ᐅ My Kallax squeaks after tightening the screws every time – what could be causing this?

Hello everyone, I have a small issue with my Kallax shelf from Ikea. Whenever I tighten the screws to make the shelf a bit firmer, it eventually starts squeaking. It’s the typical Kallax system with wooden panels and connecting fittings. I have already made sure not to overtighten the screws, but the squeaking persists. What could be causing this? Could it be due to material stress or friction between the individual panels? Do you have any experience with this or tips on how to solve the problem permanently? Thank you in advance!

Keosi schrieb:
Every time I tighten the screws to make the shelf a bit firmer, it eventually starts squeaking.

Hey! That sounds annoying— a squeaky shelf can quickly become frustrating in daily use. From my experience, this squeaking usually comes from slight friction between wood and metal, which is intensified by pressure or tiny movements. Even tightening the screws can create stresses that cause the noise.

A tip: Try carefully applying some lubricant (for example, silicone spray or even wax) to the screw points or wood joints. This often reduces friction and helps stop the squeaking. 🙂

Hello Keosi, this issue is quite common with assembled furniture of this type. The squeaking often occurs due to pressure points at the joints combined with slight movements under load. This is especially true with particleboard, like in Kallax, which tends to deform slightly and affects the seating of screws and fasteners.

One approach I can recommend is using felt or foam strips at the contact points between the panels. These reduce direct friction and can help prevent squeaking. It is also worth checking whether all screws are neither too tight nor too loose, as both conditions can worsen the problem.

san-peo schrieb:
try carefully applying some lubricant (e.g., silicone spray or even wax) to the screw joints or wood connections.

Good advice!

I would like to add that with Kallax furniture, following the right procedure often helps:

1. Completely loosen the screws to relieve pressure on the panels.
2. Lightly sand the wood and metal surfaces with fine-grit sandpaper, if possible, to smooth any rough spots.
3. Apply lubricant locally at the connection points.
4. Then tighten the screws evenly and not too firmly.

Also, make sure the fasteners themselves are not damaged or worn. If these parts do not fit perfectly, they can cause squeaking.

Summary: The problem is often a combination of pressure on the material and uneven friction.

The squeaking in Kallax shelves after retightening the screws is due to mechanical stresses and the material properties of particleboard. Particleboard is sensitive to tensile and compressive forces because it is made of compressed wood fibers and can deform under load.

When the screws are tightened, localized stresses are created, which manifest as friction between the joint surfaces. The squeaking is acoustically caused by micro-movements at the contact area.

A long-term solution is to decouple the connections using appropriate washers (e.g., felt or plastic washers) and to tighten the screws only with the torque recommended by the manufacturer. Additionally, adequate lubrication (silicone spray or graphite paste) prevents dry friction between the contact surfaces.

Lubricant usually helps. Also, avoid tightening the screws too much, as this can warp the panels and the squeaking will persist.