Black and White Billy Bookcase DIY - IKEA Hack

When I first saw the custom cabinets in the McGee Home, I immediately fell in love with its high end built-in look. I knew I would incorporate the same design in my home. The time came when my daughter’s room needed a makeover. I replaced her white bookcase with one of these brilliant ikea billy bookcase hacks – a black and white Billy bookcase DIY. It’s a low-budget, beginner-friendly project that can upgrade the look of an ordinary Billy/Oxberg bookcase. If you want to give this a try, here are all the details and the step-by-step tutorial.

The custom built in display cabinets in McGee Home’s living room.

There were very few designs like this that combines display shelves with glass cabinet doors in a clean and simple custom look. It was mostly floating shelves or traditional wood bookcases on the market. This beautiful design was like a breath of fresh air when it first came out.

Searching for a budget-friendly glass door bookcase

It is no surprise that black and white glass cabinets were all the rage a few years ago. There were many DIY ideas online. Everyone wanted to hack the high-end look.

I tried to hunt down a second-hand bookcase with glass doors, but everywhere I looked I saw $$$. Glass doors are expensive and for good reasons. It’s hard to make and cut custom-size glass for cabinets. While every DIYer was searching for the same thing, it was definitely a hot commodity back in the days.

After running some numbers, I decided against building something from scratch. The glass itself would have cost a fortune. Instead, I focused on finding a thrifted BILLY / OXBERG Bookcase with glass-door.

My luck struck when I saw a maple color Billy bookcase for sale on Facebook Marketplace. The price? $100. It was a steal. Compared to what I had been seeing for months.

The seller gave me a $10 discount for the deformed legs and helped me maneuver the whole bookcase inside my SUV. I drove home in an awkward position but was full of excitement that I finally found my glass cabinet/bookcase, woohoo!

Prep work: can you paint IKEA Billy bookcase?

First thing in order was to disassemble the bookcase and prepare it for paint.

I liked the maple color, but I already had the black and white look instilled to my mind. So I took the risky route of painting over the smooth finish.

Now if you’re painting a piece of IKEA furniture made of solid wood, such as TARVA or HEMMES, the steps are simple. However, most IKEA furniture has glossy, shiny finish that’s hard for regular paint to adhere to. Check out my IKEA Nordli dresser makeover for all the painting tips. As I will demonstrate through my own mistakes, that many things can go wrong if you don’t follow the proper steps.

There are several keys to painting IKEA furniture: 1. you want to scuff sand the whole piece; 2. prime the surface with shellac-based primer; 3. use high-quality furniture paint or enamel paint designed specific for cabinets (vs. walls); 4. be careful of scratching the freshly painted surface; 5. protect the paint with top coat.

I started by going over the entire bookcase, inside and out, with a medium-grit sanding pad. This roughens up the sleek surface that’s typical of IKEA furniture and provides just enough grip to the paint. It took me more than an hour. I made sure to touch all the nooks and crannies.

And yes, I also made sure to put on my respirator, even though I didn’t look cute with it on.

Then I used a paint roller to prime the flat surface, and a paint brush for the hard-to-reach spots. The key to this step was to use the right primer. The Zinsser BIN shellac-based primer is designed for difficult to paint surfaces. I’ve used it on wood that easily bleeds through and on laminate. It made a big difference in the adherence of the paint.

Tip: use a plastic folder to help with painting, so you don’t have to tape the inside edges. Masking liquid works great too.

Tip: the best way to clean a paint brush/roller that’s been used in shellac-based primer is NOT to clean it. Simply wait for it to dry and store the paint brush away. You can use denatured alcohol to soak and soften the brush bristles before you’re ready to use it again.

To achieve the black and white color scheme I wanted, I used Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace for the interior and Sherwin William’s Tricorn Black for the exterior. Feel free to use other black/white paint you have, though I think the purer the color (without much undertone), the better the result.

Another tip: using a good paint roller can achieve a smooth finish that’s similar to spray on paint using a paint sprayer. I tested the Mohair mini roller and was pleasantly with how good the finish was.

Spruce things up: metal legs and bead board

I could have kept the original Billy bookcase base and cardboard backing as is. But I wanted to challenge myself to create the most stunning IKEA hack bookcase possible.

So I (naively) cut off the base and removed the backing.

It meant I had to figure out how to screw in the new metal legs AND the bead board.

