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Property/DIY

Tips for Assembling Ikea Pax Wardrobes

78 replies

Theonlyoneiknow · 13/09/2013 10:25

Apologies in advance for all my Ikea threads!

Have just bought four wardrobes (4 x 75cm) which are 236cm high with sliding doors ( half mirror half white stained oak).

I am already dreading having to build them! Have found a few threads already on here with some tips ie/ cutting out skirting board if need to screw them to the wall.

Any other tips? Do you build them on the floor then lift up or build them up against the wall t make sure they don't scrape against ceiling when lift up? I am hoping they will fit! The Ikea designer measured herself and said they will fit so hoping she was right!.

Haven't done the interiors yet for the wardrobe as thought my head was going to explode in Ikea yesterday so that will be a whole different thread!

Thanks in advance!

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iloveweetos · 13/09/2013 10:28

I would get someone else to do them (from personal experience and wobbly wardrobe in bedroom)Blush

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Theonlyoneiknow · 13/09/2013 10:48

I did briefly consider that but it would,be 25% of the cost which would be £200! So will have to be done by DP and my dad!

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MrsMangoBiscuit · 13/09/2013 10:50

I've only done the Stuva wardrobe so far, but that came with spacers so we could fit it to the wall, and keep the skirting board intact.

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chinup2011 · 13/09/2013 10:56

Build on floor then lift.
The instructions give a height measurement for ceiling which insures you don't scrape it.
My 15 year old daughter and I managed 3Pax ( one double and one single ) we were fine; read and re- read the instructions.

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flowery · 13/09/2013 10:58

Do NOT attempt it without an electric screwdriver.

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NoMoreMadCatLady · 13/09/2013 11:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Theonlyoneiknow · 13/09/2013 11:07

Not sûre how high ceiling is, will remeasure tonight. The Ikea designer woman measured it and said they would fit so am hoping she knows what shes doing! Does looktight tho

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Theonlyoneiknow · 13/09/2013 11:08

Anyone know if pax comes with spacers too so no neeD to take skirtings off?

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janeyjampot · 13/09/2013 11:09

Be really careful as you lift them. We started building one on its back and then realised we'd have to move it, but broke it as we lifted it because we couldn't hold it in alignment.

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CuteDesigns · 13/09/2013 13:24

Do people get Ikea or an odd job man to build and fit?

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BoundandRebound · 13/09/2013 13:39

I'm using unflatpack this weekend to build mine

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Theonlyoneiknow · 13/09/2013 13:58

Spookily I just googled them! Am in NE Scotland though and not sûre if they do that far :(

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Beehatch · 13/09/2013 14:02

We had to build ours upright as once built there was only an inch or so clearance! DP and I managed it ourselves so it can't have been too technical!

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Theonlyoneiknow · 13/09/2013 14:09

I think we might need to do that too!

Have you screwed yours to the wall+?

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poppy77 · 13/09/2013 14:16

Electric screwdriver

and

LOTS OF TIME (seriously, it takes sooo much longer than you expect)

and I think the wardrobes would be a 2-person job (and I speak as an expert in single-handed Ikea assembly)

I think they give you the little widgets to screw it to the wall? It's not tricky and luckily no-one will ever see it so it doesn't have to be neat.

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GobblersKnob · 13/09/2013 14:21

Just follow the instructions, I built a double and a single one, by myself, manual screwdriver. The only thing that i couldn't do was carry the boxes up the stairs, had to open them and carry all the bits up seperately, that was a faff, building them was easy.

None of ours are screwed to the wall, we can hang off the front of them and they don't tip, so I figure they are fine, we clearly have too many clothes Grin

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Still18atheart · 13/09/2013 14:23

Sorry I cant help. But am watching as hopefully our ikea furniture is arriving tomorrow and we are assembling ourselves.

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kiriwawa · 13/09/2013 14:26

If you've got sliding doors, you need 2-3 people to hang them - 2 people to manhandle the door, a third to give directions otherwise the 2 people will end up having a big row

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anchovies · 13/09/2013 14:34

They're easy to build, as gobbler said the worst bit is getting them upstairs! I've done that much Ikea furniture that I no longer need the instructions Grin If they're all going together in a row just use a drill to go through the sides and use the fixings they come with to attach them together, don't bother fixing to the wall/removing skirtings.

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anchovies · 13/09/2013 14:36

Oh and if you're not attaching them to the wall, skip out screwing the metal plate with the hole onto the sides cos that's all it does!

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Talkinpeace · 13/09/2013 17:40

follow the instructions
if in doubt stop and have a cup of tea
no worries

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Humuhumunukunukuapuaa · 13/09/2013 17:46

They go together easily. Just take a deep breath, take your time and follow the instructions

We did ours a few days before I had dd and manged not to fall out

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Potterer · 13/09/2013 17:57

Well as I have said before I currently have, Pax wise, 6 doubles and 9 singles (plus I have replaced older ones with newer ones)

here are videos from Ikea USA which show you EVERYTHING

First assembling the frames

And then the doors

If you are doing them upright, it definitely needs two people, I have done a double myself but it was risky and they weren't brand new they were taken down for a house move.

Get a shelf in asap to help it stay rectangular rather than trapezoid then get the back on to help with stability.

Re interior fittings, the best thing to do is go into Ikea and figure out how much room something takes up, so a plastic drawer takes 7 holes spaces. Mine are the 201 high and I can fit 8 plastic tubs per wardrobe. Hold up your longest items that go on a hanger and again work out how many holes you need for your hanging rail.

Now I have to remember the door hinges on mine but you are probably fine with sliding doors.

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Potterer · 13/09/2013 18:01

Mine aren't attached to the wall (I have a 4m run in the boy's playroom) but they are all attached together with the connector bolts that are supplied.

I also haven't removed skirting because you don't see them side on, and if you have carpet remember that they will sit on the carpet gripper at the back so you will have to adjust those feet at the front to make them level.

Don't forget the filler piece that hides the legs at the front. Learnt that the hard way.

I also knew that we would move house so I didn't put the pins all the way in for the back panel as I removed them to collapse the doubles and re-used the same pins to put it back on!

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Theonlyoneiknow · 13/09/2013 20:05

Will check put those videos!!! What do you mean by sit on the carpet gripper at the back? And I don't have a shelf to put in straight away, will that matter? I was just about losing it in ikea by this point and couldn't face getting anything else (after pax wardrobes, Hermes day bed, expedit storage and stuff for other people!)

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