ᐅ My Kallax unit always catches on the door – would furniture sliders help?

Hello everyone,

I have a rather specific issue with my IKEA Kallax shelf, which is placed right next to the door in my hallway. The shelf keeps catching on the door with a corner or one of its edges when I open or close the door. This is not only annoying but also risks damaging the paint or wood if I’m not careful.

Now I’m wondering if furniture pads under the Kallax edge protectors or at points underneath the shelf could help. Has anyone had experience with this? If so, which type of furniture pad works best – felt, plastic, or maybe something else? And is it even practical to place furniture pads exactly where the contact with the door happens?

I’d appreciate any practical advice on how to solve this problem permanently.

Hey Agonfar, it’s great that you’re taking this so seriously! 🙂 I had exactly the same problem with a Billy shelf that was rubbing against the door. What I did was stick felt pads under the edges that touched the door. Since then, the shelf slides past the door very smoothly—you hardly notice it anymore!

Agonfar schrieb:
Would furniture sliders under the Kallax edge protectors or at points underneath the shelf help?

Yes, that’s exactly where you should put them! It’s best to use flat, larger sliders so they provide enough glide protection and reduce friction. Give it a try, it really works well! Good luck! 🙂

Regarding the issue with the Kallax catching on the door, several factors need to be considered. In general, attaching furniture glides at the points of contact is recommended to reduce friction.

When choosing the material, felt or plastic glides are advisable, with felt glides being especially suitable if quiet movement is desired. It is important, however, to ensure that the glides are thick enough to create a gap that prevents catching.

Pome60 schrieb:
Yes, that’s exactly where you should place them! Ideally, the glides should be flat and larger in size to provide sufficient glide protection

I agree with this, but it should also be checked whether the door frame or the door itself is already warped, as this can also cause the catching.

Furniture glides are a quick solution. Stick them to the corners where the shelf meets the door. Felt glides are usually the best option. Alternatively, check the door seals, as these can sometimes be adjusted.

I would like to add: In addition to using furniture glides, it should also be checked whether the position of the Kallax can be slightly adjusted. Even a few millimeters (inches) of clearance between the shelf and the door frame can prevent it from catching.

Agonfar schrieb:
The shelf catches on the door with one corner or one of its edges

In practice, a combination of glides and a slight repositioning of the shelf often helps. Additionally, self-adhesive hard plastic glides provide a more stable solution than soft felt glides when the shelf carries a heavier load.

Hello Agonfar,

I completely understand your issue, as I have had similar experiences. Furniture glides are definitely a practical and simple solution, but they need to be installed correctly. It is important that the glides are not just stuck on but also checked regularly, since adhesion and material properties can change over time.

Additionally, it can be helpful to look at the door's movement itself: adjusting the hinges or slightly modifying the door stop might improve the situation. If the shelving unit is fixed in place or difficult to move, a combination of both approaches would be most effective.

If you like, I can also provide instructions on how to select and install the right glides. Just let me know! 😉