Hello everyone, I have recently noticed that when assembling my Ikea Brimnes wardrobe, some screws don’t seem to hold properly after being tightened once – in other words, they need to be retightened, sometimes multiple times. I am curious to understand why this happens: Are there specific reasons related to the design or the materials of the screws and holes in the Brimnes system that require the screws to be tightened several times in a row? Could it be due to the type of joint, the use of multi-part screws, wood settling, or the assembly method? I want to better understand if this is a normal process or if I am making a mistake during assembly. Thanks for your experiences and explanations!
Kipi54 schrieb:
Are there specific reasons related to the construction or the materials of the screws and drillings in the Brimnes system that make it necessary to tighten the screws several times in succession?This is mainly because the connections consist of particleboard panels and metal parts. Only after all screws are carefully pre-tightened can they be fully tightened to ensure the joints are secure. The panels settle slightly during this process, which is why retightening several times is recommended.
Luchen schrieb:
This is mainly because the joints are made of wood particle boards and metal parts.Honestly, I find this a bit like cheap construction shortcuts from Ikea. Why not use better materials or manufacture more precisely so you don’t have to tighten everything step by step afterward? With the Brimnes series, you can almost feel the material still “settling in.”
I would argue that having to retighten is basically a hidden way of making the buyer do extra work – like customer service during assembly. Who wants to spend hours dealing with screws again after putting the furniture together? Here’s a provocative theory of mine: this is a compromise between price and durability, and you pay for it with time and effort.
GALEO4 schrieb:
With the Brimnes series, you can almost feel the material "settling in."That’s a nice way to put it! When assembling, I initially worried that I was doing something wrong or had defective parts. But after tightening everything several times, the wardrobe became stable.
In my opinion, this also highlights how important it is to take your time during furniture assembly and to follow the instructions carefully. Especially with flat-pack furniture made of particleboard and metal, the method of first loosely assembling and then tightening is crucial to avoid stress on the material.
It can also help to tighten systematically—not just turning screws randomly but checking and tightening them one by one in a controlled manner. This protects both the materials and yourself—and helps prevent problems later on.
I’m curious if other IKEA models have similar retightening requirements or if this is typical just for Brimnes?
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