It was not too difficult to attach the legs. I followed Our Acacia Grove Home’s steps. Basically, you want to cut the base flush with the back of the bottom shelf, then attach a 1/2″ MDF board for support (the bottom of the bookcases itself is not thick enough for screws), before screwing in the legs.

I primed and painted the bookcase before attaching the legs. It’s straightforward, just make sure to drill pilot holes before screwing, MDF splits easily.

Attaching the bead board was a different story.

First of all, the bead board I got from Home Depot was expensive, and it is smaller than a typical 4×8 sheet. Given the height of this bookcase, it meant I had to strategically cut the board to cover the back. It took longer than anticipated and there were seams between the boards.

Tip: check different home improvement stores for decorative trim pieces or wall molding, sometimes there is a big price difference.

Besides, the support pieces (made of leftover 3/4″ plywood) I glued to the bookcase was not sturdy enough. Again, it took more time to cut them to size, fit in and attach. A clunky process. If I could do it again, I would use pocket holes to secure the support pieces to the sides of the bookcase.

To attach the bead board back panels, I screwed them directly to the back of the support pieces, and caulk the seams. You can also hide the small gap with wood filler, and attach the bead board with a nail gun. Pick whichever method that works best for you. After the touch up work, the seams would unnoticeable.

If you want to save all these troubles of measuring/cutting/securing beadboard, there are easier ways to hack the same look with less effort. One, you can paint the IKEA cardboard backing and draw vertical lines that mimic beadboard edge with a sharpie. Or, you can attach wallpaper that looks like beadboard. This is not only cheaper than real bead board, but will save you a lot of time (how thoughtful I am!).

Painting IKEA Billy Gone Wrong

After all the painting was done and the Billy bookcase was reassembled, I moved it to the bedroom for final finishing. Much to my dismay, I found multiple scratches and dents on the side of the bookcase. Ugh!

Even on the Oxberg doors that I so carefully sanded and primed, there was a spot with paint peeling off.

It was my first time painting IKEA furniture (this DIY is an oldie, even before the green Nordli dresser), I wasn’t super thorough with scuff sanding. What’s more, I was working alone in the garage. Every time I had to move the bookcase, I dragged it across the dirty floor with sand and rock that could easily scratch the surface.

My biggest lesson learned from this is to handle freshly painted furniture with care. If possible, move the furniture with another person to avoid ruining the finish. Before the paint is sealed and fully cured, even a gentle touch can scratch up the surface.

I chose water-based polyurethane as sealer. It’s one of my favorites for protecting painted furniture, mainly because of its ease of use, low odor, and consistent results. This sealer brushes on milky and dries clear, giving the furniture a smooth finish.

See how nice the finish was after the polyurethane was dried? There was a nice sheen on the surface and it felt smooth to touch.

Faux window pane

The last step in this project was to add the window pane to the glass doors. This is one of the key design features of the Kedzie Black and White Cabinet, another inspiration of mine. I used 1/4″ x 3/4″ trim, and super glued it to the glass.

Here are the measurements:

72″ vertical trim piece (quantity = 2)

5 3/16″ horizontal trim piece (quantity = 4)

Make sure to use glue that’s suitable for glass. The one I used wasn’t designed specifically for glass, and it sadly came off after 2 years. If you want this Billy bookcase DIY to hold up, don’t skim on materials.

I also painted the outside edge of the adjustable shelves black to add a few more horizontal lines to the window pane grid. The entire piece was looking completely different after a fresh coat of paint.

And just like any other DIY projects, there is more than one way to get to the same goal. If you’re feeling creative, besides gluing on wood trim, you can also use 1. electrical tape, 2. black washi tape, 3. paint. These are cheaper, easier alternatives.

Final Reveal

Now comes my favorite part of this DIY project. After caulking and touchup paint, the black and white display cabinet was ready for styling.

I wrapped the children’s books with the MALA drawing paper to make them look pretty and borrowed decorative items from the rest of my home for the reveal shots.

Although I hit a few speedbumps along the way, I’m so happy with the final result. The painted glass doors paired with the white beadboard back have such a upscale look. It’s a perfect way to add storage and charm to a home office, living room or dining room. And the best part is this is a simple DIY project. You don’t have to cut open the bookcase, if you don’t want to. Just paint, patience and some creativity are all you need.

Plain Billy bookcase.