ᐅ What should you do if the Ikea Brimnes wardrobe is uneven or crooked after assembly?

Hello everyone, I recently assembled an Ikea Brimnes wardrobe and noticed that it is unfortunately crooked, even though I followed the instructions exactly. It does not stand perfectly flat on the floor, appears slightly warped, and the doors do not close flush. I have already checked whether the floor is uneven, but I can rule that out since other furniture stands there without any issues. What steps can I take to fix the leaning wardrobe? Are there known weak points with the Brimnes model that should be especially considered during assembly? I’m looking forward to your experiences and tips on how to solve this problem permanently.

First, I would recommend completely detaching the piece of furniture from the floor and checking for any uneven spots, even if you are confident it’s level. Often, just a slight unevenness in the floor or a board that isn’t screwed in perfectly can cause the cabinet to stand crooked. Also, check that all joints within the cabinet are really tight—especially with Brimnes, the back panels are crucial for stability. If the back panel does not lie flush, it can twist the cabinet slightly. Sometimes, tightening the screws on the back panel or adjusting their alignment can help.

Take a look at the adjustable feet at the bottom. Most Ikea cabinets have adjustable feet that allow you to compensate for uneven surfaces. If the feet are fixed, you can use small washers to level the cabinet. You can also remove the back panel and realign it; this usually helps to make the cabinet straight.

tangi schrieb:
Often, even a slight unevenness in the floor or a rail that isn’t screwed in completely straight can cause the cabinet to lean.

I would generally put more emphasis on the tensioning of the structure here. Although the Brimnes has a solid back panel, depending on how precisely the screws are tightened, there can be very slight twists that are amplified by the load on the cabinet. Does anyone know if it’s common or at least usual with Brimnes to tighten the connections multiple times? I suspect that insufficient pre-tensioning of the joints is a key factor, not just an issue of uneven flooring.

From my personal experience, assembling the Brimnes wardrobe requires particular care. It is important to:
- Check all parts before assembly, especially the back panel
- Ensure that the back panel braces are properly aligned and not warped or damaged
- Not only insert screws but also tighten them evenly to avoid any twisting
- Check the adjustable feet to see if they can be turned and adjust them if necessary

Keep in mind that the wardrobe will react differently depending on the type of flooring. Even if the floor is slightly sloped, the feet can often compensate for this. However, if the frame is already twisted, the feet can only help to a limited extent.

In addition to the points mentioned: check the fastening of the doors. If they are not hung precisely, they can increase the impression of misalignment. Doors in Brimnes are sometimes sensitive when it comes to adjustment.