ᐅ How can I install IKEA Platsa furniture in rental homes without causing any damage?

Hello everyone,

I am currently facing the challenge of assembling my new IKEA Platsa furniture in my rental apartment without causing any visible damage to the walls or furniture. Since the Platsa series is often custom-sized and individually configured, I am wondering which mounting and fastening methods are best suited to ensure both stability and to keep the rental unit intact.

I am especially interested in tips and tricks for attaching the furniture without drilling or with minimal impact, what alternative fastening systems are available, and if anyone has experience with things like clamp mounts or adhesive fasteners.

It would also be helpful to know if there are special boards or protective mats to prevent pressure marks on the floors when the furniture is heavy, and whether Platsa units can be safely stabilized as freestanding pieces.

I look forward to your advice or experiences with Platsa furniture in rental properties. Thank you in advance!

Drabar schrieb:
I’m particularly interested in tips and tricks for securing furniture without drilling or with minimal impact, what alternative fastening systems are available, and if anyone has experience with clamp or adhesive mounts, for example.

Hello Drabar,

I completely understand your desire to protect the walls in a rental apartment, as I have lived in rentals for a long time myself. Although I have to admit that the topic of securing furniture without drilling always makes me a bit nervous, because stability and safety are important to me.

From my experience with Platsa cabinets, there are sturdy brackets that can be attached to the back of the furniture with small screws and then fixed to the wall using adhesive pads. They have held up well for me so far, although I haven’t placed too much weight on them.

Secondly, special foam rubber strips or felt pads under the feet help to prevent pressure marks on laminate or hardwood floors. This really protected the surface.

I would recommend first checking exactly what your landlord allows regarding drilling, as sometimes small anchor holes are acceptable if properly repaired.

Good luck, and please let us know how your installation goes!

Drabar schrieb:
I am especially interested in tips and tricks for attaching furniture without drilling or with minimal intervention, what alternative fastening systems are available, and if anyone has experience with, for example, clamp or adhesive fastenings.

Good morning Drabar,

I can provide a detailed answer here, as I have already assembled several Platsa units in rental apartments and indeed wanted to minimize the risk of wall and floor damage.

First, you should always consider the load on the furniture: Platsa is modular, but especially larger cabinets or stacks often cause stability issues when they stand freely and aren’t firmly anchored.

A very reliable method is to use tension rod systems, which clamp between floor and ceiling without drilling. These pressure poles also work with tall shelves and are relatively easy to install. You just need to measure the exact room height so the rods fit securely and don’t slip.

As an alternative to standard wall plugs and screws, special adhesive pads or mounting tapes are recommended, which offer high load capacity (for example, from tesa or 3M). However, you should keep an eye on the wall surface – wallpapers may be damaged if loaded over a longer period.

You should equip the furniture feet with felt or cork pads to avoid any pressure marks or scratches on the floor. It is important that these are cut precisely and adhere well.

For the actual furniture assembly, it is advisable to work with a helper, especially when screwing multiple modules together. This way you can better ensure the elements don’t warp and the load on the floor is distributed evenly.

Regarding the question of whether Platsa units can be stabilized while standing freely: yes, the construction becomes more stable when the modules are screwed together using connector fittings. In addition to the plug-in fittings, there are special metal brackets for the corners that provide extra stability.

One more tip: avoid aggressive adhesives or moisture-curing foam mounting products, which often cause damage when removed. It’s better to rely on reversible fastening methods.

Have you already done a room plan, including measurements, wall condition, and floor type? The more precise this information is, the more targeted recommendations I can give you.

vincent46 schrieb:
I have had the following experience with my Platsa cabinets: On the one hand, there are sturdy brackets that can be attached to the back of the furniture with small screws and then fixed to the wall using adhesive pads.

Interesting approach, but how reliable is such an adhesive connection in the long term? For furniture that consists of multiple units and can be quite heavy, I consider this critical unless there are mechanical anchors involved.

kibutar schrieb:
A very proven method is the use of "tension rod" systems, which clamp between ceiling and floor without drilling.

That sounds safer, but many ceilings are not perfectly parallel to the floor or have irregularities – this could lead to stability issues. I also wonder whether these systems are practical for typical rental apartment ceiling heights of about 2.40 m (7 ft 10 in), and whether the furniture might become unstable if the tension is not properly adjusted.

In general, I see the basic dilemma as this: Either you choose minimally invasive fixings that can be easily reversed but carry a real risk of the furniture tipping over or being overloaded – or you drill anchors properly with professional sealing and repair afterwards. However, this must be agreed individually with the landlord.

What are your specific experiences with the adhesion and stability of adhesive fixings over time? And how do you handle the situation if the landlord does not grant permission to drill?