ᐅ KALLAX scratched after elevator transport – any tips for repair?

Hey Paletra,

You’ll definitely manage this! 🙂 If household remedies don’t work well, you can order a small white touch-up pen for a low price—they really work wonders! I once repaired my bookshelf with one, and the result was great and barely noticeable.

Very important: be patient and let the treated areas dry thoroughly. Then you can gently go over them with a very fine abrasive pad to achieve a smooth finish.

Good luck – the KALLAX is really worth it, I love my shelves! 🙂

Hello Paletra,

I would like to suggest a structured approach that often works well for scratches on KALLAX shelves:

1. Surface cleaning: first clean the affected areas with a lightly dampened microfiber cloth to remove dust and dirt.
2. Initial treatment with polish: you can use a suitable furniture polish. Make sure it is compatible with white laminate.
3. For deeper scratches: use very fine sandpaper (grit 400 or higher) and carefully sand in the direction of the wood grain or surface texture. Only sand lightly to avoid removing too much.
4. Then treat the sanded or scratched areas with white repair paint or touch-up markers (e.g., those available from IKEA or furniture stores).
5. Afterward, gently blend the paint with a soft cloth to match the surrounding surface.

Common mistakes such as sanding too roughly, insufficient cleaning, or applying paint layers too thickly should be avoided, as they can cause more damage.

Finally, apply a clear furniture polish to protect the surface.

If you need more details or recommendations for products, feel free to ask!

PRA64 schrieb:
Typical mistakes like sanding too aggressively[...] should be avoided

Thank you very much for the detailed guidance. I’m a bit apprehensive about sanding since I have no experience and am afraid of completely damaging the surface.

Could you please explain how to best tell when to stop sanding? Are there any tips to avoid sanding too much?

Also, which products or brands for white touch-up paint are especially recommended? I want to avoid buying something unsuitable.

I’m looking for something that lasts as long as possible and doesn’t show damage again quickly, even if it’s not professional grade.

Paletra schrieb:
Could you maybe explain how to best recognize when to stop sanding?

This is very important: Gently smooth out only the rough area with light pressure, just enough to reduce the deep pores of the scratch, but without sanding down to the base layer. If you see that the white coating is still visible everywhere and you cannot see through the material, you can stop.

Tip: Test first on a less visible spot, and sand only in small sections. The first time, it’s better to sand too little and test than to do too much.

Regarding the paint: IKEA sells small bottles of white paint designed for these kinds of repairs; sometimes they are available as furniture repair kits. Alternatively, many use the “Molotow Liquid Chrome Pen” or similar paint markers from hardware stores, making sure they are compatible with acrylic or wood surfaces.

If you have a felt-tip paint marker, it allows for more precise application.

Paletra schrieb:
Which products or brands for white touch-up paint are especially recommended?

I’ve had good experiences with "Marabu Möbel-Fix" and the small wood repair kits from "Livos." The paints dry quickly and have good coverage. You can usually find them at hardware stores or online.

If you prefer something simpler, try the basic touch-up markers from IKEA first. They’re not super professional but often sufficient for minor damage.

And don’t worry about sanding—like leebi7 already said: go slowly and carefully! It’s also important to have a steady hand when applying the paint. 🙂

White permanent markers also work well, are usually more affordable, and easy to control in terms of application.