How do I safely attach my bookcase to the wall?

[furomatcha]

Hi, I have purchased some Billy bookcases from Ikea and want to set it up in my office. The bookcase needs to be fixed to the wall to avoid tipping over. How do I know if the wall has cables behind as the adjacent room has an air conditioning unit? What products should I use to fix it to the wall? 

I also need to cut the hole for the baseboard slightly higher as my baseboard measures 1cm taller than the hole at the back, do you recommend using a hand saw to do this?

Thank you!

[JacobZ]

Hi @furomatcha,

Thank you for your question and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

Due to the location of the light switch and the air conditioner, wires are likely running through your wall. They may have been run up through the ceiling cavity, but you should assume they are present in the wall.

With this in mind, I'd suggest using a Ryobi Stud Finder with AC Detection to locate the studs and any wires in the wall. The AC detection will give you an indication of where the wires are, and the stud sensor will allow you to ensure screws are well-centred on the studs. Once you have located the studs and wires, as a precautionary measure, you should isolate your electricity at the switchboard. With everything marked out, you shouldn't have any issues, but when working around electrical fixtures, safety is paramount, and you should not take any chances.

You can then use angle brackets, 50mm timber screws into the studs and 15mm timber stitching screws down into the bookcase.

If you still have some concerns, I'd suggest contacting a handyman for assistance.

To alter the cutout for the skirting board, I'd suggest using a coping saw which is a very fine-toothed saw used in trim carpentry. It would be perfect for this small alteration.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[furomatcha]

Thank you so much Jacob! We will pick up the stud finder and see where we have wires/studs. In the case that there is no stud where the shelf should be mounted, what are some suitable products? Ikea has this diagram here (diagram 2) using some kind of plug set, can you suggest products where there is no stud for dry wall as well? 

https://www.bunnings.com.au/ramset-nylon-wallmate-plasterboard-anchor-10-pack_p2260973

Thanks!!

[EricL]

Hello @furomatcha 

If you are mounting to plasterboard only, I suggest looking at the Ramset 8 x 50mm Universal Anchor - 4 Pack or the Tox M6 Flip Toggle Bolt. Please note that a standard plasterboard has a weight limit of 10kg, I therefore suggest making sure that the shelf has other points of support.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric