ᐅ How can I securely fix Ikea Pax wardrobes to drywall (plasterboard) walls?

Hello everyone, I am currently facing the challenge of securely attaching my Ikea Pax wardrobe to a drywall partition. The wall consists of a single 12.5 mm (1/2 inch) gypsum board, which is mounted not on solid wood but on metal studs. Now I’m wondering which fastening method is recommended to safely and permanently fix the wardrobe without damaging the wall or compromising stability.

Since the Pax wardrobe can get quite heavy with clothes and drawers, I want to be on the safe side. Which anchors or screws are best suited, and what is the ideal installation process? Also, should I specifically locate the studs behind the drywall and screw the wardrobe directly into them, or are special drywall anchors sufficient?

I would appreciate any tips and experiences—also any warnings about pitfalls I should avoid!

Hello Usrakla, I completely understand your concern about securely mounting your Pax wardrobe on a drywall. I had the exact same issue and was initially unsure about the best way to do it because, of course, you don’t want to damage the wall, but on the other hand, the wardrobe needs to be firmly supported.

What helped me was first using a stud finder to precisely locate the metal studs behind the drywall. Once you find them, screw the wardrobe directly into the studs – this will give you the most stability. I used special metal drill bits and then strong screws with suitable anchors designed specifically for metal studs.

If you can’t screw into a stud, definitely avoid using regular expansion anchors, as they won’t reliably hold the weight. In this case, toggle bolts or molly bolts are the better option – they distribute the load on the back of the drywall and can carry significantly more weight.

I know it’s a bit tricky, but your wall can hold a lot if you use the right hardware and attach to the metal studs. Good luck with the installation!

rickey schrieb:
I used special metal drill bits and then strong screws with matching anchors designed specifically for metal studs.

This is an important point because the load-bearing structure is actually within the metal studs behind the drywall.

To securely mount the Pax, I recommend the following procedure:
- First, use a high-quality stud finder to accurately locate the metal studs.
- Drill several holes there (6 mm (1/4 inch) for most screws) using a metal drill bit.
- Use self-tapping sheet metal screws or specialized steel sheet screws that grip the studs optimally.
- The number of screws should be at least four to distribute the load.

If it is not possible to access the studs, use high-quality toggle anchors for drywall, which offer a larger bearing surface behind the panel. In any case, I advise against hanging the cabinet using only simple plastic anchors in drywall – these will not hold up under load for long.

One small tip: before installation, check if the drywall is double-layered (2 x 12.5 mm (1/2 inch)) as this significantly increases the load capacity.

Can you indicate whether your wall is single or double layered? That would be important for detailed planning.

kibutar schrieb:
Can you say whether your wall is single- or double-layered drywall?

This is really an important point, as I also had double-layered drywall in my case, which provided additional safety.

Additionally, I want to add that attaching an extra wooden board (such as a plywood sheet) behind the Pax can also be a good solution.

- You can fix the board to the metal studs and then screw the Pax into it.
- This way, the load is spread more evenly and you gain better stability.

Of course, this requires a bit more effort, but for a drywall with the load of a heavy wardrobe, these steps are definitely worthwhile.

I hope this continues to be helpful!