ᐅ Changing the Door Hinge Side on a KALLAX Unit – Is It Possible?

Hello everyone,

I have a question about the KALLAX shelving unit from IKEA: Is it possible to change the door hinge side on the individual doors of the KALLAX unit?

I have a version with the door hinged on the right, but I would like to open it from the left side. The door itself seems simple to assemble, but I’m wondering if the hinges and cover strips are flexible enough to allow switching the hinge side, or if that is not intended.

Does anyone know if the KALLAX model is generally designed to allow changing the door hinge side, or if special parts or tricks are required for this?

I would appreciate any tips, experiences, or advice!

The KALLAX doors are normally not designed for reversing the hinge side.

While it is possible to unscrew the hinge, the pre-drilled holes and fittings are only provided on one side.

Anyone wanting to do this will either need to drill new holes or improvise using cable ties or similar solutions.

Hello,

to change the door hinge side on a KALLAX unit, here is a brief overview:

1. Check the hinge side: IKEA only pre-drills holes on one side of the carcass and the door.
2. To switch sides, you will need to drill new holes on the opposite side.
3. The hinges are usually single drilling clip hinges, which are fixed in place.
4. Make sure that the cover caps also fit in the new position – some KALLAX doors have asymmetrically shaped cover caps.

Conclusion: It is technically possible but requires some carpentry skills, the right tools, and careful execution. If you are unsure, do not drill randomly, as the material is relatively thin and can easily chip.

PIERCE schrieb:
You can unscrew the hinge, but the prepared holes and drillings are only present on one side.

Thanks for the quick information! It almost sounds like you really have to do some additional drilling.

LANICOLE schrieb:
It is technically possible, but requires craftsmanship skills, the right tools, and precise execution.

That’s helpful; unfortunately, I’m not always confident with a drill, nor do I have special furniture tools.

Is there another option, like an adapter or some kind of universal hinge that can be used without additional drilling? Or has anyone solved this with a DIY solution before?

Hello jarrenla,

Your concern is understandable; changing the door hinge side on IKEA KALLAX is not officially supported, as mentioned earlier.

If you are hesitant to drill yourself, you might consider the following options:

1. Use special furniture hinges with a pivot mechanism that allow for more flexible installation.
2. You can also simply "flip" the door rather than changing the hinge side, swapping the door position if the shelving unit is accessible from both sides.
3. Sometimes it helps to consider the version with access from both sides.

If none of these options work, drilling new holes remains the solution. Be careful: the material is MDF-like, so it can chip easily. There are sometimes retrofit kits for KALLAX available online, but usually you have to make modifications yourself.

Good luck!

Hey, I recently did this and it’s definitely doable!!! 🙂

I simply removed the old hinge and carefully drilled the holes on the other side of the door and the cabinet. Important: Don’t drill too deep and measure very precisely! It can turn out really great if you’re patient.

I also adjusted the cover strips by smoothing the edges with sandpaper.

So don’t worry, it’s really manageable! 🙂

If you want, I can give you some tips on how to make it stable!