ᐅ Is it possible to retrofit IKEA BRIMNES furniture with casters?

Hello everyone,

I have a rather specific question regarding the retrofitting of IKEA Brimnes furniture with casters. Specifically, I am interested in whether it is possible to equip the existing BRIMNES cabinets, which normally come without casters, with wheels afterwards to make them more mobile without compromising their stability or functionality.

I am considering whether it makes more sense to use special IKEA accessories for this or to rely on third-party casters. It is also important to me how the attachment would work, as I am quite familiar with the furniture’s construction and have doubts about whether casters can simply be screwed on without damaging the furniture or the floor.

Has anyone had experience retrofitting BRIMNES furniture with casters? Are there standard solutions or do you have to improvise?

Thanks in advance for your expertise!

Hi Deanjo,

Your question about adding casters to BRIMNES furniture is well chosen, as this series is indeed designed primarily for stationary use.

In principle, it is possible to attach casters, but you should consider the following:

- BRIMNES furniture is mostly made from particleboard with a thin edge banding, which can make mounting challenging since the screws need to hold firmly without compromising stability.
- IKEA does not offer casters as accessories for BRIMNES.
- Third-party suppliers do offer casters that can be screwed onto furniture, but often a substructure or additional reinforcement is needed to securely attach the casters.

I recommend first checking whether the lower edges and corners of the furniture are reinforced enough to bear the load of the casters. If not, you can create a stable subframe using wooden strips or metal brackets and screw the casters onto that.

Regarding the floor: Make sure the casters are suitable for your floor type (e.g., soft casters for laminate).

So, in summary – technically possible, but requires some DIY effort.

If you want more details, I can also send you some specific product recommendations for casters.

GiRoyce schrieb:
- IKEA itself does not offer casters as accessories for BRIMNES.

That is correct, and based on experience, I recommend avoiding direct installation of casters into the original deep drill holes and edges of the BRIMNES series. The furniture is not designed to withstand high point loads at the bottom.

However, there are practical, stable solutions:

- You can screw a subframe made of wooden battens or a thin plywood board to the underside of the cabinet. You then attach the casters to this subframe. This distributes the load more evenly.
- The casters themselves should be lockable and suitable for the load capacity. Industrial or furniture casters rated for at least 20 kg (44 lbs) per caster are advisable.

It is important to work with pre-drilled screw holes to avoid splitting or tearing the particleboard.

Also, you should not modify the furniture structure by removing the original feet and simply screwing on casters—that can compromise the stability.

Finally, note that frequent movement puts more stress on the furniture over time and adjustments may be required.

Additional Information:

Retrofitting castors on IKEA BRIMNES furniture is feasible in practice, but several technical aspects must be considered to avoid damaging either the furniture or the floor.

1. Material of the furniture: The BRIMNES series uses durable, but not solid wood-type panels, which affects screw connections.

2. Point loads: Screws for castors create concentrated loads that stress the furniture legs or floor elements.

3. Attachment: It is advisable to install cross beams or a special base plate that is fixed to the underside.

4. Floor protection: Depending on the flooring type, soft or hard rubber castors should be chosen to prevent scratches.

5. Load capacity: The total load on the furniture with castors should not exceed the load rating for each individual wheel to avoid damage.

In short: Professional modification makes mobility possible, but it should not be attempted without proper craftsmanship and preparation.

You can attach casters to the bottom of the BRIMNES furniture if you use a sturdy wooden or metal base. Attaching casters directly to the edges of the furniture is risky, as it may damage the panels.

Soft casters are suitable for laminate and hardwood floors, while hard casters work better on stone floors.

Lockable casters are best, so the furniture can be secured when needed.

Deanjo schrieb:
Does anyone have experience retrofitting BRIMNES furniture with casters? Are there standard solutions, or do you have to improvise?

I have retrofitted casters on a BRIMNES wardrobe myself. I added a sturdy wooden board to the underside and mounted furniture feet with casters onto it. It has been working smoothly for months, although I took the time to pre-drill fixed attachment points and reinforce them with metal brackets.

Regarding the original quality of BRIMNES furniture, I would say improvisation is often necessary since they are not designed for casters. Still, I find this solution practical, especially if you want to move the furniture frequently.

Make sure the casters have sufficient load capacity and can be securely fastened. Otherwise, they might come loose or cause the furniture to tip over.