Asked on Feb 14, 2018

Ideas needed to plug cabinet and shelf holes

Sandy
by Sandy
My husband and I just installed a beautiful full wall bookcase in the Ikea color black/brown. I want to plug the holes for the pegs that ho,d up the shelves that I’m not using, but don’t want it permanent in case I want to change them around. I am aware of the hole plugs but the units are 8’ tall and the holes are every inch ,, that adds up to about 1,000 holes and the cost of the plugs would be very expensive. Any and all ideas welcome ,, I am creative and can do just about anything suggested. Thank you guys!
  15 answers
  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Feb 14, 2018

    Use plastic screw covers and paint them to match. or double sided tape and vertical or horizontal beading (matched or contrast)...........

  • Vimarhonor Vimarhonor on Feb 14, 2018

    A drywall spackle is rather soft and chalk like, if you filled with that I would expect it potentially could easily be removed. I would test out this experiment first tho. The spackle coukd be dyed with acrylic paints to match.

    The other idea would be the furniture wax filler crayon in the appropriate color.


  • Ken Ken on Feb 14, 2018

    Anything but putting the plugs in will be more difficult. Everyone else who owns such a book shelf will just allow the holes to be open.

  • Barbara.molly Barbara.molly on Feb 14, 2018

    You can buy colored putty that cabinett makers use at hardware stores. Can be sanded and painted over.

  • Janet Panos Janet Panos on Feb 14, 2018

    Hello Sandy! Actually, looking at your photo, the peg holes cannot even be seen. However, if the empty holes are a thorn in your side, you can always purchase peg hole plugs at your local home store or online. If you want to make your own, say, from wood, they even sell peg hole cutters to create your own plugs. Good luck!

  • Joy30150932 Joy30150932 on Feb 14, 2018

    Purchase the putty stick in the color to match your cabinet. Rub in the holes until they are filled and then smooth over with a solvent rag to get rid of any bumps. Putty sticks are like crayons and you will definitely need a couple for that many holes.

  • V Smith V Smith on Feb 14, 2018

    There are individual plugs or strips of vinyl to cover the holes.

  • James James on Feb 14, 2018

    Before you spend any $, why not try to make them inconspicuous. Take a sharpee, black or brown and color the inside of the untreated holes.

    • Sandy Sandy on Feb 14, 2018

      I didn’t even think of that! Great idea James, thank you!

  • Theresa V. Theresa V. on Feb 15, 2018

    Buy some removable contact paper in the same color, buy yourself a hole punch and just cover the holes with that. This way, when you want or have to move a shelf, just remove the sticker. Hope this helps? Good luck.

  • Emily Emily on Feb 15, 2018

    I would do as James suggested. Otherwise it seems to me the holes themselves are supposed to be an integral part of the design. BTW love your bookcase. WE have bookcases in every room, but yours are esp nice because of the difference in the shelves.

  • Rob32401025 Rob32401025 on Feb 17, 2018

    Actually, I've been installing Ikea Kitchens, Bathrooms and Closet systems and Ikea recently came out with the Variera cover caps designed for just what your looking for. For a whopping $1.99 you can get 100 of these units in White or dark brown to cover those annoying little holes. So, for $11.00 plus tax, you can cover those annoying peg holes.


    I buy them by the 20 pack and hand them to any client who has a microwave cabinet or glass doors on their cabinets where you can see these unsightly holes. Fair warning however, they take time to install, so I let my customers do this on their dime.


    To remove them later, simply insert a pin into the center of the plug and point it towards the ceiling and pull backwards. There are other methods to remove, but this one is down and dirty and does minimal damage that can be covered with a white wax pen or white out. Any cabinet installer worth his dime has a bag of tricks tucked neatly in his tool bag.


    Hope this helps.

    Rob from Vancouver Island

  • Rob32401025 Rob32401025 on Feb 17, 2018

    PS, the Variera cover caps are conveniently located in most IKEA kitchen cabinet departments. My store has them in candy bowls (ironic? you betcha) beside the computers used to pull up your kitchen design.

  • Ellis Ellis on Feb 17, 2018

    Why bother? Almost every bookcase or cabinet with adjustable shelves that I have ever seen (even very pricey, high end mahogany furniture) has those holes. Most people don't even notice them.


    Those shelves look great!

  • TERESA TERESA on Sep 27, 2019

    Ikea no longer carries the Variera plugs. We got some Pax wardrobe from them in black brown. Painted the holes in same shade using Qtips - fast, easy & cheap. Hope this helps.

  • Mogie Mogie on Apr 13, 2023

    10 Different Ways To Hide Shelf Holes

    https://hideing.com/hide-shelf-holes/