ᐅ KALLAX doors become loose after several years – should the screws be tightened?

Hello everyone,

I have an IKEA KALLAX shelving unit for which I installed the doors a few years ago. Now, after about 5 years of heavy use, I've noticed that some of the doors are quite loose and no longer sit firmly. The doors are attached using the supplied hinges and screws, which are screwed into the pre-drilled holes.

My specific question is: Should I simply tighten the existing screws to restore the doors’ stability, or are other measures necessary to prevent the door attachments from becoming loose over time? Has anyone experienced similar issues and can offer advice on the best way to fix this?

Thanks in advance!

balzdeo schrieb:
Should I simply retighten the existing screws to restore the stability of the doors, or are other measures necessary to prevent the door fittings from loosening over the years?

Retightening the screws is generally the first and most important step. With KALLAX doors, material swapping and regular use can cause the screws to loosen over time. It is important to tighten the screws systematically and avoid overtightening, as this could damage the wood or chipboard material.

If the screws no longer hold securely, using wood glue or special dowels can help stabilize the connection. Simply retightening may not be enough if the hole is already worn out.

Retighten the screws, yes. If the holes are worn out, insert small wooden dowels or toothpicks with wood glue, then screw in firmly. After that, it should be stable again.

Retightening is normal and happens with all furniture that uses screw connections. For loose holes, insert wood glue and wood shavings or toothpicks, let it dry, then tighten the screws firmly.

KarTristan schrieb:
Tightening the screws again is usually the first and most important step.

Thank you for the detailed response. Regarding over-tightening, how tight should the screws ideally be fastened? Should it be done carefully by feel, or is there a general guideline? Some hinges are mounted only in particleboard, so avoiding damage is really important to me.

SUPE2 schrieb:
Insert wooden dowels or toothpicks with wood glue, then screw in firmly.

Are there any experience-based insights on how durable this method is? For an IKEA cabinet, it almost sounds a bit "temporary."

For tightening the screws on KALLAX doors, I recommend proceeding carefully: screws should be tightened firmly until you feel resistance, but without over-tightening. The material of KALLAX shelves is often particle board, which can be damaged if screws are overtightened. Therefore, it’s better to check multiple times and slightly retighten after a short period of use.

To stabilize worn-out holes, using wooden dowels or toothpicks with wood glue is a well-known method. It can last for years if the gluing is done thoroughly and allowed to cure properly. Alternatively, larger screws or plastic anchors can be used if accessibility allows.

A more durable solution would be to install metal threaded inserts, but this requires extra effort and is usually only worthwhile for higher-end furniture.