ᐅ Kallax shelves no longer fit after painting – should I sand them down?

Hello everyone, I’m facing the following problem and hope to get your advice: I have a Kallax shelf from Ikea and wanted to customize the shelves a bit, so I painted them. Unfortunately, after painting, the shelves no longer fit properly into the intended slots because the paint seems to have slightly changed the dimensions. Now I’m considering whether it makes sense to carefully sand the painted shelves to make them fit again without completely ruining the paint finish. Has anyone had experience with this? Are there any alternatives to solve this issue? I would appreciate practical tips related to painted wood, as I don’t want to buy a new shelf.

Sanding is actually the best way to slightly reduce the thickness of paint on edges or areas where it is too thick. It is important to proceed very carefully and especially to use fine-grit sandpaper.

I can only agree with Renegi 😄! It’s better to sand in small sections; otherwise, you might damage the board. If the fit is really tight, you can also gently warm the paint with a hairdryer, which sometimes makes it a bit more flexible.

Basically, it is normal for paint to form a thin layer that slightly alters the dimensions. Using fine sandpaper (grit 220 or finer), you can selectively reduce the paint finish. However, after sanding, the edges should be lightly repainted or sealed with a suitable protective finish to prevent any exposed wood areas.

Another option would be to sand the shelves while they are dry and, if necessary, apply a thinner coat before the final paint or varnish. If sanding over painted areas, I recommend using sanding blocks to achieve an even result and avoid unevenness.

I once painted a Kallax as well, and afterward, it got similarly tight for me. One tip: sanding is important, but best to use a very fine grit—you don’t want to remove all the paint. I used 240-grit sandpaper. 🙂 Although the fit also depends somewhat on the wood itself, how much the paint absorbs.