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Q: Need help with IKEA PAX crooked toe kick

How do I correct wrongly assembled PAX toe kick?

I have recently moved into my first own apartment and invested in a new IKEA Pax System.

It consists of two separate corpuses, 100cm and 75cm, both 227cm high. We have already built them, screwed the two together and added the doors.

Now to the problem: 

On the left PAX corpus the bottom front panel (toe kick) is crooked. We accidentally put the dowels into the second row instead of the first on one side. I am attaching photos where you can see the issue. 

I was wondering if there is an “easy” way to correct that, other than taking half the construction apart again?

Would it be possible to just lift the left side, push out the panel on the left side — breaking the dowels, without ripping/ damaging the panel?

Then taking out what’s left of the dowels, putting new dowels into the holes in the panel — very deep, so that they are almost completely in — and then pushing/ squeezing the panel/ dowels back into the correct first row holes? 

Do you think by doing that I would damage the panel? Would it be very likely that the dowels would break in a way that I actually won’t be able to take the broken part out of the holes in the panel? Would the right side dowels also break out inevitably?

As you can tell I don’t have too much building experience, therefore a lot of questions. 😀 

I know to many people this little crooked detail wouldn’t matter. But since I am just moving in, and investing a lot of money in all my new furniture, I just want everything to be right.  

This is the right corpus, where we did it correctly: 

PAX toe kick installed correctly

This is the left corpus, with the crooked PAX front panel (toe-kick): 

PAX toe kick installed wrongly
PAX toe kick installed wrongly

~ by Konig

***

Hi Konig

We’ve all been there — an assembly boo-boo. 😀

No easy way to correct crooked PAX toe kick

Your suggestion seems possible, but yes, you will run the risk of damage. After all, PAX panels are made out of particleboard — fine wood particles compressed together with not much flex.

PAX construction

You’ll first need to remove the backing board from the back of the PAX frame. Then, gently knock the left panel (preferably with a rubber mallet to avoid damaging the surface) loose from the 3 screws that hold the base panel. Hopefully that will open a large enough gap for you access the toe kick dowels and move them into the right spot.

PAX construction

However, making the effort to disassemble — at the very least the left half — and reinstalling it correctly is the best and safest way to go.

I understand how annoying the crooked bit can be. It’ll drive me out out my mind. And if you do land on a quick fix, do update us.

IH readers may have further suggestions. Over to anyone with a clever solution.

Happy hacking,

Jules

Hacking may compromise the structural integrity of the item, so please be aware of the risks involved before modifying or altering any IKEA product. Alterations and modifications will also void any warranties or return policies you may have received from IKEA. IKEAhackers.net is not liable for any product failure, injury or damage resulting from the application of suggestions, ideas and hacks featured on this site.


The post Q: Need help with IKEA PAX crooked toe kick appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

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