If you have a long run of hardbacks, start with the AED 295 white BILLY. IKEA UAE lists a maximum of 30 kg per shelf, and the 80 cm-wide case is only 28 cm deep. For a lighter collection in a narrow spot, the white GERSBY is 60 cm wide and 24 cm deep, with a 13 kg per shelf limit. The black-brown KALLAX also lists 13 kg per shelf, but its cubbies make more sense for a mix of books, games and baskets. The AED 995 HEMNES gets you a wider and deeper unit with solid-pine shelves and the same stated 30 kg limit as BILLY. All four require secure anchoring to the wall. Decide where the restraint will go before ordering, especially if you rent.
Prices and online availability were checked on 6 November 2026. Each exact IKEA UAE listing showed availability for delivery and an Add to bag button. Delivery to a specific address, store stock and installation charges depend on the order. The GERSBY and KALLAX prices below include temporary online offers.
GERSBY for a narrow space and lighter books
The white GERSBY, article 702.611.31, measures 60 × 24 × 180 cm in width, depth and height. IKEA showed AED 125 online, down from AED 175, with the campaign listing dated through 11 November 2026. Its shallow body leaves more room in front than any of the other three models. That makes sense beside a bedroom door or in a study where the chair needs room to move. Mark the 24 cm depth on the floor and open the door or pull out the chair before assuming it fits. Include any space the skirting leaves behind the case. GERSBY listing · IKEA UAE campaign listing
The 13 kg per shelf limit suits a collection where you can spread the heavier volumes out. Measure the thickest front-to-back book as well as the tallest spine. The 24 cm is an outside dimension, so confirm usable shelf depth if a big atlas needs to sit entirely inside. Check the gaps shown in the assembly guide if you have tall books. The guide is also the place to check the attachment hardware before the box arrives. The body uses particleboard with a fibreboard back, and the manufacturer requires secure wall anchoring. GERSBY assembly instructions
The carton is 182 cm long and 19.12 kg. That matters when collecting it by car or arranging delivery in a building with a lift that opens onto a tight turn. Plan where the box will go once it reaches the apartment. It is easier to keep the planned assembly area clear than to carry a partially assembled case through another doorway. GERSBY dimensions and packaging
BILLY for a long row of hardbacks
The white BILLY here is article 205.220.46, 80 × 28 × 202 cm and AED 295. It has a particleboard body, a fibreboard back and a listed maximum of 30 kg per shelf. Four adjustable shelves let you reserve a taller opening for hardbacks without dedicating the whole bookcase to their height. The fixed shelf still sets a boundary, so plan around it when you have several tall rows. If you expect to add a matching case later, save the article number. IKEA has sold more than one white BILLY at these outside dimensions. BILLY listing and shelf details
The wider case gives you more continuous room for a series than the 60 cm GERSBY or the divided KALLAX. The outside width includes both side panels. If you already have a run of books lined up and want it to stay together, measure that run and compare it with the actual opening. Check the room above the case too. IKEA calls for enough clearance to attach it to the wall, and a bulkhead or fitted wardrobe trim can make a nominal 202 cm opening a poor place to assemble it. The manual shows the supplied restraint and calls for wall screws and plugs suited to your wall, purchased separately. BILLY assembly instructions
The 207 cm carton weighs 39.95 kg. A clear wall and enough floor space for the bookcase still leave a separate question about getting that carton out of the lift. Check the lift interior, the door opening and the turn on the landing. Ask about the service lift if the passenger lift or access corridor looks close. BILLY packaging and measurements
KALLAX for books mixed with games and baskets
The black-brown KALLAX, article 202.758.85, showed AED 215 online against AED 295 regular, with the same campaign listing dated through 11 November 2026. It measures 76.5 × 39 × 146.5 cm upright and lists 13 kg per shelf. The particleboard and fibreboard construction includes honeycomb paper filling. The dividers let each group of books have its own space, and compatible inserts can give loose objects a place of their own. Check the inner opening if a box has rigid edges or if you need a tall book to stand upright. KALLAX listing · IKEA UAE campaign listing
IKEA allows this unit to stand vertically or lie horizontally as a sideboard. In the latter position, allow about 147 cm along the wall and the same 39 cm depth. Follow the manual for the orientation you choose and secure the unit to the wall. That attachment restrains a floor-standing unit. IKEA’s listing for the same shelving article bundled with inserts explicitly rules out hanging it on the wall. If you want to load a row of cubbies with heavy items or add weight on top, ask IKEA how the published per-shelf figure applies to your chosen layout. Multiplying it by the number of openings gives no verified whole-unit capacity. KALLAX assembly instructions · KALLAX safety guidance with inserts
