ᐅ My Kallax unit became brittle after being placed in the sunroom during the winter – what could be the causes?

Hello everyone,

I have an issue with my Kallax shelf that’s been puzzling me, and I hope you can help. I had the unit in my conservatory over the summer – it was placed right next to the glass wall, which lets in a lot of sunlight. After returning from my winter vacation, I noticed that the wood or surface of the unit has become very brittle. It feels dry and rough, almost as if it’s dried out and might easily splinter.

My question is: What could cause this brittleness after a Kallax unit has been in a conservatory for several months? I suspect that the combination of temperature fluctuations, sunlight exposure, and possibly dry air could be a factor, but I’m not entirely sure.

Has anyone had experience with furniture in a conservatory or advice on how to prevent this effect?

Thanks in advance!

mitch31 schrieb:
I had the unit in my conservatory over the summer – it was placed right next to the glass front, which lets in a lot of sunlight.

Hey, that sounds like a typical case of drying out caused by sun and heat exposure! Especially with furniture made from particleboard or MDF, direct sunlight can really put strain on the material. The surface dries out, becomes brittle, and can even develop small cracks.

Additionally, the usually low humidity in a conservatory often makes this worse. Your Kallax isn’t designed for outdoor use, even if it looks great there ;-)

My advice: If you want to place something like that there again, try using some light sun protection or a plant wall in front of it; that often helps. And maybe occasionally treat it with furniture oil or special care products to keep the surface supple. 🙂

Hello Mitch,

I’d like to shed some light on the possible causes of this brittleness in detail:

1. Material composition: Kallax shelves are made of particleboard with a melamine resin coating. These materials are sensitive to extreme climate changes.

2. Temperature fluctuations: In a conservatory, strong temperature increases can occur during the day due to sunlight, followed by sharp drops at night. This causes the material to expand and contract, which can damage the microstructure.

3. Humidity: Dryness is often underestimated. In winter, heating air frequently causes very dry indoor air, which extracts moisture from the wood or composite material.

4. UV radiation: It can gradually weaken the surface coating and make the inner material brittle.

Practical advice: Especially in conservatories, maintaining a stable indoor humidity level (around 40–60%) is important, and the shelf should be kept out of direct sunlight. Humidifiers can help, as well as UV-protective films or curtains.

If you want to preserve the shelf, I recommend treating it with furniture care products that can protect the material and restore some flexibility.

mitch31 schrieb:
stood in the conservatory for months?

The problem is usually UV radiation and dry air. Kallax is not suitable for outdoor use. The humidity is too low, and temperature fluctuations are too high.

There is little that can be done except to change the location or add protection.

Franklin36 schrieb:
1. Material properties: Kallax shelves are made of particleboard with a melamine resin coating.

Interesting, but I find it more concerning that people often assume these surfaces are thick and durable. They are often quite thin and provide only limited protection.

Also, I wonder if the lamination alone is sufficient to protect against UV damage. The material could develop fine surface cracks that allow air and heat to penetrate, contributing to drying out.

ritotar schrieb:
try placing a light sunshade or a plant wall in front of it

That’s a practical suggestion, but I doubt that just a sunshade alone will solve the problem in the long term. The combination of temperature, UV exposure, and low humidity is often overlooked during product development.

I would also check how severe the temperature fluctuations actually are, and whether a better ventilation concept might help. Brittle furniture in a sunroom always indicates to me that the space is not designed as a permanent living area or a proper furniture storage environment.

Hello everyone! Wow, this is such an exciting topic!

I can only confirm what has already been said: A sunroom is a bit of a battleground for furniture! The sun beats down, the air is often dry in winter, and the material structure suffers.

What fascinated me the most, however, was the explanation about thermal stresses and micro-cracks. That’s a real challenge, but also an opportunity!

If you want, you can revive the Kallax unit with a little care! Lightly dampen a cloth and gently wipe the surface to remove dust and deposits. Afterwards, you can rub it in with a mild furniture oil. This helps to nourish the surface a bit and makes the material more resistant—without having to replace it completely!

Keep it up, we can manage this! :-)