How to repair wobbly IKEA furniture

Tools you’ll need

• — Allen key (came with the furniture)
• — Wood glue
• — Square or book

Materials

• Wood glue
  Small bottle
• Felt pads

  For floor leveling
  1 sheet

Step by step

1. 01

   Tighten every cam lock

   80% of wobble is loose cams. Use the Allen key to snug every joint. Don’t over-torque on particle board.

2. 02

   Check for square

   Push the piece against a wall corner. If a leg lifts, the carcass is racked. Loosen all cams, square against the wall, retighten in sequence.

3. 03

   Glue stripped dowels

   A drop of wood glue in each dowel hole, then reassemble that joint. Stronger than original.

4. 04

   Level the floor side

   Stack felt pads under the short leg until rocking stops. Almost every floor is uneven.

Mistakes to avoid

• Tightening one cam fully before others — racks the frame
• Replacing stripped dowels with bigger screws — they split the particle board
• Forgetting to check floor flatness and assuming the frame is the problem

If you can’t drill, cut, or paint…

• Add an L-bracket inside hidden corners if the cam is destroyed
• IKEA sells replacement cams and dowels at the in-store as-is desk
• For severe damage, screw a thin plywood back panel on for racking strength

Shopping list

• Wood glue
• Felt pads (variety pack)