ᐅ How can IKEA Hemnes drawers be equipped with full-extension slides?

Hello everyone,

I recently bought an IKEA Hemnes dresser and am generally satisfied with the drawers. However, I find it frustrating that the drawers do not have full extension slides. This makes it difficult to access the deeper parts of the drawer, and I would like to improve this.

My question is: How can IKEA Hemnes drawers be technically modified to work with full-extension slides?

Ideally, I’m looking for advice on suitable drawer slides, installation instructions, or possible adjustments to the cabinet or the drawers themselves.

It’s important to me that the modifications don’t involve complicated milling or advanced DIY techniques that require a lot of experience. I have some basic handyman skills but would prefer not to take apart large parts of the construction.

Has anyone had experience retrofitting full-extension slides on IKEA Hemnes drawers or possibly found a suitable solution?

Thanks in advance for your tips!

Hello,

you can remove the original slides and replace them with so-called full-extension slides from third-party suppliers. The width of the drawer should be taken into account, as most standard full-extension slides require 16-19mm (0.6-0.75 inches) of clearance on each side.

First, it is important to accurately measure the external dimensions of the drawers. Since the Hemnes system usually comes with traditional side-mounted drawer slides, the internal measurement of the cabinet side is crucial when retrofitting.

Full-extension ball-bearing slides are a good choice because they allow both smooth opening and complete drawer extension. Brands like Hettich or Blum offer models that can be installed with minor sawing and drilling.

The next steps:
- Remove the old slides completely
- Attach the new full-extension slides to the side walls of the cabinet
- Adjust the drawer if necessary or add adapter strips if the gap is too narrow.

In addition to the previous explanations, it should be noted that some model variants of the Hemnes dresser have different carcass depths and thicknesses.

A common issue when retrofitting is that the original drawer bottom constructions require even more stability due to the full-extension slides, as the load distribution changes. Therefore, when upgrading, it is advisable to reinforce the drawers or at least check that the drawer bottoms fit securely.

Furthermore, the installation of the new slides should be precisely aligned to ensure smooth full extension operation without jamming. A spirit level and appropriate tools are essential for this.

Rodolfo schrieb:
The first important step is to measure the exact external dimensions of the drawers.

Exactly, the first step is indeed measuring. Without accurate measurements, you won’t be able to choose the right drawer slides.

Additionally, I recommend checking the load capacity of the selected full-extension slides, as Hemnes drawers can become quite heavy depending on their contents. This helps prevent later issues with slides bending or squeaking.

An addition on the topic: I have installed full-extension slides on Hemnes dressers myself. I used 350 mm (14 inches) long ball-bearing full-extension slides. It was important that I could leave about 12-15 mm (0.5-0.6 inches) of space on the sides for the rails. With less clearance, I had to partially sand down the inside of the drawer sides to create enough room.

Important: Not every slide length is ideal for dressers – 300-350 mm (12-14 inches) usually works well for wide drawers, while shorter slides are better for smaller drawers.

Installation notes:
- Align the rails firmly and parallel
- After inserting the drawer, open and close it several times to avoid stiffness
- Tighten screws carefully