Blog · 30 September 2026
Securing IKEA furniture to the wall: why it matters and how it works
A tall wardrobe or chest of drawers that is not fixed in place can tip over. Here is how to secure it safely and how to choose the right plugs for your wall.
Tall wardrobes, bookcases and chests of drawers from IKEA must be fixed to the wall. Without a fixing, such a piece can tip over, for example if a child climbs into an open drawer or if several full drawers are open at once. IKEA therefore supplies a tip-over restraint, but no plugs or screws: you choose those yourself, to suit your wall.
Why furniture must be fixed to the wall
A tall or deep piece of furniture has a high centre of gravity. If drawers are open or weight hangs at the front, it can tip forwards. This is especially dangerous for young children.
In 2016, IKEA recalled millions of chests of drawers in the United States and Canada after accidents in which furniture fell over. Since then, IKEA has stressed in its instructions that tall furniture and chests of drawers must be fixed to the wall, and it supplies the tip-over restraint as standard.
Which fixing suits your wall?
- Concrete: drill with a hammer drill and a masonry bit, using a standard plastic plug.
- Brick and sand-lime brick: drill with a masonry bit, using a standard plug. With brick, drill into the brick, not the mortar joint.
- Plasterboard wall: where possible into the timber or metal stud behind the board, otherwise with cavity wall anchors.
- Aerated concrete: special aerated concrete plugs. Standard plugs hold poorly in it.
- Not sure about your wall? Tap it gently: a hollow sound usually points to a plasterboard wall.
Watch out for pipes and cables
In the Netherlands, electrical cables usually run straight up, down or horizontally from sockets and switches. So do not drill directly above or beside a socket or switch. A pipe and cable detector helps you find cables and water pipes in the wall.
If you know there are pipes somewhere, tell the assembler. We also ask about this before we drill.
Have an assembler do it
At PaxMonteur, wall fixing is part of assembling tall wardrobes. We choose the right plugs for your wall, level the wardrobe and fix it firmly in place. If a wall is not suitable, we will discuss a solution with you.
Read more about PAX wardrobes, BILLY bookcases and EKET wall cabinets.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about wall fixing
Do I need to fix every IKEA wardrobe or cabinet to the wall?
Tall wardrobes, bookcases and chests of drawers, yes. IKEA supplies a tip-over restraint with these items, and the instructions say they must be fixed to the wall. Low furniture, such as a low TV unit, is less likely to tip.
Which wall plugs do I need?
That depends on your wall. In concrete and brick you use standard plastic plugs, in a plasterboard wall cavity wall anchors or a fixing into the stud behind it, and in aerated concrete special aerated concrete plugs.
Can I drill holes in a rental home?
Usually yes, as long as you fill the holes neatly when you move out. To be sure, check your rental contract or ask your landlord.
Do you also fix the wardrobe to the wall?
Yes. At PaxMonteur, wall fixing is part of assembling tall wardrobes. We choose the right fixing for your wall.
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