HEMNES for deeper books and pine shelves
The white-stained HEMNES, article 903.717.65, is 90 × 37 × 197 cm and AED 995. IKEA lists solid pine for the shelves and principal panels and fibreboard for the back. It has one fixed shelf and four adjustable shelves. The published 30 kg per shelf is the same as the BILLY figure, so the extra AED 700 buys a different construction and a larger footprint. The additional depth is useful if you keep books in large slipcases or want to display objects alongside them. Compare the actual shelf opening with the largest item you own before paying for that extra depth. HEMNES listing and materials
HEMNES comes in two packages. The longest is 200 cm and 15 kg. The shorter one is 94 cm and 18.08 kg. If you arrange collection, check both pieces against the vehicle and the route upstairs. In the room, allow for access to the wall fixings and follow the HEMNES instructions for anchoring. The pine construction and the depth of the cabinet leave that step just as important as it is on the shallower models. HEMNES packaging · HEMNES assembly instructions
Work out the weight of a real shelf
Pick the row you expect to be heaviest. Put its books on a scale in groups and add the weight of bookends, storage boxes or other objects that will sit with them. For example, a 10.5 kg stack, a 2 kg pair of bookends and a 1 kg keepsake box make 13.5 kg. That exceeds the GERSBY and KALLAX figures even though the books alone fit within 13 kg. If the collection is growing, leave room in both the weight and the width of the opening. A shelf filled tightly on day one is awkward to reorganise whenever you buy another volume.
Keep the heaviest books low, spread weight across the shelf and observe the published limit on each level. A full set of art books has a different weight distribution from a few novels and a heavy object at one end. If you intend to fill every shelf with dense books, ask for any overall unit limit and whether the manufacturer specifies how to distribute the load. For models with adjustable shelves, seat the supports as directed before loading. Empty the case before moving it and repeat the anchoring step at its new location. IKEA UAE furniture anchoring guidance
Confirm the wall and the installation before paying
If you rent, check the proposed drilling points with the landlord or building manager. Send the model’s manual and a photo of the wall, skirting and nearby sockets. Ask whether the installer needs a work permit and who can confirm the wall construction and any concealed services. A painted wall could cover solid masonry, a hollow block or a framed partition. The installer needs to identify the substrate and select a fixing that works with both the wall and the furniture restraint. If the case sits away from the wall because of thick skirting, show the gap to the installer and have them confirm how to follow the manual. Leave the unit unloaded and out of use until it is securely fixed. IKEA UAE wall anchoring guide
Ask whether the booked assembly includes securing the exact case to your type of wall, who supplies the fasteners and what happens if the crew cannot fix it on the day. IKEA UAE lists in-store assembly-only service at AED 150 standard or AED 99 for IKEA Family. Treat those as published service prices and get a quote for the actual delivery and assembly booking. IKEA’s service terms call for any gate pass or work permit to be ready at least 48 hours before the appointment. They also say furniture deliveries do not use stairways, so resolve any lift problem before booking. IKEA UAE assembly service · IKEA UAE delivery and assembly terms
IKEA UAE’s public online delivery table lists AED 45 for furniture delivery and AED 144 for delivery with assembly, subject to the service available for your order. At the checked item price, that gives an illustrative AED 340 for BILLY with delivery or AED 439 with delivery and assembly. If you can transport the carton and arrange installation, the same page lists free Click & Collect. Compare the collection location and available date against the cost of having the nearly 40 kg carton carried to your home. IKEA UAE online delivery rates
One practical way to choose between the four is to eliminate the cases that fail a measurement first. A 70 cm gap leaves GERSBY as the only upright candidate here. If your planned row weighs more than its published limit, spread the books across shelves or measure a wider stretch of wall for BILLY. When your wall space is plentiful and your largest books are deep, measure HEMNES and KALLAX with the exact books or boxes in mind. That brings the choice back to the things you own and where they fit.
Make the final comparison using the item price, confirmed delivery, assembly and any separately quoted fixing work. Check the model number and carton condition before opening. IKEA UAE’s published online return policy provides 90 days for eligible unopened items with the receipt, excludes assembled or disassembled items from change-of-mind returns and says paid delivery and assembly fees are excluded from refunds on returned delivered goods. If an item arrives damaged or parts are missing, use the retailer’s claims route and keep the order documents. IKEA UAE return policy · IKEA UAE returns and claims · IKEA UAE on Instagram
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