How We Built a Custom Bookshelf Wall with IKEA and Fusion – Step by Step
We turned a completely empty wall into a clean, functional bookshelf setup—using IKEA Billy units, a bit of custom planning, and Autodesk Fusion for visualization. Here’s exactly how we did it.
👉 The full video, including product links and detailed tips, is linked at the end of this post.
Step 1: Measure Your Space
Start by measuring the width and height of your wall. Our wall was:
Width: 6.2 meters
Height: 2.4 meters
You can either sketch this by hand using a 1:25 scale (1 cm = 25 cm in real life), or model it full scale in Fusion.
Step 2: Create a Room Layout
In Fusion, create a new component for the room. Sketch the basic outline of the wall and door, then add dimensions to fully define the sketch. Extrude the wall slightly for visual depth.
Tip: In a 1:25 scale, a 2100 mm high door becomes 84 mm tall—just divide all real-life measurements by 25.
Step 3: Add IKEA Billy Units as Components
Create a new component named “Billy” and place it directly on the wall. Add dimensions to define it:
Width: 400 mm
Height: 2020 mm
Depth: 280 mm
Then use the Shell command to hollow it out with a 20 mm wall thickness.
Step 4: Add Shelves
Create one shelf, then use Create Copy to duplicate it for faster placement. This speeds up your layout and lets you adjust positions as needed. Set the operation type to New Body for flexibility.
Step 5: Fill Dead Spaces
On the far right, we used a custom wooden plank (not from IKEA) to close the gap between the last Billy unit and the wall. It had the same white finish as the IKEA furniture, giving everything a built-in look.
Step 6: Build the Top Shelf
Sketch directly on top of the tallest unit. Use the Project command to reference edges, then extrude upwards by 350 mm and shell it to match the other components (20 mm thickness). This gives the entire bookshelf wall a finished frame.
Step 7: Choose Appearances
Apply materials and colors to visualize how the final setup will look. Fusion’s appearance library lets you try different finishes before committing to real-world paint or materials.
Step 8: Add Product Details
Here’s a breakdown of what we used:
1x Narrow Billy bookshelf: 40×28×202 cm
1x Billy overshelf: 40×28×35 cm
4x Wide Billy bookshelves: 80×28×202 cm
Two were cut down to 67 cm in height
1x Countertop: Placed on top of the shortened units
2x Height extensions: For the tall Billy units
Custom trim: Fills the edge and matches finish
Custom vent cutout: For proper airflow
IKEA Sannidal kitchen fronts: 40×60 cm doors, mounted manually
We also filled and painted unused shelf pin holes for a seamless finish.
Step 9: Final Assembly
Secure all units using metal brackets. Be cautious with screw lengths to avoid drilling through IKEA’s thin panels. The result is a stable and safe bookshelf wall that looks built-in.
⏱ Chapters
00:25 Start a New Component in Fusion
00:36 Scaling for Fusion 3D Modeling or Paper Sketching
01:11 How to Constrain Your Sketch in Fusion
01:48 Add Depth to Your Sketch with Extrude
02:10 Tips for Working with Scaled Models
02:50 Download and Apply Appearances in Fusion
03:00 Create New Components for Your IKEA Hack Design
03:23 3D Model the IKEA Billy Bookshelf in Fusion
03:40 Add Dimensions to Your Sketch for Precision
04:05 Hollow Out the Billy Bookshelf with the Shell Command
04:30 Design Adjustable Shelves for the Billy Bookshelf
05:25 Why Use “New Body” Instead of “Join” in Fusion
06:17 Model the IKEA Billy Height Extension (Top Shelf)
06:40 Project a Sketch from the Billy Bookshelf for Extensions
07:07 IKEA Products Used in This Custom Bookshelf Project
10:02 Final Tips and Recommendations from The Maker Letters
Watch the Full Video
Want to see the entire process in action—including modeling, Fusion tips, and all the IKEA products used?