Hello everyone,
I recently bought several Ikea Platsa cabinets to assemble in the children’s room. Since I want the furniture to be childproof and safe, I am currently looking into how to make the Platsa units secure for kids.
My main concerns are a few key points: First, the cabinets need to be firmly anchored to prevent tipping, as they are quite tall and narrow. Second, I want to avoid my child getting fingers caught in drawers or doors, or climbing on them, which could be dangerous. I am also interested in whether there are specific locks or child safety devices that work well with the Platsa modular series.
Do you have any concrete tips or experiences on how to childproof Ikea Platsa furniture? Which additional safety measures work best, and are there any proven DIY solutions or accessories you would recommend?
I look forward to your feedback and suggestions!
I recently bought several Ikea Platsa cabinets to assemble in the children’s room. Since I want the furniture to be childproof and safe, I am currently looking into how to make the Platsa units secure for kids.
My main concerns are a few key points: First, the cabinets need to be firmly anchored to prevent tipping, as they are quite tall and narrow. Second, I want to avoid my child getting fingers caught in drawers or doors, or climbing on them, which could be dangerous. I am also interested in whether there are specific locks or child safety devices that work well with the Platsa modular series.
Do you have any concrete tips or experiences on how to childproof Ikea Platsa furniture? Which additional safety measures work best, and are there any proven DIY solutions or accessories you would recommend?
I look forward to your feedback and suggestions!
L
Leonardteo14 Aug 2020 11:02Hello Nabla,
your concern is completely valid. For Ikea Platsa furniture, I especially recommend the following:
- Anti-tip safety devices: Ikea does provide its own wall anchors, which are very important and should definitely be used. The Platsa systems are not inherently tip-resistant.
- Pinch protection: Unfortunately, Ikea does not offer anything specific for Platsa in this regard. I recommend retrofitting soft-close hinges on the doors or at least dampers that reduce the risk of pinching.
- Drawer safety: There are universal child safety locks that can be clipped onto the drawers. Alternatively, latches or clip locks are suitable.
As a general rule: always secure furniture to the wall using high-quality fasteners. If you want, I can give you examples of such anti-tip devices that are compatible.
I hope this helps you.
your concern is completely valid. For Ikea Platsa furniture, I especially recommend the following:
- Anti-tip safety devices: Ikea does provide its own wall anchors, which are very important and should definitely be used. The Platsa systems are not inherently tip-resistant.
- Pinch protection: Unfortunately, Ikea does not offer anything specific for Platsa in this regard. I recommend retrofitting soft-close hinges on the doors or at least dampers that reduce the risk of pinching.
- Drawer safety: There are universal child safety locks that can be clipped onto the drawers. Alternatively, latches or clip locks are suitable.
As a general rule: always secure furniture to the wall using high-quality fasteners. If you want, I can give you examples of such anti-tip devices that are compatible.
I hope this helps you.
A
AUSTINREN14 Aug 2020 13:14Regarding the safe use of Ikea Platsa furniture in a child’s room, the following approach is recommended:
- Secure the furniture to the wall using sturdy brackets or the wall anchors provided by Ikea to reliably prevent tipping.
- Install door and drawer locks that restrict access in a child-appropriate way. The safety mechanisms should be difficult for children to bypass but not overly complicated for adults to operate.
- Additionally, some experts recommend adding padding to sharp edges and corners.
There are also universal child safety locks available on the market that work well with Platsa. These typically use clamp or magnetic closures that can be installed without drilling, which is beneficial for rental properties.
As a precaution, I recommend regularly checking the safety locks and the furniture’s stability.
Best regards.
- Secure the furniture to the wall using sturdy brackets or the wall anchors provided by Ikea to reliably prevent tipping.
- Install door and drawer locks that restrict access in a child-appropriate way. The safety mechanisms should be difficult for children to bypass but not overly complicated for adults to operate.
- Additionally, some experts recommend adding padding to sharp edges and corners.
There are also universal child safety locks available on the market that work well with Platsa. These typically use clamp or magnetic closures that can be installed without drilling, which is beneficial for rental properties.
As a precaution, I recommend regularly checking the safety locks and the furniture’s stability.
Best regards.
G
GUSTAVO5615 Aug 2020 09:44Hello Nabla,
to make the Ikea Platsa furniture truly childproof, I recommend a systematic approach that covers several aspects:
- First step: Protection against tipping. The furniture should be mounted using sturdy metal brackets, which must be anchored into a solid wall, not just drywall. The wall fasteners supplied by Ikea are often designed for light loads, so it might be necessary to use locally available products with high-quality screws and anchors. Be careful! The height and size of the Platsa cabinets require particularly careful securing.
- Second step: Mechanical locks for drawers and doors. I recommend child safety locks made of hard plastic with a simple spring mechanism. These are installed inside the furniture, making them invisible but effective at preventing toddlers from opening doors or drawers.
- Third step: Accessories to prevent finger injuries. Soft-close hinges can help prevent or at least minimize pinching. Not all Platsa modules come with these by default, so it may be worth purchasing them separately.
- Fourth step: Supervision of use. Since children often like to climb, I advise against leaving furniture free-standing that encourages climbing. You can also accompany the childproofing with warnings and explanations.
Finally, a question: Which specific Platsa elements are you using, and what are their height and width? Different modules can sometimes present different challenges when it comes to securing them.
to make the Ikea Platsa furniture truly childproof, I recommend a systematic approach that covers several aspects:
- First step: Protection against tipping. The furniture should be mounted using sturdy metal brackets, which must be anchored into a solid wall, not just drywall. The wall fasteners supplied by Ikea are often designed for light loads, so it might be necessary to use locally available products with high-quality screws and anchors. Be careful! The height and size of the Platsa cabinets require particularly careful securing.
- Second step: Mechanical locks for drawers and doors. I recommend child safety locks made of hard plastic with a simple spring mechanism. These are installed inside the furniture, making them invisible but effective at preventing toddlers from opening doors or drawers.
- Third step: Accessories to prevent finger injuries. Soft-close hinges can help prevent or at least minimize pinching. Not all Platsa modules come with these by default, so it may be worth purchasing them separately.
- Fourth step: Supervision of use. Since children often like to climb, I advise against leaving furniture free-standing that encourages climbing. You can also accompany the childproofing with warnings and explanations.
Finally, a question: Which specific Platsa elements are you using, and what are their height and width? Different modules can sometimes present different challenges when it comes to securing them.
GUSTAVO56 schrieb:
Finally, a quick question: Which specific Platsa units are you using, and what are their height and width?Thanks for the detailed post! I’m using the following combination:
- Two Platsa cabinets measuring 74x42 cm (29x17 inches) each, with a height of 192 cm (76 inches), configured with a mix of doors and drawers
- One 74x74 cm (29x29 inches) Platsa corner unit, also 192 cm (76 inches) tall
Currently, the cabinet wall is positioned fairly freely, about 20 cm (8 inches) away from the wall. I also considered placing the modules flush against the wall, but that’s difficult due to radiators along the edge.
Similar topics