ᐅ What should you do if the holes do not align after assembling Ikea BESTA?

Hello everyone,

I am currently facing the following issue: I have assembled an IKEA BESTÅ cabinet according to the instructions, but in some places, the pre-drilled holes do not align. Specifically, a drilled hole in one component does not line up exactly with the corresponding part, so it is currently not possible to connect the pieces using the supplied screws or dowels.

It is important to me not to simply drill additional holes by force or damage the cabinet. Has anyone experienced this problem, which seems to occur specifically with BESTÅ? What is the best and safest way to proceed when the holes do not align exactly after starting assembly?

I would appreciate practical advice, including tips on proper preparation or possible solutions, without ruining the cabinet.

Thanks in advance!

If the holes don't align, first check whether all parts are properly positioned. Sometimes a slight adjustment helps.

If a hole is slightly off, you can carefully drill them out a bit with a small drill bit, but do so very sparingly. No force!

Also, make sure that no part was installed the wrong way around; this happens more often than you might think.

tra65 schrieb:
I assembled an IKEA BESTÅ cabinet according to the instructions, but in some places the pre-drilled holes don’t align.

This is a common issue with case furniture, especially when the surfaces to be joined are not perfectly aligned or are slightly warped.

To provide more precise help, it would be useful to:

- carefully inspect the affected parts: are they warped or bent?
- go through the assembly instructions step by step again, checking the parts in order
- check whether there might be a mechanical obstruction when inserting or snapping in dowels and fittings

If the holes really don’t line up, I recommend the following steps:

- mark the exact spot with a pencil where the counterpart should be screwed in
- use a square to verify that the parts to be joined are truly at a right angle to each other. Even a slight misalignment can make the holes unusable
- then carefully drill a new hole with a suitable thin drill bit—only as deep and wide as necessary for the screw

When re-drilling, make sure the structural stability is not compromised. It is crucial that screws still hold firmly; otherwise, the cabinet will become unstable. It is better not to enlarge existing holes but to drill new ones precisely where needed.

Feel free to let me know exactly which areas are affected, and I can offer more specific advice.

tra65 schrieb:
Does anyone have experience with this issue that occurs specifically with BESTÅ? What is the best and safest way to proceed when the drilled holes don’t line up exactly after assembly has started?

I’m familiar with this problem because BESTÅ furniture is modular and sometimes has slight manufacturing tolerances that can cause such issues.

In my experience, patience and carefully checking the parts before final assembly are crucial. I recommend:

- Lay out all the parts as you plan to assemble them and check the fit without using screws.
- Carefully verify that no incorrect parts have been combined (sometimes an assembly consists of two almost identical parts with subtle differences).
- Keep a small file or a pocket knife handy to make minor adjustments if wood strips are slightly too thick or edges are too sharp.
- Important: before redrilling, use a small guide (for example, a narrow wooden wedge) to mark the new hole accurately and prevent splintering.

When drilling new holes, use a drill bit slightly smaller than the screw diameter so the screw can grip well and maintain stability.

If you’re unsure, work in small steps and repeatedly check if the parts fit together before fully finalizing.

I hope these tips help you solve the problem cleanly. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!