ᐅ What is the best way to disassemble IKEA Besta units for moving?

Hello everyone, I’m facing the challenge of disassembling my IKEA Besta cabinet as carefully as possible for an upcoming move. Because of the different modules, types of screws, and shelves, I’m unsure about the best way to proceed to avoid damage and keep everything organized for packing.

Does anyone have experience dismantling Besta systems, especially larger cabinets that are partly fixed together? I’m particularly interested in any specific advice on the most effective sequence to follow, the best way to remove the back panel (which seems quite sturdy), and whether certain screws should definitely be marked to make reassembly easier later on.

Looking forward to your tips, especially any suggestions that help structure the process and save time. Thanks in advance!

Tugiel schrieb:
I’m mainly interested in whether there are any specific tips on the most sensible order, and the best way to remove the back panel (which seems fairly sturdy)

Hey, that’s a good approach regarding the order! My tip: start by removing the visible doors and shelves first, so you can access the screws holding the frame more easily. Usually, you can carefully loosen the back panel with a putty knife – Ikea often staples it rather than screwing it in, so prying it off instead of unscrewing works best.

Marking the screws is a great idea, maybe with small notes or simply by photographing the connection points. This makes reassembly much faster and saves you some hassle. For larger Besta modules: less force, more care, otherwise you risk cracking the wood edges.

And always remember: better to check twice briefly than to pull too hard once! That way you ensure nothing gets damaged.

Here is a simple step-by-step guide for disassembling Besta units when moving:

- Remove doors and shelves: They are usually just hooked in or secured with simple clips.
- Take off the back panel: This is often fixed with staples, best carefully pried off using a putty knife. For thicker back panels, check for screws or nails along the edges.
- Systematically collect screws using small bags or labeled notes. It is especially important to separate the small connector screws (cam locks) and dowels.
- Disassemble the modules in roughly the reverse order of assembly. That means first undo the outer connections, then the frame.
- If you have IKEA tools (for example, the small Allen key), bring them along, as they usually fit the screws best.

A small tip: Sometimes the hinges fit differently on the doors, so it’s worth marking them. Otherwise, the doors might not fit properly later on.

If you have any questions, just get in touch!

giabau schrieb:
Sometimes the hinges fit differently on the doors, so it’s worth marking them as well.

This is an important point that is often overlooked.

I would also critically question whether a complete disassembly is necessary. Sometimes it’s enough to break the modules down into manageable parts without fully dismantling every element. This reduces the loss of small parts and also the risk that stability suffers during reassembly if something isn’t reconnected perfectly.

Regarding the back panel: it usually holds up quite well, but if you carefully loosen it with a putty knife, it’s possible that the wood fibers around the staples get damaged. If you want to avoid that, you could consider leaving the back panel intact and transporting the cabinet in larger modules.

How do you handle the panels and surfaces? Do you transport them separately or together with protection?