IKEA - BILLY Bookcase (how many dvd's/blu-rays?)

MrKennedy · 21-09-2008, 8:02 PM

Hi guys,

Im interested in starting anew project for fall 2008 being my 'media storage' room... i am currently looking at replacing my old argos (

makes me sad to even say that).. but anyway, my current argos dvd units with new more refreshed and vibrant looking shelfs and units.
I want to have my 2nd bedroom as a room soley for the pc and media storage.

I've been looking over IKEA recently and found the (flagship) BILLY Bookcase...which seems to come-up alot in conversation around AV, my question is.....
"How many dvd's does it hold exactly?" and by that i mean on a row (not double to a row, i.e. 1 in front the other or boxsets) just single dvd row to 1 shelf?

At the moment i have 1021 dvd's, thats a rough estimate going by just adding up the size of the shelfs and what they hold, it's probably likely more than that actually as have a few lying around and + my hd-dvd/bluray collection (not too big for now, bar from the hd-dvds

)...
i also like to break my collection up into genre's so would need the unit to be farely suitible to be a.)constantly added too and b.)easily broken up by the way of dvd's/boxsets/genre's....

Currently i am looking at the BILLY/Benno combo (http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S39837961) as this seems to the best choice! for me at the moment but it does seem huge! [if anyone could tell me how many this unit would hold it'd be greatly appreciated!]

However, was tempted by the BILLY with height extension (http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S79837879) but 237cm high! my ceiling is 220cm max!! unless i'm measuring wrong

Thanks for your help,

SirTiger007 · 21-09-2008, 8:04 PM

I have a BILLY bookcase from 3 years ago, so if it has changed since then my counting will count for nothing, but it holds 37 dvd's in a row. I just counted especially for you and everything!

MrKennedy · 21-09-2008, 8:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirTiger007

I have a BILLY bookcase from 3 years ago, so if it has changed since then my counting will count for nothing, but it holds 37 dvd's in a row. I just counted especially for you and everything!

Thankyou, U R LEGEND!

MrKennedy · 21-09-2008, 8:18 PM

Could i just ask, by looking at the photos on the IKEA site it seems that the unit has 6shelves..?.. is there anyway to add another shelf for dvd's? or are the holes pre-drilled in the unit so it is not able?

I mean is it liike;

.
._____Shelf______.
.

.
._____Shelf______.
.

.
._____Shelf______.
.

and not...

.
._____Shelf______.
.
.
._____Shelf______.
.
.
._____Shelf______.
.
.

Thanks

SirTiger007 · 21-09-2008, 8:32 PM

It is like the first one I'm afraid.

Though I guess there isn't anything stopping you drilling holes in yourself?

MrKennedy · 21-09-2008, 8:44 PM

True, though, after a closer inspection...

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/70104099
looking at the Birch Veneer colour, they do seem to have quite a few holes there, though could be my eyes just wanting to see that though..

..i'm not sure, may-be-able to squeeze a 7th shelf in for good measure?

notfes53 · 21-09-2008, 8:55 PM

I've noticed that on my Benno CD tower it is possible to space some shelves such that they can 'just' accommodate the slightly smaller height of Blu-Ray and HD-DVD cases, but this specific shelf spacing doesn't fit the larger SD DVD cases. The more compact spacing arrangement also allows for one CD case-sized spacing per half-Benno - i.e. above and below the fixed middle shelf.

It's not an exact science, but I think one Benno tower could fit 88 high-def cases and 30 CD cases. I have two Benno towers side by side, and I am still trying to make the best of the space. I still have some gaps which are just under half-CD height.

Hope that this is some help!

SeanT · 21-09-2008, 9:04 PM

I have a variation on the Billy-Benno, as there is a change of room and an archway in the way - plus I needed two extra shelves for the first Billy - so I bought another whole Billy, cut in in half heightwise, and tagged it on the end of the pair of Bennos with a full Billy in between, with a shelf on the top. Will have to post a pic at some point. You can fit 55 HD DVDs on one Billy shelf, and hundreds of CDs and DVDs on the rest, aswell as some books - amazing really, I bought the extra Benno to get more room for media, but it's still full of baby toys as I can't afford the discs to fill it!!!!

MrKennedy · 21-09-2008, 9:23 PM

Thanks for your help guys, would like to see some pictures definatly, sounds great.

I have just measured and the area i have to work with is currently...

width - 220cm max (as of a lightswich)
depth - 30-35cm max
height - 220cm max

The problem i have is i need at least 3x BILLY bookcases (w-80cm/d-28/h-202) and if i put another extension- BILLY shelf ontop of the bookcase itself then the height goes to 237cm! which is 17cm higher than my ceiling!

