Fix a wobbly door on an Ikea wardrobe in Hong Kong

After moving flat several times, my Ikea wardrobe is a bit wobbly and won't close properly. How can I fix it?

To stop the wobbling, you could try tightening up the screws on all corners of the frame (you may need an Allen key or Phillips screwdriver for this).

If it still seems shaky, you could try fitting some right-angled metal or white plastic brackets to the inside corners of the wardrobe.

To find out why the doors aren't closing properly, inspect the hinges to see where the movements aren't smooth. Try adjusting the two grub headless screws in the hinges with a Phillips screwdriver. Supporting the door with one hand, adjust the screws a half turn at a time in either direction to see if you can solve the problem.

A hinge might be broken or damaged, in which case you could buy a replacement at Ikea or take the hinge to a hardware store to buy one of a similar size. If the hinges seem fine, it may be that the screw holes have become so large that the screws are no longer gripping. You could try plugging up the holes using a piece of wooden chopstick or buy some bigger screws.

Why Do Ikea Wardrobes Break So Often in Hong Kong?

I get asked this question at least once a week, and the answer is simple: humidity. Hong Kong's average relative humidity sits between 75% and 95% for much of the year, and that wreaks havoc on particle board furniture. Ikea wardrobes are built from compressed wood fibres held together with resin. When moisture gets into the board — and in Hong Kong it absolutely will — the fibres swell, the cam locks loosen, and the whole structure starts to wobble.

Moving flat compounds the problem enormously. Every time an Ikea wardrobe is disassembled and reassembled, the cam lock fittings chew out a little more of the particle board. After two or three moves, the connection points can be so degraded that the fittings simply will not grip any longer. This is not a design flaw as such — it is just the reality of flat-pack furniture in a subtropical climate.

To slow down humidity damage, I always recommend keeping wardrobes away from exterior walls where condensation tends to form. Pop a few silica gel packets or a small rechargeable dehumidifier unit (around HK$80-$150 from Japan Home Centre) inside the wardrobe. If you run your flat's dehumidifier regularly during the wet season from March to September, your furniture will last significantly longer.

What Replacement Parts Do You Need?

Before you start any repair, take stock of exactly what is damaged. Here is what I typically find needs replacing on wobbly Ikea wardrobes in Hong Kong:

• Cam locks and dowels — These are the barrel-shaped metal fittings that hold panels together. A pack of 10 replacement cam locks costs around HK$15-$25 from Ikea Kowloon Bay or online. Bring your old one along to match the size, as Ikea uses several diameters.
• Right-angle brackets — White plastic or zinc-plated steel L-brackets (HK$3-$8 each) from any hardware store. I use these on every wobbly wardrobe repair. Fix them into the inside corners with short screws — 15mm is ideal so you do not punch through the panel face.
• Concealed hinges — Ikea uses 35mm cup hinges on most PAX wardrobes. Replacements are around HK$20-$40 each. The Ikea store at MegaBox in Kowloon Bay keeps these in stock, or you can order them from the spare parts counter.
• Wood filler or PVA glue and wooden dowels — For stripped screw holes, squeeze PVA wood glue into the hole, tap in a piece of wooden chopstick or bamboo skewer, let it dry overnight, then re-drill a pilot hole. This is the single most effective trick for restoring grip to tired particle board.

If the particle board around the hinge area has completely crumbled away, you can reinforce it by gluing a small block of solid timber (offcuts cost next to nothing at Hop Sze Timber on Lockhart Road, Wan Chai) inside the cabinet and mounting the hinge into that instead. It is a bit more work but it gives you a rock-solid fixing point.

When Should You Call a Professional?

If the wardrobe frame itself is twisting — you can check this by measuring the diagonals and seeing if they differ by more than about 5mm — then the particle board panels may be delaminating. At that point, no amount of brackets will make it right, and you are better off replacing the wardrobe entirely. Similarly, if the base panel has swollen from water damage (a common problem in ground-floor flats or near bathrooms), the whole structure is compromised.

For anything involving wall-mounting a wardrobe to prevent tipping — which I strongly recommend if you have young children — you will need to drill into Hong Kong's concrete walls, and that requires an SDS hammer drill and proper wall plugs. If you are not confident doing that yourself, it is worth getting a professional in. A wobbly wardrobe falling on a child is not worth the risk.

If your wardrobe doors need adjusting but you are also dealing with a damaged door or lock elsewhere in the flat, it often makes sense to get both jobs done in a single visit. You can browse more interior repair guides for other common fixes around the home.

Last updated: March 2026