ᐅ Are there extra-wide shelves available for the large KALLAX unit?

Hello everyone,

I’m considering ordering additional shelves for my large KALLAX unit because I want to make better use of the storage space and have a more flexible layout. My question is: Are there specifically extra-wide shelves that fit the large KALLAX, going beyond the standard sizes? I have often seen that IKEA shelves are generally designed for individual compartments, but I haven’t found anything about wider shelves that span multiple compartments.

Has anyone had experience with such products, either original IKEA, third-party suppliers, or possibly DIY solutions? It’s important that the shelves are sturdy and have the appropriate pre-drilled holes or mounting points compatible with the KALLAX.

Thanks in advance for your advice and tips!

Hello Boratau,

Regarding your question about extra-wide shelves for the large KALLAX: Officially, IKEA only offers shelves that fit the individual compartment dimensions exactly. There are no original shelves that are wider and cover multiple compartments at once.

Some users rely on third-party suppliers who offer custom-sized wooden or MDF shelves, often without pre-drilled holes, so you can customize them yourself. This has the advantage of being more stable and tailored to your specific needs, but you should pay attention to using appropriate fixing methods to ensure stability.

DIY solutions with suitably processed wooden boards are therefore often the way to go to get wider shelves with high load capacity. If precise pre-drilled holes are important to you, a carpenter might be able to assist, or you could do a DIY project with your own fixings.

I hope this helps you.

elliot schrieb:
Original shelves are no wider than one compartment.

I agree with that. IKEA designed the KALLAX system to be modular. That’s why the shelves focus on individual compartments to maintain flexibility.

For extra-wide shelves, however, there are providers on platforms like Etsy or specialized furniture retailers offering custom-made solutions. They tailor the dimensions exactly to your shelving unit and improve stability using stronger materials and glue joints. It’s important to take precise measurements beforehand, including material thickness if possible, so the shelf fits securely in the shelf clips.

Some also use metal brackets for additional reinforcement, especially with wider shelves.

If you don’t want to hire a carpenter, having a custom-cut wood panel made and drilling the holes yourself is a practical option.

Hello Boratau,

I completely understand why you’re looking for extra-wide shelves for your KALLAX; I was in a similar situation because I wanted to give heavy binders and boxes more space.

laureo schrieb:
Some people also use metal brackets for additional support, especially with wide shelves.

I can definitely confirm this advice. I had a particularly wide wooden board made and reinforced it on the sides with small brackets that I screwed into the shelf. This provided significantly more stability since wide shelves can otherwise bend.

The effort is worthwhile if you want to maintain the appearance and don’t want an entirely new construction.

If you’re not very experienced with DIY: ready-made shelves in various widths are available at hardware stores or online, which can be trimmed to fit. Roughly adjusting those and connecting them with the original KALLAX clips also works quite well.

Extra wide shelves for the large KALLAX are not officially available.

If you need wider versions, I would recommend getting wooden panels from a hardware store and having them cut to size.

Then secure them with small brackets – stable and flexible.