Plus, not to mention that fact that 3x BILLY bookcases takes me to width-240cm! which is 20cm over my area in which to work in

The Benno tower is pretty good but i do have something simular from argos (in beech

) i'm after replacing it with all white, so thats perfect for the hd-dvd's and blurays but it's my current 1000+ dvd's that are going to struggle fitting in in the BIlly with just the 6 shelves... Ikea need to do a BILLY 'DVD' Bookcase lol

If anyone has any other options or idea's please let me know

MrKennedy · 24-09-2008, 7:40 PM

Ok, after giving it some thought..i am curious to know how easy it is to customise an ikea unit?

I mean say if i wanted to join 2 sides with 2 back panels to one frame with the BILLY bookcase shelves (but join them, so in theory what would currently be used as 2 shelves when bought seperatly could be made into one by joining with with a metal clasp?..)

I.e.

|
|----------shelf-----------------------------shelf---------|
| ^ clasp under here to join into 2 Billy shelves ^

homethx · 28-09-2008, 1:54 AM

my billy with seven shelves had to drill extra holes because of the hinges getting in the way. holds 50 dvd a shelf

MrKennedy · 28-09-2008, 7:55 PM

Awesome, thankyou. I think i'm going to do that...drill the extra holes, your setup looks really nice by the way, do you have glass shelves there?

Love all the blurays

homethx · 29-09-2008, 11:19 AM

I need more space now,that's why it's packed like that going to sell it and put all the dvds on the server.

Glass shelves £8 each from ikea.

MrKennedy · 30-09-2008, 6:47 PM

Thanks for your help!

Just to confirm how many dvd's can you fit on a shelf singly? i mean to one row on one shelf, not dvd infront of dvd... (i.e. spine behind another dvd)

homethx · 30-09-2008, 11:23 PM

just had a count you can fit at most 51 standard size dvds so you can fit 400 dvds per billy book case with the drill mod.

Glad to be of help

dubfire_breakz · 06-10-2008, 6:48 AM

love the whole billy thing going on there i looked at the site and the pics dont do it justice ...never thought of the whols glass thing.
call me stupid but where can i locate the glass shelves on there a quick wizz round the billy section on the ikea site has turned up no result.

IPaintSara · 06-10-2008, 11:30 AM

If you can accommodate the depth, consider Besta http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/20102130 There's a matching drawer with DVD rack or you can stand them three ranks deep if you don't mind the outer rank hanging over by an inch or so. Billy glass shelf? http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/90094037 just select "glass" from the little dropdown

homethx · 06-10-2008, 1:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dubfire_breakz

love the whole billy thing going on there i looked at the site and the pics dont do it justice ...never thought of the whols glass thing.
call me stupid but where can i locate the glass shelves on there a quick wizz round the billy section on the ikea site has turned up no result.

here you go http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/03690900

MrKennedy · 12-10-2008, 6:21 PM

Haven't managed to make it up Ikea yet i'm afraid, i'll keep you posted though on the updates and pop some photo's on here too. Thanks for all your help, it's been really appreciated!

graham.myers · 12-10-2008, 9:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrKennedy

Could i just ask, by looking at the photos on the IKEA site it seems that the unit has 6shelves..?.. is there anyway to add another shelf for dvd's? or are the holes pre-drilled in the unit so it is not able?

I mean is it liike;

.
._____Shelf______.
.

.
._____Shelf______.
.

.
._____Shelf______.
.

and not...

.
._____Shelf______.
.
.
._____Shelf______.
.
.
._____Shelf______.
.
.

Thanks

You can buy extra shelves. I bought several. There are also two widths. The wider model will give about 50 across. I have 8 rows in mine (7 shelves) and they can be stacked two deep.

so 8x50 x2 = 800 disks maximum.

if you look at my cinema gallery there are photos of the full billy bookcases

Upgraded Cinema room to HD

homethx · 13-10-2008, 10:47 AM

That setup looks like a nightmare if you double stack them, as you can never find what you looking for

graham.myers · 13-10-2008, 11:30 AM

The left side is in alphabetical order ,so easy. The right hand side is boxsets and tv series - they're random

Sandman · 13-10-2008, 1:16 PM

I have 2 BILLY bookcases in my living room. I also got the glass doors fom them as can be seen in this thread.
http://www.avforums.com/forums/home-...om-refurb.html

MrKennedy · 13-10-2008, 8:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by graham.myers

You can buy extra shelves. I bought several. There are also two widths. The wider model will give about 50 across. I have 8 rows in mine (7 shelves) and they can be stacked two deep.

so 8x50 x2 = 800 disks maximum.

if you look at my cinema gallery there are photos of the full billy bookcases

Upgraded Cinema room to HD

Ok thanks,

i really want to go for just 1 row per shelf (not doubled) and 50 to a shelf (7x rows) is ideal!

Is it the normal size Billy bookcase yes? not the slimmer model.

Thanks