ᐅ My KALLAX unit wobbles on a wooden floor after moving out – what can I do?

Hello everyone,

I have a KALLAX shelf standing on a smooth wooden floor surface. Since the last time I pulled out one of the middle drawers, the unit no longer stabilizes properly and starts to wobble noticeably, especially when opening and closing that drawer. The wobbling seems unusual to me because I always thought the KALLAX was relatively stable and sturdy.

My question is: What can I do to fix or at least reduce the wobbling? Are there any tips or common methods to increase stability, especially on wooden floors? I want to avoid damage to the furniture or the entire structure becoming unstable due to the wobbling.

I have tried simply moving the shelf, but that hasn’t helped much so far. I would appreciate advice on suitable materials—possibly for placing underneath—or solutions that work long-term.

Hello kalana,

I understand your problem well, as wooden floors are often very smooth, which can cause stability issues with freestanding furniture. For the KALLAX unit, it is important that the floor surface is even and that the furniture has solid contact with the floor. The wobbling often results from small uneven spots or the lack of suitable underlays.

A proven trick is to stick furniture felt pads or thin shims under the feet or edges to improve contact with the floor while also protecting it. You can also use small plastic wedges or adhesive non-slip pads.

If your KALLAX unit does not have adjustable feet, it can help to slightly support individual feet so that all contact points are at the same height. You should also prevent the furniture from sliding by using these anti-slip materials.

Can you say if the wobbling occurs evenly across the entire unit or mainly at one corner/side? Then it is possible to offer more targeted help.

Use washers, non-slip pads, or felt glides under the legs. Alternatively, use furniture wedges. This usually stabilizes the shelf on smooth wooden floors.

To fix wobbling issues with KALLAX shelves on wooden floors, I recommend the following steps:

1. Use a spirit level to check if the floor or the furniture is uneven.
2. For uneven floors, furniture shims made of plastic or wood can help.
3. Adjustable furniture feet from IKEA or third-party suppliers can be attached to KALLAX. Accessories that allow height adjustment at individual points significantly improve stability.
4. To prevent slipping, place non-slip pads under the feet.

Please avoid DIY solutions that could damage the furniture, such as overtightening screws. If the drawers are intact, the issue might also come from the frame or the mounting; in this case, a visual inspection is advisable.

GiRoyce schrieb:
Wobbling often occurs due to small unevenness or the lack of appropriate underlay.

This is an important point. I would add that with wooden floors, the floor condition is especially critical: minor unevenness that is barely visible to the naked eye can have a significant impact on stability.

Therefore, it makes sense to optimize the contact points in particular. Self-adhesive pads made of rubber or silicone are often more durable than felt pads, as the latter can wear down or slip over time. It is also advisable to slightly secure the shelf to the wall to prevent any lateral wobbling.

Basically, you should also check whether the drawer slides function correctly, since loose rails can increase the feeling of wobbling.

gasidney schrieb:
Washers, anti-slip pads, or felt gliders under the furniture legs.

Thanks for the tips. So far, I’ve only tried felt gliders – they actually seem quite slippery, which probably adds to the instability.

Lorukeo schrieb:
Check with a spirit level whether the floor or the furniture is uneven.

I haven’t done that yet but will do it today. The idea of using adjustable furniture feet sounds interesting. Does anyone know the best way to attach these to a KALLAX unit? Are the furniture feet screwed in or just stuck on?

flo-Theres schrieb:
It’s also a good idea to lightly secure the shelf to the wall to prevent any side-to-side wobbling.

The wall mount is actually installed, but it’s quite loose. I’ll tighten it. Thanks for the advice!