I'm looking to replace mine soon with a collection of globe-wernickes. It's gonna be expensive but it will look so much better. Billy has been great in the meantime though.
I'm looking to replace mine soon with a collection of globe-wernickes. It's gonna be expensive but it will look so much better. Billy has been great in the meantime though.
I have 3 tall Billy bookcases with extensions and glass doors that hold my collectibles. I also have another 2 tall and 3 short Billy bookcases in my living room with my "reading" books on them. I have had them for anywhere from 1 year to 8 years. I've had no issues with bowing at all. With the amount of books I have, I couldn't afford any big, beautiful custom-made cases (at least, not yet). These have done the job and I have no complaints.
I agree with what others are saying for the most part. The love for the Billy Bookcase is based on the bang for the buck aspect. They look great and you can't beat the price for both the size and the modular aspect of the whole line of Billy products to get it exactly right for the space you have.
That said, if I could afford real wood and still have the same size I would go that route, you can't beat real wood. I can't comment on the shelves holding the weight over time as I haven't had mine very long, but I would point out that I am pretty sure you can buy just the shelves if you need to replace them every few years and it is worth it to avoid buying/building a whole new unit.
I too have Billy bookcases and while I really like them 'bang-for-buck-wise', the shelves will sag a bit over time when fully 'loaded'. And unfortunately, the design does get tweaked by IKEA every now and then, such that new parts do not always match with old cases. But still a great buy if you wish to spend less on cases and more on books
I love my Billy's. For the heavier S/L's, I got the smaller width size Billy and I haven't noticed any sag but it's only been around 2 years... My main issue was with the locking of the doors, but now have this sorted (see up thread).
Thank you guys for your comments.
“Reality is a nice place to visit, but you wouldn’t want to live there.”
-John Barth
bugensbooks.com
I'm still partial to Ikea's Hemnes bookcases with glass doors.
"...that Siren which called and sang and promised so much and gave, after all, so little." ~ Ray Bradbury
I own 2 Globe-wernickes both bought at garage/estate sale's for less than $100 for 4 stack's. I have 2 barrister's case's that are newer, also bought at garage/estate sales. I had 1 made out of quarter sawn oak and 2 stained glass windows for upper doors and antiqued glass for lower door's, use this for the signed limited, materials onlalone was near 1k brother-in law made for me for swap of labor.
Got a new bookcase and was able to get my whole Stephen King collection together in one place.
Looks good, Heather!
You don't know my kind.....You don't my mind.....Dark necessities are part of my design.....
That looks fantastic. Love it. Dig the label holders too.
"Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes they win." - SK
WTB:
- S/L 'Storm Front' Jim Butcher (Subterranean Press)
- S/L 'Fool Moon' Jim Butcher (Subterranean Press)
I count 106 books and various periodicals.
I'm sure if there is intelligent life somewhere out there in the universe, they are wise enough to stay away from us.
And the people bowed and prayed, to the cell phone god they made...
Thanks guys!
There's also a few duplicate paperbacks hidden behind that I didn't have room for up front. Maybe I'll work on starting a collection thread. I've got 3 more bookcases of non-King books and quite a number of signed ones.
Did you guys notice the large photo on top of the bookcase? I came across it last summer in a store and couldn't pass it up
I thought that was your graduating class.
I'm sure if there is intelligent life somewhere out there in the universe, they are wise enough to stay away from us.
And the people bowed and prayed, to the cell phone god they made...
Love it, Heather! But my brain is hurting because I can't figure out the order of the books...
Thanks Ricky
Surprisingly there is a little bit of order The top left cube has my first edition Pet Semetary and my little paperback which was my first King book. Plus 2 of my signed King books. I just couldn't fit 11/22/63 up there with them. The cube next to it are my earlier King first editions. There's one that is filled with Richard Bachman books, and one with short stories/novellas. And down in the bottom I have a bunch of magazines and comics along with some books about King.
Looks great, Heather! Isn’t it gratifying to have them all in one place?
"...that Siren which called and sang and promised so much and gave, after all, so little." ~ Ray Bradbury
Yes, it is They were scattered about amongst a few other bookcases or boxed up. I didn't realize how much I had until they were all together.