ᐅ Is there a guide for safely disassembling the Ikea Brimnes furniture?

Hello everyone, I recently disassembled my Ikea Brimnes bed and found that the instructions for safe disassembly are not very clear. Is there anyone here who knows or has created a detailed and reliable step-by-step guide to safely take apart Ikea Brimnes furniture without causing damage? I am especially interested in what exactly to watch out for to avoid damaging the furniture parts, and whether there are any tools or tips that make the process easier. I would appreciate it if you could share your experiences or some kind of “best practice” here so that I and others can do this safely in the future.

Hey bauke, I think your question is really important! 😄 Especially with IKEA furniture, the instructions are often focused on assembly, but usually say nothing about disassembly. For Brimnes, I can say: caution is key! It’s best to label the screws, or you’ll quickly lose track of them. My tip: always put screws in a small box and never pull them out with force. And yes, a Phillips screwdriver or a cordless drill with a torque setting is very helpful. By the way, sometimes it also helps to do it with a friend – that way you have two pairs of hands and can hold things more securely 😉.

Trate47 schrieb:
When it comes to Brimnes, my advice is: better be cautious!

I generally agree, but I think it’s important to consider such general statements with more nuance. As far as I know, Ikea does not provide an official guide for disassembly because the design is primarily intended for assembly. Accordingly, there are risks that should not be underestimated. The joints in Brimnes furniture often use a combination of dowels and screws, which can break if pulled incorrectly. Therefore, I recommend carefully checking which connections can be undone and where it’s better to proceed in a way that saves effort. Simply unscrewing without caution carries the risk of damage, which can lead to frustrating issues, especially with a piece like Brimnes that is relatively inexpensive.

I can provide a brief guide on how to safely disassemble the Brimnes wardrobe. It is important to proceed step by step and in an organized way:

- First, completely remove all drawers and set them aside.
- Then, carefully remove the back panel. It is usually fixed with small nails, which can ideally be gently pried out using a flat screwdriver or a nail puller.
- Carefully unscrew the screws holding the side panels using the appropriate Phillips screwdriver. It is best to loosen all screws in sequence, not just one or two.
- While loosening the screws, apply even pressure on the panel to avoid any tension that could cause damage.
- Once the braces are loosened, you can carefully separate the individual parts.

A tip: A cordless screwdriver with adjustable torque reduces the risk of over-tightening or not properly loosening screws. This makes the disassembly process much safer.

What helped me was systematically numbering the screws and then placing the parts into aligned piles accordingly. This way, you don’t lose track.

fredle schrieb:
A cordless screwdriver with adjustable torque reduces the risk of over-tightening or improperly loosening screws.

Exactly! I once managed without it and ended up complaining about sore muscles every evening 😉. The right technique and the proper tools really make all the difference.

And very important: marking the holes and screws saves you a lot of time and frustration during reassembly. Otherwise, it’s easy to forget where everything goes.