ᐅ What assembly mistakes should I avoid when building the Ikea BESTA system?

Hello everyone,

I am planning to assemble an IKEA Besta furniture unit soon and want to avoid common mistakes when screwing it together. Specifically, I am interested in learning which screw installation issues I should avoid to prevent problems such as lack of stability, damaged components, or warped edges.

Are there any special considerations regarding the screws, dowels, or particular connectors used?

I would also like to know the optimal tightening torque — that is, how tight or loose the screws should be fastened without damaging the material.

I look forward to your experiences and helpful tips, preferably with brief explanations of why certain screw results can cause problems.

It is important not to tighten the screws too much. Otherwise, the particleboard may tear or the furniture piece may develop cracks.

Also, avoid screwing in screws at an angle, as this can quickly lead to instability.

In general, screw them in loosely at first and then tighten a little more if necessary.

Hello sin62,

Regarding your question: When assembling the BESTA system, you should especially pay attention to the following:

- Avoid overtightening screws: IKEA typically uses particleboard with a melamine-coated surface, which can swell, chip, or break if screws are tightened too much.
- Insert dowels correctly: If dowels are inserted crookedly or not fully pushed in, the joint loses stability.
- Use the correct screws: Keep in mind that some items have different screws for the back panel and the cabinet sides.
- Control the screw torque: Too much torque reduces the strength of the joint, while too little causes wobbling.

My advice: First, tighten all connections by hand just enough and check the fit. Only then gently tighten with a screwdriver or cordless drill at low speed.

The ideal torque is usually around 1.5 to 2 Nm (Newton meters), depending on the screw size. This is enough to secure the hold without damaging the material.

Good luck!

maureo schrieb:
It’s important not to tighten the screws too much. Otherwise, the particle board can crack or the furniture piece may get splits.

I can totally agree with that! 🙂 Especially with BESTA, I once slightly chipped an edge because I screwed in too quickly. 😕 But the good news is: if you do it right, everything holds securely and looks great! So keep at it and don’t get discouraged, even if something goes wrong! 💪

Also: always read the instructions carefully beforehand; every mistake costs extra time. But you can definitely manage it!

RUBEN54 schrieb:
Avoid overtightening screws: IKEA usually uses particleboard with a melamine-coated surface, which can swell, splinter, or break if screws are tightened too much.

The real issue is the user-unfriendly nature of the materials themselves. Why would anyone deal with such fragile particleboard nonsense when you can get genuine solid wood for a similar price? But of course, the IKEA concept is designed for quick and easy assembly – hence the delicate screw connections. They often push the stress levels right to the limit.

You have to understand that screws in BESTA are almost meant as temporary fixes, not something permanent. That’s why avoiding overtightening is an absolute must; otherwise, the whole thing will eventually fall apart. To me, it seems more like a design feature that requires regular retightening.