ᐅ Which assembly steps are the most important when building the IKEA Brimnes?

Hello everyone, I recently purchased the IKEA Brimnes and am planning to assemble it soon. However, I’m wondering which assembly steps are particularly important to ensure the furniture is stable and functional once completed. I’m especially interested in whether there are any critical phases during the assembly process that require extra care, or if there are components that are often underestimated. Perhaps you have experience with the Brimnes or with similar IKEA furniture and can offer tips on which steps should not be overlooked and what to pay special attention to. Thank you in advance!

The most important steps are always preparation and sorting the parts. If you don’t organize the screws and boards well, the assembly will take unnecessarily long. Moreover, following the instructions precisely is crucial. Especially the stabilization of the sidewalls should be done properly, otherwise everything will wobble later on.

I would like to explain this in more detail, as assembling the Brimnes can be quite challenging for many people. First and foremost, it is important to check and sort every screw and veneer panel. This helps to avoid mix-ups later on. Next is the actual assembly of the base panel, where the side panels are connected to the bottom panel: you need to work carefully here to ensure nothing is misaligned, as this can make the entire cabinet unstable. Don’t forget the back panel, which is often underestimated but provides the final stability. Additionally, I recommend paying close attention to the instructions, which sometimes don’t show all the steps in full detail – it can help to mentally walk through the steps before actually assembling. If you like, I can share a step-by-step guide based on my experience.

Matthewt48 schrieb:
The most important thing is to check and sort every screw and each veneer plate.

Thank you, that sounds very reasonable! Could you please clarify exactly which parts you mean by “veneer plate”? I’m asking because I’m not sure if that applies to this model. Also, I’m interested to know whether using a cordless drill risks over-tightening screws or if that’s not an issue. Thanks for your detailed response!

flonaomi schrieb:
Could you please clarify exactly which parts you mean by “veneer plate”?”

That might have been a poor choice of words on my part. I actually meant the small metal plates or fittings used at the connection points. These are often easy to confuse if you don’t sort them beforehand. Regarding cordless drills: yes, there is a risk of overtightening, especially if you don’t use a torque limiter. I recommend working with a lower torque setting and tightening gradually rather than applying too much force all at once. This is particularly important for particleboard, like the type often used in IKEA furniture, as overtightening can weaken the joints.

I think it’s important not to underestimate the order of assembly. With the Brimnes, the drawers are often the most difficult parts. If you haven’t precisely aligned the sides beforehand, the drawers won’t fit properly or may stick later on. Also, in my opinion, it’s a mistake to install the back panel only at the very end. It provides a lot of stability early on.

Many people also forget to secure the cabinet to the wall, especially when there are children in the household. IKEA provides appropriate fixing kits for this purpose.