ᐅ Is there an easy way to disassemble IKEA BRIMNES furniture?

Hello everyone,

I have several pieces of furniture from the IKEA Brimnes series and am currently facing the challenge of having to disassemble these items for transport. My detailed question is: Is there a way to dismantle IKEA Brimnes furniture easily and efficiently without damaging the pieces or spending an excessive amount of time?

I have already tried to understand the individual connections, but some screws seem difficult to access, and the construction appears somewhat complex in places. Are there any special tools, tips, or recommendations for disassembling this type of furniture?

I look forward to practical advice and experiences from you that can help simplify the disassembly and reassembly process.

Lazar schrieb:
Is there a way to disassemble IKEA BRIMNES furniture quickly and efficiently without damaging the pieces or spending too much time?

BRIMNES furniture is generally constructed similar to many other IKEA products, mainly using cam lock fittings and metal brackets. For an easy and careful disassembly, I recommend the following steps:

- Use an Allen key or screwdriver, depending on the type of connection, to fully remove the screws.
- For hard-to-reach areas, using extensions (e.g., small bit extensions) can be helpful.
- Cam locks can often be gently turned and loosened with a small flat-head screwdriver.

Be careful to pull the parts apart gently to avoid damaging any connections. Never use force.

If you still have the assembly instructions, it can be helpful to consult them to understand the order of the components.

A well-prepared workspace with good lighting also makes the process much easier.

Lazar schrieb:
Is there a way to disassemble IKEA BRIMNES furniture easily and efficiently without damaging the furniture or spending unnecessary time?

To answer your question in detail: Yes, there is a method to disassemble BRIMNES furniture that makes the process much easier and minimizes damage. Based on my experience as a skilled DIYer, I recommend the following steps:

- First, empty the furniture and, if possible, move it to a well-lit workspace.
- Then start disassembling in the reverse order of assembly. If you have the assembly instructions, check carefully which screws were removed first—these should be the first to loosen during disassembly.
- Usually, cam lock fasteners are the main connectors in BRIMNES furniture. You need to gently turn these with a flat-head screwdriver to unlock the mechanism.
- Screws that are hard to reach can be accessed with flexible screwdriver blade attachments; these tools make it easier to reach into tight corners.
- Note that some back panels are fixed with nails or small screws. These should be carefully pried off with a small pry bar (like a refrigerator scraper or similar) without damaging the particleboard.

A crucial tip: If you plan to reassemble the furniture later, label the parts and screws systematically (for example, with tape and numbers). This will save you a lot of time during reassembly.

Also important: When loosening screws, avoid using excessive force to prevent damage to the threads.

If you’re not sure exactly which areas cause difficulty, feel free to describe the problematic spots in detail. I can then give targeted advice on the best tools and approaches.

Lotizar schrieb:
For hard-to-reach areas, it’s worth using extensions (e.g., small bit extensions).

That’s a good point, but for me, the question is whether the topic of "ease" when dismantling BRIMNES furniture shouldn’t be considered relative.

Nakar33 schrieb:
If you plan to reassemble the furniture later, systematically mark the parts and screws (e.g., with tape and numbers).

While this is good advice, it’s not really practical for many users since it requires extra effort that needs to be planned before dismantling.

In my opinion, there isn’t a truly intuitive or straightforward method for disassembling and reassembling BRIMNES furniture beyond the usual “unscrewing” process. IKEA furniture is modular and built cost-effectively, which often works against reusability.

Therefore, I would suggest adjusting expectations: dismantling is generally possible, but I don’t see any “easier” solution or hack that significantly simplifies the process – without tools and some know-how, it simply can’t be done.