Audrey
IKEA is renowned worldwide for offering affordable, stylish, and functional furniture. But while IKEA furniture serves as an accessible option for home furnishings, the main critique of such pieces centers on their durability.
However, with a few simple tricks and modifications, you can easily bolster your IKEA furniture’s sturdiness, particularly in the case of living room furniture where stability and durability are paramount.
Flipping IKEA furniture
Flipping IKEA furniture has become a popular trend for those looking to add unique and personalized touches to their homes while still staying within their budget. Flipping furniture refers to the act of taking an IKEA product and modifying it to fit your own style or needs.
This can involve painting, staining, adding hardware, or even combining multiple pieces into a completely new creation.
One of the benefits of flipping IKEA furniture is that it allows you to customize your furniture to perfectly fit your space and aesthetic, all while saving money. Because IKEA furniture is typically made of more affordable materials like particleboard or MDF, it’s a great option for DIY projects without the fear of ruining an expensive piece.
Another advantage of flipping IKEA furniture is the satisfaction that comes with creating something unique and one-of-a-kind. By putting in the time and effort to modify a piece of furniture, you can transform it into something that perfectly reflects your personality and style.
Flipping IKEA furniture can also be a sustainable choice, as it allows you to repurpose and upcycle an existing piece rather than contributing to the demand for new furniture.
By reusing and modifying IKEA furniture, you can avoid contributing to the problem of disposable furniture, which can quickly end up in landfills.
Flipping IKEA furniture can be a fun, creative, and rewarding DIY project that allows you to add personality and style to your home while staying within your budget.
Strengthening Living Room Furniture
Living room furniture, due to its frequent usage, is susceptible to wear and tear. Hence, it is vital to ensure the durability of these pieces.
Here’s an expanded guide on how to make your IKEA living room furniture more sturdy.
Make Effective Use of Wood Glue during Assembly
During the assembly process of IKEA furniture, integrating wood glue alongside the provided dowels can greatly enhance stability.
Wood glue forms a stronger bond between the individual pieces, effectively decreasing the chances of pieces wobbling or becoming disjointed over time. It’s crucial to note that the glue must be applied in moderation to avoid seepage or a messy finish.
The glue should be given ample time to dry completely before the furniture is moved or used, ensuring the bond is as strong as possible.
Bolstering Structure with Additional Hardware
A practical method to make IKEA furniture sturdier involves incorporating extra hardware. Additional brackets, screws, and nails can bolster the original structure, securing the pieces together more firmly.
This technique is particularly beneficial for heavier furniture pieces such as bookshelves or cabinets, which need to sustain the weight of numerous items.
Corner braces can be attached on the inside corners of bookshelves or cabinets to reinforce their structure and increase load-bearing capacity.
The Stability Benefits of a Back Panel
Open shelving units or bookcases from IKEA often lack a back panel. Although this gives the furniture a minimalist look, it can sometimes compromise the furniture’s stability.
Adding a back panel can significantly enhance their rigidity, providing added support and preventing the furniture from swaying side-to-side or wobbling. The back panel can be a thin piece of plywood or a thicker piece of MDF, cut to fit the back of your shelving unit or bookcase.
Secure it with small finishing nails or wood screws, taking care to ensure the back panel is flush with the back edges of the furniture. This simple addition can greatly improve the overall sturdiness and longevity of the furniture piece.
Broadening the Scope: Enhancing IKEA Furniture Stability Universally
Although the primary emphasis in this article has been on living room furniture, these tips and strategies can also be applied universally to fortify other IKEA pieces throughout your home.
Upgrading the Legs
The legs of IKEA furniture, particularly tables or chairs, may sometimes serve as a vulnerability in terms of overall stability. An effective solution to this issue is to replace them with stronger, higher-quality alternatives that are widely available in hardware stores or online marketplaces.
This not only boosts the furniture’s stability but also offers an opportunity to customize your furniture, infusing it with your unique style. Replacing the standard legs on an IKEA sofa with mid-century modern or industrial-style legs can transform its look while also enhancing its sturdiness.
Securing Furniture to the Wall
An easy and crucial method to ensure the stability of taller IKEA furniture pieces, like bookcases, wardrobes, or dressers, is to anchor them to the wall. Many IKEA pieces come with anchoring kits specifically designed for this purpose.
Using these kits not only enhances the furniture’s stability but also serves as a significant safety measure, particularly in households with children or pets. Anchoring your furniture to the wall can prevent tipping accidents, making your home safer.
The Importance of Regular Maintenance
Lastly, but most importantly, regular maintenance plays a crucial role in retaining the sturdiness of your IKEA furniture. Over time, the screws or fastenings that hold your furniture together may loosen due to regular use.
Make it a habit to periodically inspect your furniture for any such changes and promptly tighten any loose screws or fastenings. This not only ensures the longevity of the furniture but also maintains its stability and safety.
A good practice is to perform a ‘furniture check-up’ every few months, making sure everything is secure and in good condition. This preventive maintenance can save you time, money, and potential headaches in the long run.
Final Remarks
IKEA furniture is known for its affordability and stylish design, but it can sometimes be criticized for lacking sturdiness. However, there are several simple ways to make IKEA furniture more sturdy and durable.
By using additional hardware such as angle brackets, corner braces, and wood screws, you can reinforce the joints and connections of your furniture for added stability.
Adding adhesive felt pads to the bottom of furniture legs can help prevent scratching and sliding on floors, while applying a coat of wax or furniture oil can protect and nourish the surface of the furniture.
With a little extra effort and attention to detail, you can greatly increase the longevity and durability of your IKEA furniture, giving you more value for your money and a more satisfying home design experience.
