ᐅ Experiences with wood glue instead of screws for unstable Kallax units?

Hello everyone,

I have a somewhat unusual question regarding my wobbly Kallax shelves from Ikea. Instead of tightening the screws or using new ones, I am considering using wood glue as an alternative to stabilize the joints. So my question is: Has anyone had experience using wood glue instead of screws to fix wobbly Kallax shelves? Does it work reliably, or are there important factors to keep in mind? What about load-bearing capacity and long-term stability? I look forward to your opinions and tips!

Basically, I recommend using screws or original fasteners for furniture like the Kallax shelf, which is designed for modular plug-in connections. Wood glue works well for bonding wood surfaces but does not provide sufficient mechanical stability on its own for loaded furniture, which is usually ensured by screwing.

Wood glue combined with screws can help with reinforcement, but it does not fully replace them. Load-bearing capacity also depends greatly on the type of wood and the quality of the glue.

I gave it a try – wanted to upgrade my Kallax and came up with the idea of using wood glue 😄. Of course, the glue can strengthen joints, but with such a versatile shelf, gluing alone usually isn’t enough. My advice: glue first, then screw it together. Otherwise, the shelf might only hold up for the photo session ;-) But seriously: It’s great that you’re looking for alternatives, just be cautious relying on glue alone when the shelf will be under load. 🙂

Hello bladan,

to clarify the basics once again: Wood glue works by bonding cellulose fibers and is especially strong when two clean, smooth surfaces are glued together. For furniture like Kallax, which partly consists of compressed particleboard and uses knock-down fittings, the glue can quickly lose its strength under stress.

If you want to use glue as an additional measure, you can definitely apply it thinly to the contact surfaces and then secure it with screws after it has dried. I would not recommend relying on glue alone for Kallax.

Lotizar schrieb:
Wood glue is suitable for bonding wood surfaces but does not by itself provide mechanical stability in heavily loaded furniture

Thank you, Lotizar, that sounds reasonable. Can the type of wood glue (e.g., white glue vs. PU glue) affect the stability? PU glue is supposed to adhere better to porous, less smooth surfaces, right?

I would also like to know if it makes sense to let the glue dry first and then screw the parts together, or if it's better to do both at the same time?

bladan schrieb:
Can the type of wood glue (e.g., white glue vs. PU glue) affect the stability?

Absolutely, the choice of adhesive is important. White glue (PVAC) is the classic wood adhesive and works well on smooth wood surfaces but dries relatively brittle. PU glue, on the other hand, reacts with moisture and fills small irregularities better, which can be effective on particleboard.

However, the glue alone can only partially absorb shear or stacking forces when used solely for bonding, since shelves are subjected to significant dynamic loads. I would consider a purely glued Kallax structure to be critical.