Hello everyone, I have a general question about IKEA Kallax: How do you connect your Kallax shelves with other IKEA furniture, such as Hemnes dressers or Besta cabinets? I’m especially interested in which screws you use, whether special fittings are necessary, and how you ensure a stable connection without the furniture wobbling or getting damaged. The goal is to modularly and securely screw Kallax to other series, ideally so that everything can be separated again if needed. I look forward to your tips and experiences!
It’s great that you brought up this topic! 🙂 I connected my Kallax units with Besta components, and the concept is really simple: I used appropriate furniture connectors from the hardware store (connector plates or special cross connectors). It’s important to mark the drilling spot carefully before drilling! Always choose screws that are slightly shorter to avoid damaging the material. The best part: everything can be assembled quite flexibly and separated again if you want to rearrange! Just give it a try, it works really well!
Hello faman, I’m happy to help you based on my experience! For connecting Kallax shelves with other IKEA furniture, I recommend using stabilizing angle brackets or furniture connectors, which you can find at any hardware store. It’s important to mark the holes beforehand and pre-drill them with a drill without hammer function to avoid splitting the wood. The screws shouldn’t be too long – usually 16 to 20 mm (about 0.6 to 0.8 inches) are sufficient. Also, make sure the furniture is placed on a level surface to prevent unnecessary tipping. If you use some clamping silicone additionally, it will increase the friction between the pieces of furniture.
Very interesting topic! To answer your question specifically: If you want to connect a Kallax with a Hemnes or Besta, you should first check the material thicknesses and internal construction of the furniture. Kallax is usually made of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) about 15mm (0.6 inches) thick, while Hemnes is solid wood, which requires different screws. I recommend two methods:
1. Direct screwing from the inside: Here, brass or plastic spacer sleeves are useful to prevent the screw from pressing out the exterior material. You will also need countersunk screws to keep the surface flush.
2. Connection via a coupling plate or a wooden spacer piece that you cut precisely to size beforehand.
It is important to mark precisely with a square to join the furniture at right angles. Do you already have a specific furniture combination in mind? Which piece exactly do you want to connect to the Kallax?
1. Direct screwing from the inside: Here, brass or plastic spacer sleeves are useful to prevent the screw from pressing out the exterior material. You will also need countersunk screws to keep the surface flush.
2. Connection via a coupling plate or a wooden spacer piece that you cut precisely to size beforehand.
It is important to mark precisely with a square to join the furniture at right angles. Do you already have a specific furniture combination in mind? Which piece exactly do you want to connect to the Kallax?
Thanks in advance for the quick responses! @Le_kin: I would like to attach a 2x2 Kallax (so 4 compartments) to the side of a classic Hemnes dresser to create a cohesive look. A spacer board is a good idea; I hadn’t considered that yet. About the screws: I have 3.5 x 30 mm (about 1/8 x 1 1/4 inch) countersunk screws in the tube – are these suitable? For pre-drilling, I plan to use a 2.5 mm (about 3/32 inch) metal drill bit; is that appropriate? Also, both pieces of furniture have back panels made of thin MDF—will that cause any issues?
Hello faman, I’ll summarize my approach so you can easily apply it:
1. Pre-drilling: A 2.5 mm metal drill bit is a good choice, especially to avoid splitting the material.
2. Screws: 3.5 x 30 mm countersunk screws are fine, as long as you don’t screw directly into thin back panels. Avoid relying solely on the back panel, as it provides no stability.
3. Connection: It’s best to screw where the material is a bit thicker, such as the edges or sides of shelves. Use either angle brackets or a central piece (e.g., a narrow wooden board) that you screw onto both pieces of furniture, which significantly increases stability.
4. Safety: Use clamps to hold everything in place while screwing.
In summary: Avoid having the screws connect only the thin back panels, as this offers little hold. A small board as a connecting element is the cleanest solution.
1. Pre-drilling: A 2.5 mm metal drill bit is a good choice, especially to avoid splitting the material.
2. Screws: 3.5 x 30 mm countersunk screws are fine, as long as you don’t screw directly into thin back panels. Avoid relying solely on the back panel, as it provides no stability.
3. Connection: It’s best to screw where the material is a bit thicker, such as the edges or sides of shelves. Use either angle brackets or a central piece (e.g., a narrow wooden board) that you screw onto both pieces of furniture, which significantly increases stability.
4. Safety: Use clamps to hold everything in place while screwing.
In summary: Avoid having the screws connect only the thin back panels, as this offers little hold. A small board as a connecting element is the cleanest solution.
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