ᐅ What installation tips are helpful for IKEA PLATSA in older apartment buildings?

Hello everyone, I am planning to install an IKEA PLATSA wardrobe system in my old apartment and am encountering some challenges that arise specifically because of the old building conditions. The walls are not always straight, partly made of old plaster with wooden beams behind, and some floors are uneven. Therefore, I am interested in which installation tips are especially helpful to mount PLATSA securely, stably, and in an aesthetically pleasing way.

I assume that standard instructions are often designed for modern walls and flooring, so certain adjustments are necessary for old buildings. Are there particular tools, mounting materials, or methods that you would especially recommend for old building walls? Do I need to approach the installation completely differently if dowels and screws hardly hold?

It is also very important to me how to compensate for unevenness without the wardrobe system wobbling or causing major structural problems later on.

I look forward to well-founded advice and maybe even experiences from those of you who have securely installed PLATSA under unusual old building conditions.

In renovation situations, it is usually helpful to use chemical anchors or special expansion anchors designed for porous walls. Before installation, it is advisable to drill holes at a low speed to avoid damaging the plaster.

Important: Use a spirit level and place wooden strips or rubber pads under uneven floors to properly align the PLATSA system.

[@kauhamidul, post: k2s7h0, member: XXX]
Hello, the topic of older buildings and IKEA PLATSA is actually more complex than it might seem at first glance. For a stable and safe result, you should consider several steps:

- First, a thorough analysis of the wall is essential: In old plaster walls with wooden beams behind, it is advisable to carefully locate the beams using a suitable stud finder. Where possible, screw directly into the beams rather than just the plaster.

- If direct fastening to the beams is not possible, be sure to use chemical anchors (injection mortar) or special heavy-duty anchors designed for porous walls and approved for older plaster. Regular anchors often won’t hold.

- To compensate for unevenness in the wall and floor, you can use floor shims or self-adhesive rubber pads at the base. For wall mounting, it helps to insert small wooden battens or mounting strips as spacers, which you then level precisely with a spirit level.

- When assembling PLATSA, ensure continuous anchoring—especially at the connection points between modules—to better distribute loads and prevent tipping.

- For uneven floors, it is recommended to level the floorboards using shimming wedges or floor leveling compounds before placing the furniture.

Can you specifically describe the condition of your walls? For example, is there more plaster or visible stone, or rather wooden beams with plaster? Also, the floors: Are they solid or wood with gaps? This would help to provide more targeted advice.

Domau0 schrieb:

For uneven floors, it is recommended to level the floor panels beforehand using leveling shims or floor leveling compounds.

That’s a great tip! In older buildings, you can almost expect things not to be perfectly level – my old floorboards had significant unevenness as well. Carrying a small spirit level can work wonders when you want to precisely align the PLATSA cabinet modules.

Personally, I sometimes put thin felt pads under the modules to slightly compensate and protect the floor. For wall mounting: a small trick for porous plaster is to apply a small amount of cold glue into the drill hole before inserting anchors to improve holding strength.

And don’t worry if it’s not perfect on the first try – a bit of fine adjustment can still be done later.