IKEA PAX wardrobes - brackets/skirting board

jsj25 · 27 March 2021 at 4:27AM

Hi guys,

I am in the process of putting up some wardrobes in my new flat. They are IKEA PAX wardrobes with sliding doors. So far I have assembled the frames and they seem very sturdy, but I've got to put on the sliding doors next (if I can ever get them assembled!) and as they're very heavy I want to affix the wardrobes to the wall so as to remove the risk of them falling forward.

The issue I have is that my bedroom has a skirting board, and that means that the small screws IKEA provide for their brackets just don't reach the wall. I know some people just remove their skirting boards in order to allow the wardrobe to sit flush against the wall, but unfortunately I don't have either the equipment or skill to do that! I also understand that some people attach wood to the walls and affix the wardrobes to the wood. This sounds like a possibility but a) I'm not sure if this is totally secure, and b) I'd still have to source the wood and presumably a saw, etc.

As an alternative, I was wondering if I could perhaps just source some alternative brackets and affix them to the top rather than the inside - a bit like what IKEA provide for their BILLY bookcases. These ones for example look very sturdy and also like they would allow me to fix them to the wall and leave a suitable gap for the skirting board: https://www.screwfix.com/p/sabrefix-heavy-duty-angle-brackets-galvanised-63-x-90mm-10-pack/86180

I am a total DIY newbie so I was just wondering if it would work for me to use brackets like the one above? Or is there something I'm missing? IKEA allow for two brackets per wardrobe (one on either side of the frame) but as I'd be affixing these to the top I could even do three per frame as an extra precaution. I'm not too bothered about the aesthetics of having the brackets visible at the top. Thanks in advance for any help you're able to provide - I need it!