ᐅ How do you secure Ikea Pax wardrobes on challenging wall surfaces?

Hello everyone,

I plan to mount an Ikea Pax wardrobe on a wall, but the wall conditions here are quite challenging. The wall is partially made of old brickwork, which is crumbly in some areas, and in other places, there are cavities or uneven spots. Standard wall plugs don’t seem to provide a secure fixing.

My question is:
How can one safely secure an Ikea Pax in such difficult wall conditions to ensure the wardrobe stands firmly and the fixing lasts a long time, without damaging the wall or causing the wardrobe to tip over?

What special anchors, fixings, or alternative methods do you recommend? Are there any particular tricks or preparatory steps that should be taken?

I would really appreciate specific tips and experiences, especially advice for dealing with unstable or crumbly walls. Thank you very much in advance!

Hello Beate70,

Thank you very much for your detailed description of the problem – it makes targeted assistance much easier. With older brick walls that have crumbly areas, the challenge is obviously significant because standard expansion anchors often do not provide enough holding power and can tear out of the loose material.

First, before drilling, you should definitely check which areas of the wall are load-bearing. A percussion tester or gentle tapping can help identify the firmer zones.

If the wall is largely uneven or brittle, I recommend the following approach:

- Initial cleaning of the anchor holes: remove drilling dust and loose particles (e.g., with a brush or compressed air)
- Use of chemical anchors (injection mortar): these are injected into the drilled hole, harden there, and create a very strong bond between the anchor and the masonry. This works especially well in older walls because it bridges the loose substrate and provides a secure fixing.
- Alternatively, heavy-duty anchors can be used if the wall has areas with higher strength.

Additionally, with Pax wardrobes, it is important to choose the fixing points correctly – always attach the wardrobes to wall studs or structural parts of the wall, not just the surface.

One last tip: you can attach an additional wooden frame to the wall, onto which the wardrobe is then screwed. This distributes the load better and does not transfer all the weight directly onto brittle masonry.

I would be interested in a few more details: How thick is the wall? Do you have the option to drill into the mortar joints instead of just the bricks? What drill bits do you have available?

I hope this helps you move forward.

TEBILO schrieb:
With old brick walls that have crumbly areas, the challenge is definitely significant since standard expansion anchors often don’t provide enough holding strength and can tear out of loose material.

Absolutely correct, I want to emphasize that.

I would like to add:
- Before starting, also check whether electrical wiring or plumbing runs at the intended location, as in older buildings pipes and cables are often hidden behind thin interior walls.
- Use special injection cartridges and mortar designed specifically for chemical anchoring in brick and older walls (please avoid standard mortar, as it often lacks sufficient elasticity).
- If there are larger cavities inside the wall, you can pre-fill the holes with special mounting foam before injecting the mortar to increase stability.
- Alternatively, securing with metal screw anchors designed for hollow walls may be an option – but you should carefully verify suitability according to the exact onsite situation.

Your idea of a wooden frame is very practical, as it provides a solid base for the cabinet and reduces the pressure on the wall.

After installation, be sure to check if the cabinet is stable and, if necessary, reinforce it with additional brackets or supports.

If you like, feel free to share details about the wall’s condition or how your trial installation goes, so more specific advice can be offered.

Beate70 schrieb:
How do you securely fasten an Ikea Pax wardrobe on such challenging wall conditions so that the cabinet stands stable and the attachment lasts a long time without damaging the wall or the cabinet tipping over?

I find this topic interesting because I recently went through something similar myself – my wall wasn’t an old building wall, but it wasn’t exactly great in terms of stability either 😉

My advice:
- Use flexible fastening methods so the cabinet doesn’t get rigidly stuck to the wall under load and create stress.
- Chemical anchors, as already mentioned, work great if the substrate is somewhat solid.
- If you don’t have a full wall surface, check if you can also secure the cabinet directly to the ceiling for extra stability.
- Personally, I reinforced my Pax wardrobe from the inside with so-called “clamp straps” (sturdy metal bands wedged between the cabinet and the wall) in case the wall fastenings aren’t fully reliable – these are great for difficult walls.

This makes everything feel very secure without putting unnecessary strain on the wall.

Don’t lose courage; sometimes the most creative combinations provide the best support! Good luck!