ᐅ Wall mounting Kallax units in older buildings – what should you consider?

Hello everyone, I am planning to mount my Kallax shelf on a wall in my old apartment, but I am unsure about what to pay special attention to. The wall is old and partly covered with plaster, with what seems to be wooden laths behind in some areas. It is a living room wall that is not load-bearing, but I still want to secure the shelf properly to avoid any future collapses or cracks. I am wondering which types of wall anchors or brackets would be suitable, whether I should check the plaster before drilling, and what to consider with a “soft” wall. I am also interested in how to best distribute the load of the shelf—in terms of height and depth of the fixings as well as when using several mounting points. Do you have any tips or best practices? Are there any differences between various types of old building walls that I should be aware of? Thank you in advance!

I believe there is a common myth about older buildings that many don’t question: people always talk about the "soft wall" and stick to standard wall anchors – but this is often completely wrong. Usually, behind the plaster there is actually solid masonry, so I would recommend using regular heavy-duty anchors right away instead of endlessly looking for special solutions.

Adelheidte schrieb:
“whether I need to check the plaster first”

Of course, you need to know whether the plaster is just decorative or also load-bearing, but often it’s enough to check in several spots with a simple screwdriver to see if the plaster crumbles. If it does, please repair it before installation or fix the anchor where the plaster holds well. Otherwise, cracks and breakouts are bound to happen.

Another point I find interesting: many people don’t distribute the load but hang the shelf with only two anchors. When the shelf is fully loaded, a huge amount of tension builds up at the bottom attachment point, which you wouldn’t expect. I recommend using at least four anchors, spaced wider apart, so the forces don’t act at just one point.

Hello Adelheidte, your topic is really important, and I’m happy to go into some detail.

Older building walls are very diverse. Usually, you have either solid masonry (brick, calcium silicate blocks) or timber stud walls with plaster. This makes a big difference when it comes to mounting.

If you are drilling into solid masonry walls, a hammer drill is essential, along with a suitable masonry drill bit. However, you should first check how thick and stable the plaster is – crumbling plaster can quickly cause fixtures to fail. A small tip: always clean drill holes before mounting, for example with compressed air or a brush. Dust significantly weakens the hold of anchors.

When choosing anchors, I recommend heavy-duty anchors or chemical anchors for Kallax shelves, which tend to be loaded with several kilograms. In older buildings, the load-bearing capacity of the wall is also important, hence the load: a single 1x1 Kallax cube typically weighs 10–15 kg (22–33 lbs) with contents; the more cubes you have, the more important multiple fixings become.

Regarding mounting height: hang the shelf not only wide at the top but also on the sides to avoid tilting forces. The system should be fixed on at least two levels. What kind of wall exactly are you dealing with? Load-bearing or just a partition wall? A more detailed description here would be helpful to give specific recommendations.

For timber stud walls, the screws must go into the wooden frame, not just the plasterboard. Otherwise, pull-out failures can occur quickly.

Hey Adelheidte! 🙂

Very important: Old buildings have beautiful old walls, but they also have their own quirks! I would say, always start by feeling and gently tapping the wall – it might sound silly, but it really helps. If the plaster is old and crumbly, take some time to make small repairs. My tip: don’t drill too aggressively, rather be a bit cautious. And hey, nothing is worse than a 30kg (66 lbs) shelving unit suddenly falling off the wall 😉

likuken schrieb:
“Many people don’t distribute the load properly, they just hang the shelf at two points.”

That’s completely true, small shelving units like Kallax pieces are fine, but when you fully load them, the weight at certain points acts like a weightlifter jumping. 🙂 Distribution is key!

And don’t forget: screws or anchors designed for old buildings are often more “special” – maybe your hardware store also has anchors specifically made for crumbly old walls.

Oh, and don’t just hang the shelf on the wall; if possible, also support it from underneath or have it rest on the floor. That always makes me feel a bit safer personally.

Hello Adelheidte,

to conclude the thread with a solid tip: a systematic approach really helps.

First, you should determine the wall structure precisely: timber stud, solid wall, cavity? This is crucial to choose the appropriate type of anchor.

My suggestion:
1. Perform a spot test with a small drill bit in an unobtrusive area to see how the wall is constructed.
2. For solid walls, use high-quality heavy-duty anchors (e.g., metal expansion anchors or chemical anchors).
3. If it is a drywall or timber stud wall, special cavity anchors or screws directly into the timber studs are needed.
4. Distribute the support points in at least four spots: top left, top right, bottom left, and bottom right on the shelf—provided the wall can support it.

Also: check the condition of the plaster and initially load the shelf lightly to test the fastening.

If you want, you can also provide the exact dimensions and weight of the shelf as well as the wall structure here—then I can assist you even more specifically.