ᐅ How can Ikea Pax wardrobes be securely mounted to walls in older buildings?

Hello everyone,

I am facing the challenge of attaching my newly purchased Ikea Pax wardrobes to old building walls. The walls here consist of a load-bearing brick structure, partly covered with an old plaster layer and somewhat uneven surface. Although I have read various tips on similar questions, I have not found a clear recommendation for the most suitable anchors and screws that properly hold in such old walls without causing damage or compromising stability.

Does anyone have good knowledge or personal experience on how to securely and permanently fix heavy Pax wardrobes to old brick walls? Are there special mounting methods that work better for brick than standard anchors? It would also be helpful to know how to best proceed with potentially very uneven wall surfaces to ensure the wardrobe is mounted straight and firmly.

I look forward to your tips, recommendations, or possible pitfalls I should be aware of.

Hello losau,

First of all: good question, because old building walls often have a structure that cannot be directly compared to modern drywall. This indeed makes mounting heavy furniture like Ikea Pax wardrobes a challenge.

Basically, you should first check exactly what material your wall is made of. Solid brick walls without cavities bear loads very differently than, for example, drywall or lightweight partition walls.

Here is my detailed suggestion for mounting:

- First, check old plaster surfaces for loose layers and remove them if necessary, as they do not provide a stable base.
- For the anchors, I recommend heavy-duty anchors, such as metal anchors or metal expansion anchors made of high-quality metal. These provide better hold in solid masonry than plastic anchors.
- Alternatively, depending on the hole size and material, chemical anchors can be used. These involve injecting a special resin into the drilled hole to securely fix the screw. This method is especially recommended for irregular or porous brick walls.
- When drilling, use a hammer drill and a suitable masonry bit to achieve precise and clean holes.
- The screws should match the wall and wardrobe thickness, as Ikea usually recommends M6 screws for wall mounting of Pax wardrobes.

Regarding flatness: If the wall is uneven, you can use spacer cones or washers between the wardrobe and the wall to compensate for gaps. It is important that the wardrobe does not press or hang on individual points, but rests evenly against the wall.

Can you describe as precisely as possible what type of brick is installed there (porous, hard-fired, sand-lime brick?), and approximately how thick the plaster layer is? Then I can tailor my advice even better.

PLOMA schrieb:
Basically, you should first check what material your wall is made of.

I can only confirm that, losau. Especially in older buildings, there are so many different types of walls that you can’t simply say all anchors and screws are equally suitable.

I once mounted a heavy Pax unit on a similar brick wall and can say from experience that you should definitely avoid using standard nail anchors from the hardware store. They didn’t hold reliably for me.

PLOMA schrieb:
Alternatively, depending on the hole size and material, chemical anchors can be used, where a special resin is injected into the drill hole to securely fix the screw.

This might be a more complex method for some, but I found it very reassuring with my old building’s wall because the cabinet was really solidly anchored. I admit I was a bit nervous before installation since it’s a relatively expensive solution.

My tip: Take your time with wall preparation and drilling, because holes made too quickly, at the wrong angle, or too deep are often the main cause of unstable installations.

For older brick walls:
- Choose a drill bit at least 6mm (0.24 inches) larger than the anchor
- Use metal expansion anchors (no plastic parts)
- Secure heavy cabinets directly with 2-3 screws per side
- Always check with plaster that you are drilling directly into the brick

This is usually sufficient and safe.

losau schrieb:
Are there specific installation methods that are better suited for brick than standard wall plugs?

Yes, there are indeed some techniques tailored specifically for brickwork. It is important to distinguish between solid bricks and hollow bricks, as the latter offer less holding strength at the fixing point.

- For solid bricks, high-quality metal expansion anchors usually work very well.
- For hollow bricks or very porous materials, it is better to use toggle bolts or cavity anchors that expand inside the hollow space.
- Alternatively, as mentioned before, chemical anchors can also be used. Polyester or epoxy resin anchors, in particular, provide excellent load capacity and reduce the risk of cracks in the masonry.

Additionally, proper wall preparation is crucial: the plaster must be sound; otherwise, reinforcement mesh or leveling measures should be applied.

For older walls, I recommend using a greater number of smaller fixings rather than fewer heavy-duty ones, to distribute the load better across the wall and reduce the risk of damage.

PLOMA schrieb:
The screws should match the wall and cabinet thickness, as Ikea usually recommends M6 screws for mounting Pax wardrobes.

That’s an important note. The fixing materials recommended by the manufacturer often provide a good starting point but should always be checked against the condition of the wall.

One more tip: make sure the wall and the cabinet are not pressed directly against each other to avoid stress in the materials. Use spacers if necessary.