ᐅ What challenges can arise when assembling IKEA Hemnes beds?

Hello everyone,

I wanted to ask the community about common difficulties encountered when assembling the IKEA Hemnes beds. I have put together several IKEA furniture items before, but this particular bed is causing me some trouble because, in my opinion, the instructions are not always completely clear. I am especially interested in problems that may arise when assembling the different bed sizes, as well as mechanical aspects like installing the slatted bed bases and the stability after assembly. Knowing about any unusual tools or additional steps not directly mentioned in the instructions would also be helpful.

I look forward to your experiences and tips!

Hey Matthias36,

great question! I think the Hemnes bed has a few little quirks that aren’t obvious at first glance. For example, I found attaching the side panels a bit tricky sometimes because the screw holes don’t line up perfectly – a bit of adjustment and patience usually helps 😅.

Also, I noticed that some of the boards creak if they’re not screwed in completely evenly – it’s worth going over all the screws again after the initial assembly and tightening them a little.

Oh, and very important: patience with the dowels! They can fit so tightly that inserting them almost feels like a workout. Sorry if that doesn’t make things easier, but that was my experience 😉.

Additional information:
During the assembly of the Hemnes bed, I mainly noticed that the instructions do not always clearly highlight certain intermediate steps – especially aligning the back panel and the headboard requires precise work, as small deviations can later lead to stability issues.

- Screws should be tightened gradually in several small turns using an Allen key to avoid misalignment.
- When assembling different sizes (e.g., 160cm x 200cm (63 inches x 79 inches) vs. 180cm x 200cm (71 inches x 79 inches)), additional slats may be necessary; the instructions do not always provide sufficient guidance here.

Thorough preparation is therefore essential to avoid overlooking any of the small but important steps.

Hello Matthias36,

I can confirm the issues you mentioned and would like to add that poor preparation is often the cause when the structure creaks or feels unstable during assembly.

It is important to lay out all parts first and compare them with the instructions. When inserting wooden dowels, be careful not to push them in too deeply and check that all holes are clean—small parts often hide in the packaging.

Another point concerns the supplied screws: for some customers (myself included), these were sometimes a bit too short, which in the worst case can affect the stability. It is at least advisable to have high-quality replacement screws on hand.

If your question is more specific, feel free to reach out, I’m happy to help.

The biggest challenge with the Hemnes is properly aligning the side panels before tightening the screws. Take it slowly and proceed step by step; otherwise, everything shifts and it won’t fit correctly in the end.

Also, pay attention to the assembly order as described in the instructions.

I believe the discussion should not be based solely on subjective issues.

There is a systematic error in the instructions: the pre-drilled holes do not always indicate the ideal position for maximum stability.

zarHenning schrieb:
The biggest challenge with the Hemnes is correctly aligning the side panels before tightening the screws.

I agree with this, but I would like to point out that just aligning the parts is not enough if the base plate is not perfectly level. It would be helpful to mention this in the instructions to ensure a stable overall structure.

Also, remain critical of the material quality, which has noticeably declined compared to earlier versions.