Hello everyone,
I noticed that one of the drawers in my IKEA Besta unit has broken. The front panel is still attached, but the drawer box itself is cracked at one of the lower corners along the edge and is barely holding together. Since the Besta series is quite modular, I would like to know if anyone has experience repairing a broken drawer like this themselves.
It’s important for me to understand how to best stabilize the break—do I need special tools or replacement parts, or is it enough to fix the pieces with wood glue and screws?
I’m also interested in whether IKEA offers replacement parts or if you have to improvise, for example with standard repair kits.
It would also be great if someone could share tips on how to disassemble and reinsert the drawer to make the repair as clean as possible.
Thanks in advance for your help!
I noticed that one of the drawers in my IKEA Besta unit has broken. The front panel is still attached, but the drawer box itself is cracked at one of the lower corners along the edge and is barely holding together. Since the Besta series is quite modular, I would like to know if anyone has experience repairing a broken drawer like this themselves.
It’s important for me to understand how to best stabilize the break—do I need special tools or replacement parts, or is it enough to fix the pieces with wood glue and screws?
I’m also interested in whether IKEA offers replacement parts or if you have to improvise, for example with standard repair kits.
It would also be great if someone could share tips on how to disassemble and reinsert the drawer to make the repair as clean as possible.
Thanks in advance for your help!
KEOMICKE61 schrieb:
Can someone tell me whether the strips should be as thin or as thick as possible? Hello KEOMICKE61,
good question! The strips should be sturdy enough to reliably relieve the break point, but not too thick so they don’t obstruct the drawer installation. A thickness of about 0.8 to 1 cm (0.3 to 0.4 inches) has worked well for me. That is enough to reinforce the corner without causing installation issues.
- Flat wooden strips are usually the less conspicuous choice, especially if you reinforce the side panel from the inside—they are hardly noticeable and easy to work with.
- Metal brackets are more stable but can look a bit “technical” depending on their size and finish. If you use them, make sure they fit well on the inside and no screw heads are exposed, to avoid scratching the furniture surface.
- Specialized furniture brackets—also called “corner connectors”—can be found at hardware stores. These are often small and discreet, made of galvanized steel, and suit this purpose well.
In summary: If you want to stay as discreet as possible, use wooden strips with glue and screws. For maximum strength, you can additionally use small metal brackets, especially in load-bearing areas.
KEOMICKE61 schrieb:
I also considered metal brackets but wonder if they might be too noticeable visually (visible from the inside)If you’re concerned about how metal brackets look on the inside, you can cover the screw heads with small self-adhesive felt or foam pads. This protects them and softens the appearance a bit.
Alternatively, a stylish wooden rail painted to match could work well – a touch of DIY charm!
Otherwise, especially with Besta drawers, metal brackets can actually be a good choice since they take up little space and provide solid stability. So here’s a little tip from me with a screwdriver!
Similar topics