How to Upgrade IKEA Furniture

Upgrading IKEA furniture is one of the easiest ways to turn something ordinary into a custom piece that fits your space and style. All it takes is a few small changes to transform flat-pack basics into furniture that looks handcrafted and built to last.

As you’ll see in this guide on how to upgrade IKEA furniture, there’s no better hack than swapping out the furniture legs. It can make a world of difference in the look and function of your furniture, be it a table or cabinet.

Our precision-engineered steel and wooden legs are built for makers. Choose your style, pick your finish, and start building better furniture today with The Hairpin Leg Co.!

“Ordered some new legs for an old homemade beech table that had some 'pillar' style solid IKEA legs previously, and these have greatly refreshed the table's look.” - Nicholas

“On a hunch, we purchased hairpin legs to convert a very ordinary IKEA cabinet into a shoe cabinet. There was a lot of choice of colours which added an element of fun into the project. Our order came very quickly and the legs were very well manufactured.” - Courtney

“Used hairpin legs to upcycle a second-hand IKEA sideboard. Worked a treat. Fab product and excellent logistics. Highly recommend.” - Angela

What Does Upgrading IKEA Furniture Entail?

We get why IKEA furniture is so popular. It’s smart, affordable, and easy to assemble - but let’s be honest, it’s designed for mass appeal, not individuality. That’s the trade-off.

The shapes are clean and practical, but the materials and finishes can feel generic, and the lightweight construction often limits how sturdy or long-lasting a piece can be. It works but does it really fit your space, your taste, or your standards?

We’ve found that customers love coming to The Hairpin Leg Co. to upgrade IKEA furniture for these reasons. Swapping the legs is the perfect place to start because they affect everything that matters:

Height
Stability
Style

A new set of well-made legs instantly changes how a table, cabinet, or sofa looks and feels, turning something flat-pack into something personal. The Hairpin Leg Co. is the perfect alternative to IKEA legs. We stock all the different types of furniture legs you could want.

But upgrading IKEA Furniture isn’t as simple as picking the first set of legs you find on our site and getting to work. You need to think about the material you’re working with. Solid wood, chipboard, and fibreboard all handle fixings differently.

How to Upgrade IKEA Furniture With Stunning Legs From The Hairpin Leg Co.

IKEA’s minimalist designs are the perfect blank canvas for creative upgrades, and one of the easiest, most rewarding ways to elevate them is by changing the legs. So, here’s how to upgrade IKEA furniture depending on the type of material you’re working with.

Upgrading Solid Wood IKEA Furniture

IKEA pieces made from solid wood include the IVAR shelving units, LISABO tables, or GERTON tabletops. If you’re starting with one of these pieces, you’re in luck - this is the most straightforward material to modify because it holds screws securely and can handle weight without reinforcement.

All you need is a drill and a screwdriver. Our legs come with all the other necessary hardware . As long as the wood is 18mm thick or more, you can confidently attach our legs directly to the underside. It’ll be strong and stable, perfect for desks, side tables, or consoles.

Tip: Always pre-drill holes before driving screws into the wood—this prevents splitting and makes installation cleaner.

Recommended legs:

Classic Hairpin Legs: Perfect for a modern, mid-century update.
Tapered Wooden Legs: Great for adding warmth and a Scandinavian touch.
Industrial Box Section Legs: Pair beautifully with chunkier tops or dining tables for a bold contrast.

Upgrading Chipboard or Particleboard IKEA Furniture

Chipboard or particleboard is really common in IKEA designs, including the KALLAX, BESTÅ, MALM, and HEMNES lines. These materials are denser than fibreboard but still weaker than solid wood, so how you attach the legs matters just as much as the legs themselves. These pieces won’t ever be as strong as a solid wood option would, but can still work well for lightweight use.

Most IKEA chipboard furniture is around 22mm thick - enough material to work with if you use the full depth. Longer screws maximise grip, but make sure to target thicker join areas like where internal walls meet the base. You want to spread out the load rather than concentrate pressure in one spot.

