How to Dismantle an IKEA Pax Wardrobe by yourself

IKEA Pax wardrobes are functional(ish) but a nightmare to move once they're assembled. In this video I'm going to give you a few tips to dismantle an IKEA Pax wardrobe so you can re-flat-pack it ready for a move.

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#IKEA #Pax #DIY

[WendyHalstead]

Can't thank you enough for this. I'm a 70 year-old 53kg woman and I've just dismantled an identical Pax wardrobe single-handed. Without your help I'd probably be flattened underneath it by now!!

[nanciocello]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. My first move with 4 Pax, intact, was a nightmare. I searched for instructions on how to dismantle a Pax for my current move and your video popped up first. I'm so happy it did, your instructions were perfect, succinct, and saved me a lot of pain and misery. Again, thank you!!!

[kimpreece]

Ahh this brings back memories of 6 house moves in last 10 years, never again! Always amazed me how resilient the ikea stuff actually is, every time I expected it to disintegrate but it never did. Must be the 99% glue 1% wood shavings combo, solid!

[stevenc]

I've moved loads of these for a moving/flatpack assembly business. One time saver we did was not to remove any of the brackets on the sides, but you can only get away with this if you have a van big enough to store everything and keep it apart and more than one person to carry the large side pieces. Do remove the cam screws however. Removing the backing was always the longest bit, and thankfully that wasn't my job. The guy who did do it got pretty quick at it and did minimal damage, but it was never perfect. We kept some white tape and markers to help cover up the damage. Photos of the wardrobes were taken at the start so we had a reference point when putting them back together and proof of any pre-existing damage. Wardrobes accumulate a lot of dust so have a damp rag handy to give it a clean otherwise you'll be choking on dust and leaving dirty hand prints on everything.

[jill]

THANK YOU!!! Your tip about using the shelf as a battering ram to force the nails out of the back was a lifesaver! We were stumped, until we found you. 👍

[Ayns.LA]

Oh one other thing, if you are really attached to a specific piece, (I've got a couple of Billy bookcases that I've had for years) you can replace the backboard with 3.5mm plywood, paint it up to match the frame, glue and screw it, it add years to the lifespan.

[gwenscoble]

I find screws etc eat holes in plastic bags. I tend to use margarine tubs, the ones with lids. They seem to wash in the dishwasher top shelf ok (on top of your proper crockery etc) and marker pen what is inside. I've always kept the back on but they were bookshelves so not as deep. MFI so much more flimsy but they survived 3 house moves and several redecorations. Useful demonstration of back removal. Thanks

[lynnew]

I hate to hear people say they’re going to send something in perfectly good order to the tip! We live in such a throw away society it’s heartbreaking. I’ve had some of my Ikea stuff for years and it’s like a Volvo - never gives up, lol.
We need to sell on or recycle more.
Great tip for getting the backs off btw. 👍

[cnsengineer]

Thanks-that saved me a lot of time and probably gave the PAX another life. Inspired by your trick of using the shelf to push out the nails, I used a piece of 2x4 that did the job beautifully in our constrained space.

[SnackySnack-sx]

Thank you, I couldn’t remember the half turn screw for the ones holding the frame and you gave so many good little tips to preserve the very fragile pieces when taking them off. This is still so very useful!

[parkwyatt]

I enjoyed the cheeky comments and how well lit the video is. I'm moving a much larger version of this atrocity for the 2nd time and your directions inspire me to flat-pack it again. . . instead of fleeing the country in despair.

[Gerry]

Very clever tip on getting the back off, saves making a total mess of it. Stay safe Andy.

[TheZZZbox]

This is the best video to teach us how to unlock cam locks - brilliant !!! Thank you

[adriftinaboat]

Thanks for this.
Really helpful.
Can’t understand some people giving a thumbs down....they need a hobby.

[FergusMoore-ii]

Brilliant Vid, Thanks so much, key thing was that tip on the arrow re taking the bottom and top off the Frame - Amazing tip, thought I was going to have to dump the frame and by a new one

[AWorldWithoutShrimp]

30 seconds in and already some useful info

[xO_oxDK]

This video should have been the very first video IKEA themselves should have made :) Thanks kind sir... that back piece has been a nightmare before, this made it a bit more easy to handle.

[alanjones]

Great idea shelf as battering ram. Done several in my time but missed that😃

[attlee]

I've just taken 3 billy bookshelves apart and found that using a bradawl to pull the nail/tack out slightly, then using a nail/tack remover gets the nails/tacks out really quickly and with little or no damage to the unit.

[mijalic]

Great video. Thank you for your time and effort to do that and share with us. Greetings from Croatia.