ᐅ My KALLAX unit keeps sinking deeper into the thick carpet – any alternatives?

Hello everyone,

I currently have the problem that my KALLAX shelving unit from IKEA keeps sinking deeper into my thick, fluffy carpet when I use it as a surface and small storage space. Over time, this causes it to become increasingly tilted and unstable, which is obviously not ideal. My question to the community: Does anyone know of practical alternatives or solutions to prevent sinking on high-pile carpets? I could imagine that there might be pads or special feet that help distribute the weight better. Perhaps there are also completely different furniture concepts that are more suitable for carpeted floors. I look forward to your tips and experiences!

The issue with KALLAX units on thick carpet is common, as the feet are relatively narrow and do not distribute weight over a large area. An effective solution is to place hardwood or MDF boards under the feet. This spreads the weight across a larger surface, significantly reducing sinking.

Alternatively, furniture glides or special plastic pads with a larger contact area can be used. Combining a stable base with glides provides better stability.

For those looking for alternative furniture better suited to soft floors: wider feet and modular systems with support legs (e.g., cubes on metal legs) are recommended.

In summary: Increasing the contact area and distributing weight more evenly is key.

Good morning,

here is a brief guide on how to prevent a KALLAX shelf from sinking into high-pile carpets:

1. Get a base: Plywood, sturdy plastic sheets, or even strong cutting boards work well as a foundation. The important factor is having a large enough surface area to distribute the weight evenly.

2. Check placement: Especially when the shelf is heavily loaded, it is recommended to place the base under all four corners.

3. Ensure stability: If possible, secure the furniture legs with screws or fittings to prevent the base from shifting.

4. Alternative furniture ideas: Shelves with metal frames and smaller contact areas with the floor tend to have fewer issues with sinking.

A common mistake is using only individual furniture glides, which hardly distribute any weight.

I hope this helps with your planning!

pikin schrieb:
Increasing the bearing surface and distributing the weight more evenly is the key.

I agree. Simply placing thick wooden boards or hardboard panels under the feet is very effective. It costs almost nothing but adds a lot of stability.

I am familiar with the problem of sinking from personal experience – especially with older high-pile carpets, it can be quite frustrating. In addition to the advice of using larger underlays, I would also suggest occasionally lifting the shelving unit to check the carpet underneath. Sometimes depressions form that can be evened out by rotating or repositioning the shelf.

Also, I once temporarily attached rectangular felt pads, which helped somewhat, but the best solution was sturdy wooden boards placed under the feet. I can fully understand how frustrating it is when a piece of furniture becomes unstable – so always have a little patience and check it from time to time :-)

The following points should be carefully considered to prevent a KALLAX from sinking into thick carpet:

- Distribute weight evenly: Plywood or hardwood panels are recommended because they are stable and durable.
- Hard plastic furniture glides or foot pads increase the contact area.
- Alternatively, modular furniture with wider or height-adjustable feet can be used.

LOGEMIN schrieb:
A common mistake is using only individual glides that hardly distribute weight.

I agree with this.

In conclusion, I recommend not compromising on stability, as this otherwise increases the risk of tipping or breakage points.