ᐅ How can I improve the stability of Ikea Brimnes furniture?

Hello everyone,

Some time ago, I purchased several pieces of furniture from the Ikea Brimnes series, mainly dressers and bed frames. I have noticed that the stability of some models leaves something to be desired. Especially when the dressers are fully loaded or with the bed frame, the structure becomes somewhat wobbly, which concerns me in the long run.

Therefore, I am specifically interested in which methods, components, or materials I can use additionally to significantly improve the stability of these Brimnes furniture pieces without altering their appearance or affecting the original structure. I am thinking of reinforcements in certain areas, using screws or glue at strategic points, or even tips on proper assembly that are not included in the manual.

It would be great if you could share concrete advice based on your own experiences or your knowledge of furniture or Ikea products. Thank you very much in advance!

Hello Catharin59,

Your question is very detailed regarding finding a more stable solution for Brimnes furniture. Ikea furniture of this type is usually made from chipboard constructions with thinner connecting pieces, which limits the basic stability.

To improve stability, I recommend the following points:
- Install additional metal corner braces on the inside of the corner joints. These significantly increase torsional rigidity.
- Use screws with a larger diameter (M8 where possible) instead of dowels or plastic connectors. Pre-drill if necessary to avoid material splitting.
- If not already present, add a back panel to the bed frame or larger dressers using fiberboard or plywood. Screwing or gluing this helps minimize lateral sway.
- For the bed frame: fasten additional crossbars or center supports under the slatted bed base.

It is important to check all screws multiple times and tighten them if needed, as the material can settle with use.

The visual appearance can be maintained if the reinforcements are placed internally or hidden. If you have pictures of the assembly steps, I can assist you more precisely with the installation.

Great topic, Catharin59! I absolutely love the Brimnes series but completely understand your concern 😊. The furniture sometimes feels a bit delicate, even though it’s supposed to support a lot.

One of my favorite ideas is using metal brackets, just like tra_nina mentioned, but I go a step further:

- Also use small wooden dowels at the joints, secured with wood glue.
- For dressers, stick floor-level rubber pads to the feet. This ensures a stable base and prevents any rocking.

Additionally, if you fix the furniture to the wall, you get much more stability and safety right away. I also recommend this for kids’ rooms or furniture that experiences heavy use.

All I can say is: keep at it, sometimes it’s the small tricks that make a big difference! Good luck!!!

Davidleo schrieb:
Also: If you attach the furniture to the wall, you immediately gain much more stability and safety.

Is wall mounting really the ultimate solution? Sure, it makes the furniture seem very secure. But is that truly an "improvement in stability" from a furniture construction perspective, or just a workaround because the design is fundamentally unstable?

Let me provocatively suggest this: Ikea Brimnes furniture is "good enough" for its price range, but such heavy reinforcements and retrofitting basically admit that the pieces are not designed for heavy use.

Even better: If you want maximum stability, skip the extra costs for brackets, glue, and plywood and instead buy more solid furniture from the start. Everything else is a makeshift fix that ends up causing more work than it’s worth.

Of course, I understand that many don’t have the budget or the space. Still, this topic shouldn’t be discussed with too much enthusiasm.

GALEO4 schrieb:
I’ll provocatively suggest this: Ikea Brimnes furniture is “good enough” for its price range, but those heavy reinforcements and retrofits are basically an admission that the pieces aren’t designed for heavy use.

That’s an important point, GALEO4, which I’d like to add to: In this category and price range, materials and construction are often aimed at offering good value for money rather than absolute durability or industrial-level strength.

What can be done to improve stability, however:
- Use wooden or metal corner brackets, since corners often face high stress during assembly.
- Apply glue at joints, as it distributes loads better than screws alone.
- Make sure all connections are carefully pressed and screwed together during assembly – sloppy assembly weakens the structure significantly.

Pay special attention to a solid floor surface and avoid uneven flooring, as this supports long-term stability.

It’s a pragmatic approach depending on the expected loads. For heavily used furniture, sturdier options are usually necessary, as you already pointed out.