ᐅ After children have visited, the hinges on the Kallax unit have come loose – how can I fix this?

Created on: 7 Nov 2022 18:37
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Narkla
Hello everyone,

I have the following problem: After a visit from some children at our home, the hinges on the doors of my Kallax shelving unit have become quite loose. I use the Kallax as a storage cabinet with doors, and it looks like the screws or hinges have loosened or even partially come out of the wood.

Now I am wondering how to best repair this without damaging the entire structure.

Should I use larger screws, or would a furniture repair kit be more helpful? Maybe there are also tricks to reinforce the wood material if the holes have become too large?

I would be very grateful for practical advice, preferably including suggestions for tools I could use. Thanks in advance!
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BLAKEO
8 Nov 2022 09:18
Narkla schrieb:
After children have been using it, the hinges on the Kallax become loose – how can this be fixed?

Basically, you should consider how the load will be distributed in the future – children can sometimes pull on doors quite roughly. Repairing the hole itself is one thing, but if the chipboard material is already brittle, then this is not a long-term solution.

My suggestion: Instead of just filling the holes, it might be better to mount the hinges with so-called "furniture hinge plates" onto a larger wooden board or reinforcement that will hold better.
bapar schrieb:
Threaded inserts or metal screw anchors
are certainly the most durable options but are more costly and time-consuming. Whether it’s worth it for a Kallax is another matter.

So, my recommendation is: first repair the damage – then consider if additional reinforcement or at least stricter usage rules (especially with children) make sense. Otherwise, you might find yourself repairing the holes again in a few months.
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vin_leo
8 Nov 2022 12:43
Hey, a bit of glue, wooden dowels, and then the screw back in – sounds boring, but it often works really well. 🙂

I once tried reinforcing doors with a small wooden strip for extra stability when kids are around. It does take more effort, but the door lasts longer. So, next time you have children visiting, you’ll have a little extra boost for your hinges. 😉

And don’t worry: take it easy, with some patience it’s a quick fix!
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Ianlau
9 Nov 2022 10:05
Hello Narkla,

I understand well that this issue can be stressful, especially when children are around and you need a quick repair. So, I will summarize and add some important points:

- Use regular wood glue, not epoxy or two-component adhesive, that is completely sufficient.
- Avoid driving the screws too quickly while the glue is still wet.
- It is better to fill the screw holes beforehand with suitable wooden dowels or toothpicks plus glue.
- After drying, you can lightly pre-drill the holes. If the screws are too large and continue to split the wood, use slightly smaller screws and, if possible, more screws instead.

Also: If the chipboard quality is too poor, it can help in the long term to attach a small plywood or MDF reinforcement to the back of the door or frame to hold new screws better.

I hope this gives you more confidence with the repair. You can definitely do this! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.