ᐅ KALLAX not level on tile floor – recommended underlayments?

Hello everyone,

I am planning to place an IKEA KALLAX shelf on my tiled floor but have noticed that the floor is not completely even. The shelf is therefore a bit unstable, as small irregularities in the tile surface clearly affect its stability. My question is: Are there any recommended underlays or solutions to stabilize the KALLAX shelf on slightly uneven tiles and keep it permanently level? What materials or techniques have you used for this? I want to avoid any damage to the construction caused by pressure points or unevenness, or the shelf eventually tipping over. Thanks for your experiences and tips!

For uneven tiles, I usually use special furniture feet that can be adjusted in height. Alternatively, rubber anti-slip mats placed under each foot can help, providing better stability.

Hello Ufuk36,

I have built the KALLAX shelf on tiles several times and can share some useful tips:

1. Issue of unevenness: Tiles often have minor height differences that can cause a shelf to wobble easily. This is especially inconvenient with KALLAX, as its feet do not have built-in adjustability.

2. Types of supports:
- Felt pads are good for preventing scratches but do not compensate for height differences.
- Adjustable furniture feet with threaded stems are ideal if you want to slightly raise the shelf.
- Rubber mats or anti-slip pads prevent slipping but hardly level out uneven surfaces.

3. DIY tip: In one case, I placed small wooden shims (1–3 mm thick) under individual feet and covered them with felt to ensure the shelf stands perfectly level without scratching the tiles.

4. Summary: The best solution is to combine adjustable feet with non-slip pads or use a combination of thin wooden supports and felt pads. This provides maximum stability and floor protection.

I hope this helps you!

fredle schrieb:
Tiles often have slight height differences, which can cause a shelf to tip over easily.

I know that well; it stressed me out quite a bit in the beginning too. I found it annoying when you rely on a shelf and it wobbles slightly. So instead of buying expensive feet, I simply used cut-to-size rubber feet. They have some give and compensate for small unevenness – at least that was enough for me.

It feels safer when you know nothing will tip over. I can imagine it could work for you as well, although I understand not all floors are the same. Sometimes a very simple solution is all that’s needed.

Elijah42 schrieb:
special furniture feet that can be adjusted in height

Thanks for the tip! I’m interested in these adjustable furniture feet. Can you recommend what load capacity they should have? KALLAX isn’t the heaviest shelf, but I don’t want to take any risks.

warrenka57 schrieb:
used cut-to-size rubber feet. They give a bit and compensate for small unevenness

Rubber sounds interesting. Did you just stick them under the regular shelf feet or attach them in some other way?

I’d appreciate it if anyone could share more experiences about which solutions have really worked long-term and whether there were any issues, e.g. wrinkling with thin mats or similar.

Adjustable furniture feet with plastic or metal threads are stable enough for a KALLAX. A load capacity of at least 40 kg (88 lbs) per foot is recommended.

Rubber cushions or simple anti-slip pads can be easily glued on. They absorb minor unevenness and prevent slipping.

A combination of both is ideal: adjust the feet for height and place rubber pads underneath for protection and grip.