ᐅ KALLAX Shelf Sticks When Using Floor Protection – How Do Furniture Pads Help?

Good morning everyone,

I have an issue with my new IKEA KALLAX shelving unit: when setting it up or moving it on my laminate flooring, it seems to “stick” somehow. Specifically, the unit doesn’t move freely and sometimes catches or gets blocked against the floor or some kind of room protection strip (baseboards / skirting boards). I suspect this might be due to the furniture pads I stuck under the legs to protect the floor and reduce noise.

My question to the community:

How do furniture pads generally affect the sliding properties of furniture like the KALLAX shelving unit? Are there differences in pad materials (felt, rubber, plastic) regarding friction and how they interact with room protection strips? What recommendations do you have to keep the KALLAX unit easy to slide despite the furniture pads, without it sticking or catching?

I look forward to your experiences and advice!

prami42 schrieb:
How do furniture pads generally affect the sliding properties of furniture like the KALLAX shelving unit?

First, it’s important to understand that furniture pads significantly change the coefficient of friction between the shelf and the floor. Felt, for example, reduces abrasion and protects the floor but can have higher static friction, especially on smooth surfaces, which may cause sticking. Rubber, on the other hand, often increases grip and can even create more resistance when sliding.

prami42 schrieb:
What recommendations do you have to keep the KALLAX shelving unit easy to move despite using furniture pads?

In my experience, the choice of material is crucial. For laminate floors, PTFE-based or special glide pads tend to work better.

I do wonder: Are you sure the skirting boards (baseboards) are securely installed? Sometimes small unevenness can cause sticking. Otherwise, I would check and possibly experiment with the combination of furniture pad material and skirting boards.

As an addition:

Furniture pads affect the mechanical interaction between the furniture and the floor by changing the surface friction coefficients. Felt pads typically have friction values between 0.2 and 0.4, while hard plastic or rubber can often increase friction on laminate flooring to over 0.5.

Furthermore, the design of skirting boards (baseboards) is crucial. These often vary in height, which can locally hinder the force applied when moving furniture. Thin, smoothly finished pads that also protect the floor are recommended, for example, those with a PTFE coating.

A tip: Also check whether the pads sit flush — a slightly uneven attachment increases the risk of a sticking effect.

For the KALLAX, felt pads work best to prevent scratches and ensure smooth sliding. Rubber is counterproductive due to higher friction. Edge protection strips can be sealed with foam tape, which reduces catching.

Hector schrieb:
In my experience, the materials are the decisive factor.

This is something that is far too often overlooked! The majority simply buy the cheapest felt pads and then wonder why shelves get stuck or floors become smeared.

I also believe that the edge protectors are often installed half-heartedly. If they don’t fit precisely to the millimeter, they press against these furniture pads, which often causes the shelves to stick.

It would also be interesting to consider whether it might be fundamentally better to switch to hard casters to be able to move the KALLAX shelf properly, rather than relying on pads designed for stationary furniture.

Shelves on casters plus proper floor protection – that would be a solution I wouldn’t dismiss as too expensive.

The jamming issue largely depends on the combination of the furniture pad height and the height/position of the wall protectors.

I would suggest choosing furniture pads that are as flat and thin as possible so they do not extend beyond the wall protectors and get caught there.

Alternatively, it often helps to slightly increase the gap between the shelf and the wall or wall protectors, so the shelf does not press directly against them.

If there is dust or small unevenness around the wall protectors, this can also cause jamming.