ᐅ How can I safely transport IKEA Hemnes furniture?

Good morning everyone,

I am facing the challenge of safely transporting some IKEA Hemnes furniture from my current apartment to my new one. Specifically, these are Hemnes dressers and a Hemnes desk.

My question is: How can I transport IKEA Hemnes furniture securely so that nothing gets damaged, both while carrying it and during transport in the vehicle? I am thinking about disassembling, packaging, protection against scratches, and preventing breakage of the relatively thin wooden parts.

Are there proven techniques or materials for this? Do I need to completely take the furniture apart, or can some parts safely remain assembled? Also, I am interested in how to minimize the risk of the furniture wobbling or sliding around during transport. I appreciate any tips and experiences!

It is best to completely disassemble all Hemnes furniture. Collect screws in small bags and label them. Protect furniture parts with blankets or bubble wrap. Place everything securely in the vehicle and fasten with ratchet straps.

I’m happy to provide a more detailed explanation: Hemnes furniture is made from solid pine wood with lacquer coatings, which means that superficial scratches and dents become visible quite easily. Therefore, it is really important to cover all surfaces well – for example, with furniture covers or thick wool blankets. Bubble wrap can help here, but wrapping the furniture directly with it may damage the lacquer if the protective layer underneath is not thick enough.

For disassembly:
- Hemnes dressers can usually be completely taken apart, which makes handling much easier.
- It’s best to attach screws and small parts to their corresponding components with masking tape or put them in small, clear zip bags and stick them onto the related furniture pieces.

When transporting in a vehicle, make sure nothing slides against each other. Ratchet straps or anti-slip mats in the trunk or van are suitable for this. The furniture parts should lie as flat as possible to avoid twisting and edge pressure.

One last tip: Handle elements with glass or mirrors on the furniture separately and carefully, possibly in their own padded package.

It’s interesting that everyone here immediately suggests taking the furniture completely apart. In my opinion, IKEA designed the Hemnes series so that some parts are sturdy enough to be transported at least partially assembled. Of course, taking everything apart is the safest option, but it’s also a waste of time.

If you handle moving blankets carefully and load the vehicle smartly, you can leave quite a bit assembled. However, I have to disagree on one point – even the most professional movers don’t wrap furniture in bubble wrap because surprisingly often it causes more harm than good. So, it might be worth reconsidering where modern protective materials are really necessary and where thick blankets work better.

I also recommend disassembly. Hemnes furniture pieces are often too heavy to carry safely in one piece. It’s better to take everything apart to avoid back problems and to prevent the furniture from tipping over uncontrollably.

Important: Make sure to completely empty all drawers, otherwise they might slide out during transport and damage the furniture. Afterwards, transport the drawers separately or secure them well.