ᐅ The Kallax shelf in the children's room can barely withstand the wear and tear – what can be done?

Hello everyone,

I have a Kallax shelf from IKEA in our children's room, which I mainly use for toys, books, and some larger items. Unfortunately, I’m having the problem that the shelf barely holds up to the wear and tear over time. The shelves tend to sag, and the joints become loose, even though I have been careful not to overload it. It seems that the construction is not robust enough for regular use by children’s hands and the often quite heavy toys.

Has anyone had similar experiences or perhaps some tips on how to improve the stability without having to buy a completely different piece of furniture? I’m particularly interested in practical solutions that can be implemented in a typical household, such as reinforcements, additional fittings, or the correct assembly.

Looking forward to your advice!

Livin schrieb:
the shelf barely holds up under the loads over time.

Oh, I know that feeling all too well! Kallax is actually a great, flexible system, but in a kids’ room, things can get pretty rough! 🙂

I have reinforced the shelves in our home from time to time by adding extra support strips. Simply screw wooden battens under the shelves to distribute the load much better.

Also, it’s worth securing the shelves to the wall – not just for safety reasons, but it also greatly increases overall stability.

And if the shelves are already sagging badly, you can sometimes replace them with thin plywood panels that fit right in. It costs a bit more but holds up solidly.

Good luck with reinforcing! A little careful handiwork can work wonders here ;-)

Livin schrieb:
Has anyone had similar experiences or perhaps some tips to improve the stability?

The load capacity of a Kallax shelf is indeed limited, as the shelves are made of relatively thin particleboard, which is not designed to carry heavy loads permanently—especially over a larger span.

If I may offer you a step-by-step plan:

1. Check whether the shelves are assembled correctly and all screws are tightened. Loose connections significantly reduce stability.

2. You can reinforce the shelves by attaching wooden strips or metal brackets underneath. This distributes the load closer to the side panels.

3. Make sure the shelf is secured to the wall, as KNUTGI already mentioned; this prevents wobbling and increases safety in the children's room.

4. If you have some DIY skills: replace the shelves with stronger panels, e.g., 18 mm (0.7 inches) plywood. This greatly reduces sagging.

5. Finally, it might help to store heavy items on the lower shelves and lighter ones on top. This protects the shelves and prevents unnecessary stress.

If you want, I can also provide exact measurements to consider when choosing replacement panels.

I’m also curious: What kind of loads are you roughly dealing with? Toy bins, books, or items like building blocks that weigh several kilograms per compartment?

Palenar schrieb:
the shelves are made of relatively thin particleboard, which is not designed to support heavy loads over time

At this point, I would like to add that the Kallax system is primarily designed with aesthetics and modular flexibility in mind, rather than maximum stability.

One often overlooked aspect is the role of the side panels, which serve a load-bearing function. Have you checked if the side panels sag in the middle or show visible bending? This could indicate that not only the shelves but the entire piece of furniture is under-dimensioned to withstand long-term use in a child's room.

I recommend actually reducing the loads and considering a combination with more robust furniture. The simplest way to reinforce the Kallax, as mentioned, is by adding cross braces made of wood or metal on the back.

One more critical point: many users store items that are actually too heavy or cause localized stress due to sharp or heavy edges. This is naturally also an issue.

Therefore: first check the actual usage, then strengthen selectively. Otherwise, makeshift solutions often only remain effective in the short term.

KNUTGI schrieb:
A little bit of careful handiwork works wonders here ;-)

Thank you very much for the advice! The idea of adding wooden strips under the shelves sounds like a simple and effective solution that I am considering.

Palenar schrieb:
I’m also curious: What are the approximate loads?

On average, each shelf mainly holds various toys, some of which are quite heavy (small building blocks, stuffed animals, sometimes a few thicker books). I estimate about 5-8 kg (11-18 lbs) per shelf. The weight from the child tossing things around is not precise, but there are definitely occasional point loads from standing or climbing on it.

BLAKEO schrieb:
Check the actual use first, then reinforce selectively.

That makes sense. My next step will be to completely empty the shelves and check if any side panels are warped or if any screws are loose.

One more question: Is there a way to reinforce the back panel? I have the impression it contributes at least partly to the overall stability. The shelf itself is generally sturdy, but due to the load and movement from children, everything loosens quite quickly.

I’m grateful for any further tips before I buy wooden strips or undertake modifications myself.