IKEA BILLY Bookcase Dimensions: Will It Fit Your Room?
The sizes of the common BILLY bookcases, the space in front they need and a quick way to try one in your room.
The standard BILLY bookcase is 31 1/2 in wide, 11 in deep and 79 1/2 in tall (80 × 28 × 202 cm). The narrow one is 15 3/4 in (40 cm) wide. Keep 24 in (60 cm) clear in front. With that, a standard BILLY needs a room about 35 in (88 cm) deep in front of the wall.
BILLY Sizes
BILLY comes in several widths and heights. All the plain bookcases are 11 in (28 cm) deep.
- Standard: 31 1/2 × 11 × 79 1/2 in (80 × 28 × 202 cm). The one most people mean by BILLY.
- Narrow: 15 3/4 × 11 × 79 1/2 in (40 × 28 × 202 cm). Fits a gap beside a window or door.
- Low: 31 1/2 × 11 × 41 3/4 in (80 × 28 × 106 cm). Two adjustable shelves.
- With a height extension: up to 93 1/4 in (237 cm) tall. For a high ceiling; it needs the extension unit.
- With doors (BILLY / OXBERG): 31 1/2 × 11 3/4 × 79 1/2 in (80 × 30 × 202 cm). The doors add 3/4 in (2 cm) of depth, and a door needs space to swing.
Space You Need Around a BILLY
For open shelves Nooked uses the storage gap: 24 in (60 cm) in front is comfortable, and 18 in (45 cm) is the least that works. With doors, add the door's width to the front, about 15 3/4 in (40 cm) for a narrow door.
- In front, comfortable: 24 in (60 cm). Room to stand and reach the shelves.
- In front, tight: 18 in (45 cm). Enough to take a book out and turn.
- Room depth for a standard BILLY with 24 in in front: about 35 in (88 cm).
- Height: 79 1/2 in (202 cm) is under a standard ceiling. A tall one with the extension is about 93 1/4 in (237 cm), so measure the ceiling before you build it.
Where It Fits
BILLY is slim, so it fits where deeper storage does not: along a hallway, behind a sofa or filling a wall in a small room. Several in a row make a wall of shelves, and each is 31 1/2 in (80 cm) wide, so a 10 ft (3 m) wall takes three, with room for a narrow one.
Where These Sizes Come From
Sizes are from IKEA's US product listings, checked on 20 October 2026. IKEA changes its range, so confirm the size on the listing before you buy.
KALLAX, BILLY and PAX are trademarks of Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Nooked is not affiliated with IKEA.
Common questions
- How big is a BILLY bookcase?
- The standard BILLY is 31 1/2 in wide, 11 in deep and 79 1/2 in tall (80 × 28 × 202 cm). The narrow one is 15 3/4 in (40 cm) wide.
- How deep is a BILLY bookcase?
- 11 in (28 cm). The versions with doors are 11 3/4 in (30 cm) deep.
- How much space do you need in front of a bookcase?
- About 24 in (60 cm) is comfortable, and 18 in (45 cm) is the least that works. Doors need extra space to swing open.
- How tall is a BILLY with the height extension?
- Up to 93 1/4 in (237 cm). Check your ceiling before you build it.
Check it in Nooked
Nooked is a furniture fit checker and decision tool that lets shoppers place real furniture at real scale before buying. Compare finds from different stores and build a moodboard of pieces that fit together in size and style.