ᐅ KALLAX and Dead Zones – Can the Material Cause Interference?

Hello everyone,

I recently rearranged my apartment quite a bit and used several KALLAX shelves from IKEA to better organize my space. At the same time, I noticed that my Wi-Fi and mobile signal have become noticeably weaker in some parts of the apartment, with actual dead spots in certain areas.

My question is: Can the material and construction of KALLAX shelves really affect Wi-Fi or mobile signals so much that measurable or noticeable dead zones occur? As far as I know, the shelves are mostly made of wood fiberboard with a thin plastic or foil coating, but maybe I’m missing something.

I have some technical knowledge, but I’m wondering how furniture like this can impact radio wave propagation, especially when electronic devices are placed behind or inside them. Are there factors like material density, structure, or metallic components that I might be overlooking? I’m curious to hear your experiences and insights!

Wood and wood-based materials like KALLAX usually do not pose a significant obstacle for Wi-Fi or mobile signals. What is important are metallic or very dense materials. However, if you have metal boxes or aluminum profiles in the shelves, these can weaken the signals.

Basically, WLAN and cellular signals are electromagnetic waves that travel through your environment at around 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz for WLAN, and depending on the network and frequency band, roughly 800 MHz to 2.6 GHz for cellular. The materials these waves have to pass through significantly affect the signal strength.

KALLAX shelves are mostly made of wood fiberboard (MDF or particleboard) with a thin foil surface, as mentioned. These wood materials are natural dielectrics and cause only minor attenuation of electromagnetic waves, meaning they absorb or reflect very little of the signal.

A potential source of interference, however, can be metallic parts like screws, hinges, or shelves made from aluminum or steel. Also, if electronic devices with metal casings or large metal boxes are placed on or inside the shelves, they can significantly block or weaken the wireless signal. Additionally, the orientation of the shelf between the transmitter and receiver can contribute to signal shadowing.

If your problem is more severe, the following steps might help:

1. Check if there are electronic devices with metal components in or on the shelves.
2. Use a WLAN repeater app to test signal quality at different locations.
3. Consider relocating the WLAN router or replacing it with a model that has better signal coverage.

I’m also curious about which frequency band and device you observe the dropouts on—is it WLAN 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz? And how large are the distances within the room?

I hope this provides a clearer explanation and points you toward further testing steps.

glamo schrieb:
KALLAX shelves are mostly made of wood fiberboard (MDF or particleboard) with a thin laminate surface, as already mentioned.

Exactly, and I would add: The material itself is almost transparent to radio waves; the real issue is usually the items stored on the shelves. Golden rule for managing dead zones: It’s not the furniture, but what’s inside it! 😉

Also, the shelves can create a kind of “shadow” in the room that changes the path of radio waves—similar to how sunlight is affected by trees. So, if you want to improve your Wi-Fi or mobile signal, try positioning the shelves or the router so that the radio waves have as clear a path as possible.

Chances are, you don’t have any problematic wood blocking your signal, but rather a clever furniture arrangement that’s temporarily interfering. Don’t let that worry you; the solution is usually simple—and if not, just call your local tech expert! 🙂