Ikea bookshelves not fitting over skirting boards ?how to solve

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NicolaM

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Hi all
I have just bought tall bookshelves from Ikea.
The bottom of the bookselves have a bit cut out, presumably to fit over a skirting board. However, my shirting boards(standard size) are taller than this cut out portion, so the bookshelves ar not flush with the wall, and in fact seem to be leaning further out at the top of the shelves , compared with the bottom, :)eek:), which is slightly disquieting..
Presumably this must happen with a lot of skirting boards, if mine are a standard size.
I've 3 questions:
1) has anyone cut an extra portion off the end bit of these type bookshelves, to enlarge the cut out bit, so skirting board fits properly at base of shelving, and booksheves are flush with the wall? (range is Billy bookshelves). Did this make a mess of the bookshelves if so?
2) What's be the best tool to do this with?
3) Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced drill that has a 'saw' type attachment (as well as regular masonary bits), that I could use, if this is an appropriate tool for the job?
I have to fix the bookshelves to the wall for safely, and want a drill that's be able to do the cutting job, as well as the drilling holes in the wall job.
Thanks for advise
Nicola
 
Nicola, I'm not aware of a drill that can cut as well! Your best bet would be to go into a tool hire place and rent a jig saw for the day. That will give you a fine enough cut and it is easy enough to use. Re the drill, it depends what your walls are made off - if they're heavy concrete walls you'd need a hammer drill, otherwise any cheapo drill will do. Alternatively you could get a hammer and chissel and have a go at the skirting-board and chissel out the bit that exceeds the cut-out bit of the shelf. I hope this helps!
 
Thanks Petal,
Appreciate the advise. The walls are solid concrete, so will need to look for a heavy duty drill then.
I can't cut bits out of skirtingboard (well, I could, but it's glued to the walls so would create a huge mess)
I'm sure a friend of mine had a drill that had a straight saw attachment bit too , but I have no idea where he picked it up. I used it before for cutting branches off a (dead) Christmas tree..I think the same drill had drill bits..
Bit anxious of causing huge damage!
Nicola
 
I had a similar problem with ikea bookshelves. If you have an off-cut of a piece of skirting, place your bookshelf flat on the ground and trace the outline of the board onto the side of your bookshelf. If you're handy with a jigsaw, use this to cut out the shape. don't cut on the line though. Cut fairly close and sand the rest of the edge smooth to blend with the existing cut-out. Remember, measure twice, cut once!
Your shelves should have come with a little piece of webbed fabric to fix them to the wall at the top. If you have children in the room, i'd use this. It'll provide enough resistance for a toddler/child pulling it or climbing.
 
You need a jig saw, I have a Black and Decker one, small and easy to manoeuver, my drill is a sepaerate machine, maybe you can get them combined, make sure you mark out with a pencil where you want to make the cut. If you've never used one before I'd practice on another piece of wood first so you get used to the way it vibrates. You need to be very careful as it's quite a dangerous piece of equipment. I think taking off the skirting, buying new skirting and cutting a straight cut to where the bookcase starts might be easier, maybe in your local hardware store you cut get someone to do just the one cut with an ordinary saw if you have the measurements.
 
Thanks guys. Good advise all round, will investigate either jig saw or new skirting
:)
Nicola
 
A bit off topic, but how to the shelves look? Debating about whether to get a carpenter to come and build some for us or to get IKEA ones.
 
Maybe this is off the wall (so to speak!), but couldn't you create a small wooden ledge or step for the bookcase to stand on that will raise it a little higher and allow the notch to go above the skirting?
 
If you have concrete walls, get a hammer drill - it will go in really easily - you could rent that, too, as they tend to be a bit more expensive than your standard drill. Jig saw, I have a black and decker one, too and it's handy but as previously recommended, it would probably be good to practise on something first. Make sure you get a good blade for it as it very much depends on material and thickness of material and type of cut (fine or coarse) you want, so best to talk to someone in the hardware store (or tool hire).
 
