IKEA Billy
IKEA Billy bookcases. Not a major ‘hack’, but these started out with the Oak trim. We weren’t sure they’d fit (measured using cardboard cutouts) and they squeezed in perfectly. We did a ton of research on painting and wanted to thank you all for posting your experiences, both good and bad!
Process: Sanded with rotary sander, Zinsser BIN Primer rolled on, scuff sand, second coat of primer, scuff sand, first coat of SW Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel sprayed on, scuff sand, second coat of paint.
We waited longer than the manufacturer recommended times between coats of everything. Painted over about 72 hours. They’ve cured for 2 weeks and we’ve finally added books to the shelves and so far, so good.
We did paint the shelves separately from the units and found it to be a very tight squeeze re-installing them, due to the extra layers of paint. We had to stretch (brute force) the cabinets a bit but we managed to get them in without scratching anything. Just something to keep in mind if you’re painting shelves separately.
Color: SW River Rouge
Added some peel and stick wallpaper to the back for some extra fun.