The shorter the legs, the less strain on the screws. legs up to 35cm tall work perfectly for pieces like cabinets, side tables, or low media units. Taller pieces, though (bar tables or desks) need a more reinforced connection. A simple way to do this is by gluing an 18mm plywood panel to the underside before attaching the legs for a solid, reliable surface for the screws to bite into.

OR, you can consider our freestanding table bases for furniture that will see heavy use or frequent movement. These provide full support without putting stress on the fixings, ideal for thinner or more fragile tops.

Recommended legs:

Frame Legs: Offer stability and a clean, architectural look.
Box Section Legs: Add industrial structure while evenly distributing weight.
Hairpin Legs (shorter sizes): Great for small storage units or media stands.

Upgrading Fibreboard or Honeycomb IKEA Furniture

Lightweight pieces like the LACK table or some budget desks are made with a fibreboard and honeycomb cardboard core. This is basically two thin sheets of fibreboard sandwiching a hollow interior.

These pieces are fine for light use or decoration, but they offer little for screws to grip onto. That means directly upgrading IKEA furniture with these materials is a bit trickier. The fixings will likely strip or tear through the thin surface if you try to screw directly into a hollow core. So, learning how to upgrade IKEA furniture here takes a bit more tact.

Cut a piece of 18mm plywood slightly smaller than the tabletop and attach it with a strong wood adhesive. After the glue cures, you can screw your legs into the plywood instead of the weak fibreboard shell.

Just like with chipboard/particleboard, freestanding table bases are the better option here for a faster, tool-free route. They support the tabletop entirely without relying on the structure of the furniture itself.

Recommended legs:

Freestanding Table Bases: Provide full support for fragile tops.
Frame or Box Section Legs: Only if reinforced with plywood underneath

Matching the Right Leg Style to Your IKEA Hack

There you have it, how to upgrade IKEA furniture regardless of the material you’re working with! But an important part of learning how to replace furniture legs is choosing the right style. It all depends on the furniture’s material and the look you want to achieve. Here’s a quick breakdown:

Hairpin Legs: A timeless choice for desks, consoles, and side tables. They bring a minimal, mid-century edge to IKEA pieces like LINNMON or KALLAX.
Box Section Legs: Perfect for dining tables and heavy worktops. Their wide stance and angular geometry create a modern industrial aesthetic.
Frame Legs: These bring clean symmetry and extra stability for long sideboards or tables with multiple support points.
Tapered Wooden Legs: A natural match for lighter woods and Scandi-style spaces. Perfect for bedroom furniture or small tables.
Freestanding Bases: Best for fragile or lightweight builds - strong, balanced, and easy to fit without drilling.

Mixing materials is also part of the fun. Matte black steel contrasts beautifully with light oak or birch, while raw or brass finishes pair well with darker IKEA wood tones. But whether you’re looking for wooden furniture legs or metal furniture legs, your search ends here.

Why Choose The Hairpin Leg Co. for Your IKEA Upgrades?

All the furniture legs at The Hairpin Leg Co. are designed with real furniture makers in mind - people who care about craftsmanship, not shortcuts.

Our products are precision-engineered from heavy-gauge steel and tested for load capacity to handle everything from delicate console tables to full-sized dining setups. We make specs clear so you never have to wonder how much weight your furniture can support.

Every leg features slotted mounting holes for flexible installation, too, so they’re compatible with almost any IKEA design. You also have access to a variety of styles, sizes, and finishes to match any project, from minimalist matte black to warm oak and brass tones.

Everything is stocked and shipped next-day, so you can go from flat-pack to finished in no time. Your order is backed by our 60-day money-back guarantee, too - so what are you waiting for? Start upgrading IKEA furniture today!

Parting Thoughts on How to Upgrade IKEA Furniture

Upgrading IKEA furniture pays off every time. You start with something simple and end with a piece that feels entirely your own. Whether you’re reinforcing a desk, elevating a sideboard, or turning a basic table into a designer centrepiece, a quality set of legs transforms everything.

Now that you know how to upgrade IKEA furniture with stunning, precision-engineered pieces from The Hairpin Leg Co., it’s time to get to work bringing your own unique vision to life. Pick a style, choose your finish, grab your tools, and create furniture that looks as good as it performs.