, short of buying library / retail shelving from a shopfitter at shopfitter prices (£££££, this is money saving expert after all) I'm not able to find anything. I could get racking from bigdug or similar but it's for my house, not a warehouse. Any ideas?

jennifernil

Have you looked at “office furniture” ?

Emmia

Budget for this is key… you could go fully bespoke, but that will be £££

Edit: a Google search throws this company up, who appear to have what you want.

https://shop.shelvingsystem.co.uk/products/pr679118

onomatopoeia99

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81970345#Comment_81970345

say £150-200 / metre, which is about double IKEA money but well under library shelving money.

PipneyJane

We have Ivar bookcases from iKEA, which are completely modular. You buy the uprights, a brace, and shelves separately, then assemble with as many shelves as you want (or as few). Mine are spaced at novel height and all my novels are double or triple parked on them. The uprights and shelves are unvarnished timber, which can be painted. Never had any sagging and I’ve been using my Ivar shelves for 26 years.

HTH

• Pip

droopsnoot

I've got quite a few "Billy" bookcases and it's a while since I built one, but if the central shelf being fixed is causing a problem, can't you just remove it, drill the holes in the side panels in a more suitable place, and fit it there instead? A few of those little plastic caps would cover the holes if you need to.