Why Your Bookcase Deserves More Than a DIY Build

A freestanding bookcase is one of the most versatile and frequently purchased pieces of furniture in the Australian home. Whether you are building a home library wall in your study, adding storage to a living room, or displaying a cherished collection of objects in a glass-door display cabinet, the bookcase or display unit you choose will likely bear significant weight for years. An incorrectly assembled bookcase — one where the back panel is not fully seated, the cam locks are not fully engaged, or the unit is not plumb — can sag, twist, and eventually fail under load. A tall bookcase that is not wall-anchored is a genuine tipping hazard.

Professional bookcase assembly from Taskbear ensures your unit is built to manufacturer specification: perfectly square, fully anchored, and capable of carrying the full rated load without stress or instability.

Bookcase Assembly vs Shelf Installation — What's the Difference?

It's important to understand the distinction between bookcase assembly and floating shelf or wall-shelf installation, as they are meaningfully different services. Bookcase assembly refers to freestanding furniture that comes in a flat-pack box — a piece like an IKEA BILLY, a Kmart 5-shelf bookcase, or a glass-door display cabinet. These are assembled on the floor and then stood upright and anchored. Shelf installation refers to wall-mounted shelving — floating shelves, bracket-mounted shelves, and fixed shelving systems — that requires drilling into walls. Both services are available through Taskbear (see our Shelf & Bookcase Assembly page for wall-mounted options), but if what you need is a flat-pack freestanding bookcase built, this is the right page.

Types of Bookcases and Display Cabinets We Assemble

1. IKEA Bookcases — BILLY, KALLAX, HEMNES, LIATORP

IKEA bookcases are among the most purchased flat-pack items in Australia. The BILLY bookcase — the world's best-selling bookcase, with approximately 110 million units sold globally — is famously quick to assemble when you have done it before, but a first-timer frequently struggles with the dowel alignment, the cam lock engagement sequence, and the correct fitting of the thin hardboard back panel. Our experts have assembled BILLY bookcases more times than they can count. They complete a single standard BILLY in approximately 25–35 minutes. A set of three, including extension units and OXBERG glass-door add-ons, takes around 2–2.5 hours.

The KALLAX cube shelving unit — popular as both a bookcase and a room divider — is heavier and more complex than a BILLY. The 4×4 configuration weighs over 70 kilograms assembled and requires two people to stand safely without damaging the panels. Our assemblers treat large KALLAX builds as a two-person job where required.

2. Glass-Door Display Cabinets

Glass-door display cabinets and china hutches sit at the premium end of the bookcase category. The glass door panels — typically tempered or plate glass fitted into timber or metal frames with soft-close or magnetic-catch hinges — require careful handling and precise hinge adjustment to hang correctly. A glass door that is not plumb will swing open or closed on its own; one with incorrectly fitted hinges will not seal properly against the door stop. Our assemblers handle glass door panels with protective foam, adjust all hinges during fitting, and ensure the finished cabinet doors hang level, seal correctly, and operate smoothly.

3. Display Shelving and Bookcase Combinations

Many Australian homes incorporate combination bookcase-and-desk units, bookcase-with-drawer bases, or bookcase towers that match a larger bedroom or study furniture suite. These combinations often require assembly in a specific sequence — for example, the base cabinet must be assembled before the bookcase tower can be mounted on top — and the instructions are frequently more complex than a standalone bookcase. Our experienced assemblers are comfortable with all major combination unit designs from IKEA, Freedom, Temple & Webster, and Amart.

4. Solid Timber and Premium Bookcases

Solid timber bookcases — like the IKEA HEMNES solid pine range, the Freedom furniture timber collections, and premium imports — are heavier, require more care to avoid surface damage during assembly, and frequently have a different joint system (traditional screws and wooden plugs rather than cam locks) that requires appropriate tools and technique. Our Taskers bring the right screwdrivers and pilot drill bits to avoid splitting the timber during assembly.

The Importance of Wall Anchoring for Tall Bookcases

Any freestanding bookcase taller than approximately 120cm poses a tipping risk if not wall-anchored — particularly when fully loaded with books. IKEA's own instructions for the BILLY bookcase explicitly state: "This furniture must be attached to the wall." Yet this step is skipped by the majority of DIY assemblers. Our Taskbear experts include wall anchoring as a standard part of every tall bookcase assembly. The IKEA-supplied wall anchor bracket is fitted and secured to either a wall stud or an appropriate wall anchor for your specific wall type.

In Melbourne and Australian homes generally, plasterboard (gyprock) walls are the most common. Our assemblers use either stud-mounted screws (strongest option, requires finding a stud behind the plasterboard using an electronic stud finder) or appropriate heavy-duty toggle anchors (for locations between studs). Both approaches are safe and effective when executed correctly.

Accurate Pricing for Bookcase Assembly — Melbourne & Australia

Based on verified 2024–2025 market data from Airtasker Australia, Hipages, and the Taskbear platform:

Single small bookcase (BILLY standard, Kmart 3–4 shelf): $55 – $75
Tall bookcase / BILLY with extension unit: $70 – $95
BILLY with OXBERG glass doors: $85 – $110
KALLAX 2×2 or 2×4: $65 – $90
KALLAX 4×4 (requires 2 people): $110 – $150
Glass-door display cabinet (medium): $90 – $140
China hutch / 2-piece display cabinet: $120 – $180
Multiple bookcases in a single visit (3×): $140 – $200 bundled

Bundling multiple bookcases in one visit is the most cost-efficient approach, as travel and setup time is shared across all units. Most Taskers apply a natural discount for volume bookcase builds.

Post your bookcase assembly task on Taskbear today and have your books off the floor and beautifully displayed by this evening.