ᐅ What should you do if IKEA HEMNES furniture is not stable after assembly?

Hello everyone,

I recently assembled several IKEA Hemnes furniture pieces, including dressers and bedside tables, but I’ve noticed that they don’t stand very stable after assembly. When I gently shake the furniture, they move noticeably, which is especially uncomfortable with the dressers since they are quite tall. I have checked and tightened all screws and connections multiple times, but the problem persists.

My question is: What can I do if IKEA Hemnes furniture isn’t stable and wobbles after assembly? Are there specific measures or tricks to improve stability without completely disassembling the furniture? Or should I consider replacing certain parts like screws or connector plates?

I’m looking forward to your experiences and tips on what potential faults I should check and which solutions have proven effective. Thanks in advance!

Hello Rigefo,

Your question is well formulated, and I suspect there is more behind it than just a loose screw. Regarding the stability of furniture from the HEMNES range, there are some common problem areas. I would be happy to describe a few approaches that I would systematically check:

- First, make sure that all joints are properly seated. IKEA furniture often uses dowels, screws, and connectors that must be assembled in exactly the right order and position. Even a slightly crooked dowel will not fit properly and will cause looseness.

- Check whether all threads in the wooden parts are undamaged. When tightening screws, the material can sometimes fray, reducing the grip of the screws.

- It is also important to use the supplied back panels. These often act as reinforcements and prevent wobbling.

- Is the floor where the furniture stands level? A quick spirit level test can help here. Uneven floors are a common cause of instability.

- Some users report that small rubber pads or furniture glides placed under the legs improve stability by fixing the furniture and preventing slipping.

Could you please add whether the back panels are installed and whether you have set up the furniture on a wooden floor, tiles, or carpet? Then I can help you more specifically.

Hello Rigefo,

I completely understand how frustrating it is when a piece of furniture isn’t stable after assembly. I had a similar experience myself with the HEMNES shelving unit.

One of the most important things I recommend is carefully checking the backing panels. These are often underestimated with IKEA furniture, but they are not just decorative—they actually provide the structural support that ensures lateral stability.

Another common mistake is not tightening the screws fully, or using screws that are too short or incorrect. Gently and evenly tightening the screws with the appropriate tool, and reviewing the assembly instructions after each step, really helps.

If in doubt, you can also replace the screws with slightly longer ones if the material has loosened. Or, if the quality of the threaded holes is poor, applying a small amount of wood glue at the joints can improve adhesion.

One more tip: attaching small felt pads to the feet not only protects the floor but can also help compensate for minor unevenness, so the furniture won’t wobble anymore.

Give these a try and feel free to share if things have improved!

TEBILO schrieb:
Is the floor where the furniture stands level?

This is a very important point. Often, the perceived instability isn’t caused by the furniture itself but by the floor not being completely level. Especially with wooden floorboards or old tiles, small unevenness can occur even if the surface looks flat.

I therefore recommend, especially for tall furniture like dressers, to check the base with a short spirit level and, if needed, use small leveling pads. Rubber or plastic wedges that can be discreetly placed under the furniture legs can work wonders.

Also, screws can sometimes loosen slightly during transport, so it’s a good idea to check the main fixing screws a few times during the first week.

From a technical perspective, the stability of HEMNES furniture can be summarized as follows:

- The furniture construction is based on laminated wood-based panels with metal and plastic fasteners. These components require precise assembly.

- Back panels are not only for protection but also serve as diagonal bracing to prevent sideways tipping.

- Instability occurs when screws are not tightened sufficiently or are misplaced. Therefore, attention must be paid to tightening screws at right angles and ensuring proper fitting of the connectors.

- The flatness of the floor is an important factor: even minor unevenness can cause tall furniture to wobble.

To improve stability, additional mounting rails or sturdy wall attachments can be used, which IKEA also offers for HEMNES. These should always be used if possible to prevent accidents.

In summary: carefully check screws, back panels, and flooring, and always use a wall attachment.

Rigefo schrieb:
I have checked and tightened all screws and connections multiple times, but the problem remains.

This sounds like a deeper analysis of the connection method is needed. HEMNES often uses metal fasteners that must be precisely inserted and screwed in. Looseness often occurs when the holes are not perfectly aligned or the dowels twist slightly.

I would recommend the following detailed inspection process:

- Check each connection point of the furniture individually: Carefully loosen the furniture piece partially and observe the fit of the dowels and screws.
- Using wood glue at the joints can significantly increase strength but is advisable only if future disassembly is not required.
- Check the attachment of the back panel: If a thin wooden board is attached loosely as a back panel, it does not provide stabilization.
- Another option is to add metal corner braces at the joint areas afterward if the furniture is not subjected to sudden impacts.

Could you provide the exact model and describe the type of flooring? Carpet, wood, tiles?