ᐅ What tips do you have for assembling IKEA HEMNES furniture for the first time?

SETHBLA schrieb:
Definitely avoid tightening screws and fasteners fully at the same time.

This prevents the components from twisting or being misaligned. Wood is a natural material that still shifts slightly during assembly. If you initially screw in all screws loosely, you can better align the cabinet and then tighten everything evenly.

If this step is skipped, edges can become crooked, parts may not fit properly, and the furniture can become unstable or even damaged.

Regarding wood behavior: Hemnes furniture is mostly made of solid pine wood. This means it can shrink or swell with changes in humidity. Therefore, it is advisable not to place the furniture directly next to radiators or against sources of moisture.

Small gaps in the joints are normal and nothing to worry about; usually, the wood will contract further over time.

But don’t worry: careful and patient work yields the best results – and in the end, you will have a durable piece of furniture.

Additional tips:
- Avoid using high-powered electric tools during construction.
- Always put away small parts after use.
- When aligning the cabinet, use a spirit level as an aid.

Thank you all for your numerous comments. The topic of “loosely assembling screws first” has proven to be particularly important.

naujon schrieb:
If this step is missed, edges can become crooked, parts may not fit properly, and the piece of furniture can become unstable or even damaged.

During my research, I noticed that some hobby woodworkers also experiment with small amounts of wood glue to stabilize joints in the long term. What are your thoughts on this, especially regarding the HEMNES? Is glue generally recommended or rather questionable?

I look forward to nuanced assessments!

Regarding glue: IKEA furniture like HEMNES is designed for assembly using tools, where glue is neither necessary nor intended.

Using wood glue can, in some cases, make disassembly and modifications significantly more difficult, so it is only recommended if the assembly is definitely final.

Additionally, keep in mind that the glue needs time to cure and dry – this time factor should be considered.

So, if you want an especially sturdy assembly and do not plan to take it apart, moderate use of glue is not generally problematic, but IKEA itself does not provide any recommendation on this.

So far, I have not used any glue with HEMNES, and the furniture holds up well with careful handling.

If glue is used, I would apply it very sparingly and only where necessary, for example, on joints that tend to be a bit loose. But generally, assembly with IKEA fasteners works well without it.