Hi
The shelves look really nice, was very impressed with selection in Ikea: and very cheap: I think the larger shelves I got cost less than £30 (202 cm height)! Fairly easy to assemble too.
Bit of a problem fitting them in the car though, barely got them in(and minimum £100 for delivery to republic)
Definitely much cheaper than getting custom made.
The only negative thing I'll say looks wise is that there are holes visible on the inside of the shelves, down both sides, where the stays for the invididual shelves can be fitted in.(more holes than shelves, so you can vary the amount/position of shelves, if you know what I mean).
The stuff looks much more impressive in the show rooms than it does on the Ikea site, and seems surprisingly well made.
I hadn't considered renting the equipment, but that's quite a good idea,
Thanks
Nicola
 
For the little holes inside the unit, you can get plastic plugs in a diy store but ikea stuff is often "unique" in dimensions so standart fittings often won't match. I'd use a wood filler. It's a bit like putty, you just use an old credit card or similar and scrape the stuff into the hole and wipe away the excess (stop laughing at the back). Easy and looks ok because the holes are in the shade. Use a darker colour than the wood.
 
NicolaM said:
2) What's be the best tool to do this with?
Click to expand...

Best tool for this job would be a router. Next best would be a jig saw with a good shallow blade (designed to cut curves). As jig saws cut on the up-stroke, the cleanest cut will always be on the side opposite to the one you run the saw across. Break out will occur on the face the saw runs along, so take this into account if possible.

Are the walls cast concrete or concrete block? If block, then you will need a mains drill, the majority of cordless drills just aren't up to it. If it's a cast concrete wall as featured in many ex-corpo houses, an even more powerful SDS drill would be ideal.

I'm a guy who likes his power tools, but I'm not aware of anything on the market that allows both rotary drilling action along with reciprocating sawing. There are a number of 'multi-tools' available, but these are all rotary. You can get spiral 'saw' bits to use with these, but I wouldn't recommend them here.
Leo
 
A coping saw would be the easiest and cheapest tool to use in this particular case.

In order to stick something permanently to a wall you could use something like no more nails.
Get the unit up to the wall, fitting where you want, then pull it away,
Squirt no more nails onto the back of it in blobs,
put it up to the wall press it against the wall,
put it away again for about 5 mins,
then push it back up against the wall.
No drills no fuss.
 
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Hi all
I'd never heard of a coping saw: Just googled it, seems like it might just do the job!
Woodfiller good idea too (shelves are white, so regular filler might just do).
Cheers for all the practical tips too, very useful.
I'm going to have a think about it, and work out what is easiest to do
:)
Nicola
 
Just be warned, it might take some time with the coping saw! But no harm in giving it a try...
 
I ran into this issue as well. So I just trimmed the base of the shelves with a coping saw. I also cut holes in the backing board to give access to plug points - a sharp blade or scissors will do the trick there. I would not go to all the trouble of trimming the skirting - it's an awful lot easier just cutting the chipboard! And no matter how bad a job you do, it will not be visible down there.

Regarding securing the shelves to the wall - Ikea provide an L-plate to attach to the wall and to the top of the bookcase - in my view, gluing the entire bookshelf to the wall would be overkill.

(The Billy range also have optional height extenders which are handy)
 
NicolaM said:
and in fact seem to be leaning further out at the top of the shelves , compared with the bottom, :)eek:), which is slightly disquieting
Click to expand...

Is there a fitted carpet under the shelves? more than likely caused by the gripper strip.
 
Hi
No fitted carpet, it's on a wooden floor: I think they are leaning because the bottom is being pushed out by the skirting board,they looked slightly ready to topple when I put them up last night! Reminescent of Leaning Tower..
I have the Ikea attachment to secure them to the wall, but they are at a distance of several CM from the wall as stands,more so at top, due to skirting board problem.
What fitting did you attach to the Ikea L Plate Simp? I have to stick whatever it is into a solid wall (presuamably concrete)
Thanks all
Nicola
 
I would advise you to firstly cut space for the skirting at the bottom - then the top should go against the wall. There are two screws provided - they go into the top of the Billy. Then select a suitable screw to go into your wall at the other end - in your case you'll need to drill a hole and put a rawl plug into your concrete wall (I was going into a dry lined wall, and so could secure a wood screw into a batten). Have fun!
 
If you have dry walls then use a dry wall fixing.
The way I told you would be the easiest for a novice to get right.
 
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