You’re staring at that Malm or Hemnes frame and honestly, it looks like a permanent fixture of your bedroom. It’s not. But taking it down isn't just about unscrewing things until the whole heap collapses on your toes. If you’ve ever tried to move an assembled IKEA bed, you know the literal pain of it. The frame creaks. The particle board groans. Usually, the cam locks start chewing through the pre-drilled holes, and suddenly, you have a pile of expensive firewood instead of a bed. Learning how to take IKEA bed apart properly is about preserving the structural integrity of that Swedish engineered wood so it actually survives the trip in the U-Haul.
It’s tempting to just wing it. Don't.
Most people lose the tiny hardware or, worse, they strip the hex heads because they’re using the wrong size Allen key. IKEA furniture relies on tension and specific friction points. Once you compromise those, the bed will never feel "solid" again. You've probably felt that "IKEA wiggle" in a friend's guest room. That's the result of a bad disassembly job.
The stuff you actually need before you start
Grab a Ziploc bag. Seriously, do it right now. You’re going to lose those little grub screws if you don't. You also need a rubber mallet. Why? Because IKEA pieces are often friction-fitted with wooden dowels that refuse to budge. Hitting them with a standard hammer will shatter the veneer and leave ugly dents that you'll have to look at for the next three years. A rubber mallet gives you that soft, persuasive thud that moves the wood without scarring it.
You’ll also need the classic 4mm and 5mm Allen keys. If you lost the ones that came in the box, buy a multi-set with a handle. Your palms will thank you. A flathead screwdriver is also non-negotiable for turning those cam locks. Sometimes a PoziDriv screwdriver is better than a standard Phillips for IKEA screws—it fits the cross-shape more snugly and prevents stripping.
How to take IKEA bed apart: Step-by-step (the right way)
First, strip it down to the bones. Take off the mattress and the bedding. If you have those wooden Lonset or Luroy slats, don't just shove them into the truck. Take them out. For Luroy slats (the ones held together by black straps), roll them up and tie them with a piece of string or a rubber band. If you have the Lonset version—the ones with the rubber holders and the curved frames—you might need to pop the rubber caps off the side rails. Be gentle here. If you snap the plastic pegs, those slats will slide around forever.
Now, look at the cross-braces. These are the metal galvanized steel bars that form an 'X' under the mattress. They are the unsung heroes of your bed's stability. Unscrew them from the side rails but keep the screws attached to the braces if possible by wrapping them in some masking tape. This prevents the "where did that tiny silver screw go" meltdown later.
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Dealing with the headboard and side rails
This is where things get dicey. Most IKEA beds, like the Songesand or the Brimnes, use a long bolt that connects the headboard to the side rail. You'll find these tucked inside the corner. Use your Allen key to loosen them, but don't take them all the way out yet.
Pro tip: Leave the bolts about 80% loose on all four corners before removing any single piece. This keeps the frame balanced. If you remove one side entirely while the other three are tight, the weight of the falling rail can rip the wooden dowels straight out of the particle board. It’s a mess. You’ll end up with a gaping hole that no amount of wood glue can truly fix.
Once the bolts are loose, have a friend hold the side rail while you finish unscrewing. If you're doing this solo, prop the rail up with a stack of books or a sturdy box. Lower it slowly.
Those annoying cam locks
You know the ones. The round metal circles that you turn 180 degrees to "lock" a bolt. To disassemble, you have to turn them counter-clockwise until the arrow on the lock points toward the entry hole of the bolt.
Sometimes they get stuck.
This is where that flathead screwdriver comes in. If the cam lock won't turn, don't force it with all your might. Wiggle the wooden panels slightly to relieve the pressure. Once the cam lock is in the "open" position, the panels should slide apart. If they don't, the wooden dowels are likely stuck. Give the panel a firm but controlled tap with your rubber mallet.
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Specific quirks of popular models
If you're dealing with a Malm, watch out for the "hidden" screws on the underside of the headboard legs. People often forget these and try to yank the headboard off, which just snaps the wood. For the Hemnes, which is made of solid pine (mostly), be aware that the wood is much softer than the particle board models. It’s very easy to overtighten or strip the holes.
The Brimnes is a different beast entirely because of the drawers. Honestly, if you can move the Brimnes base without taking the internal drawer housing apart, do it. Taking the actual drawer boxes apart is usually a death sentence for the thin hardboard bottoms. Just remove the drawers from the frame and move them as separate units.
Organizing the hardware so you don't lose your mind
Don't just throw all the screws into one bag. Use multiple small bags and label them: "Headboard," "Slats," "Cross-brace." Tape these bags directly to the large wooden panels they belong to. When you arrive at your new place, exhausted and desperate for sleep, you won't be hunting through a junk drawer for a specific 30mm bolt.
I’ve seen people use egg cartons for hardware. It works, but it's risky during a move. Stick to bags. Also, if you have the original manual, tape it to the headboard. If you don't, download the PDF from IKEA's website onto your phone now. You’ll need to look at the assembly steps in reverse, which sounds easy but is surprisingly confusing when you're staring at twenty identical-looking wooden planks.
Common mistakes that ruin the bed
The biggest mistake? Leaving the mounting hardware in the boards. Those long metal pins that the cam locks grab onto? They stick out. If you stack the boards on top of each other in a moving truck, those metal pins will gouge deep scratches into the finish of the other boards.
Unscrew the pins. It takes an extra five minutes, but it saves the look of your furniture.
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Another classic error is ignoring the "structural" backboards on things like the Brimnes or drawers. These are often nailed in with tiny finishing nails. Do not try to pry these off with a hammer claw unless you absolutely have to. You will tear the thin backing. If the piece is small enough to fit through the door, leave the nailed parts together.
Packing the pieces for the move
Wrap the side rails in moving blankets or even old towels. The edges of IKEA furniture are notoriously fragile. One good bump against a door frame and the veneer will chip off, revealing the ugly tan particle board underneath. If you’re really worried, use painters tape (not duct tape!) to secure cardboard corners onto the pieces. Duct tape leaves a sticky residue that is a nightmare to get off the finish.
What to do if the wood splits
It happens to the best of us. If you’re taking the bed apart and you hear a "crack," stop. Check the damage. If a dowel hole has blown out, you can sometimes save it with wood glue and a clamp. Fill the hole with glue, insert the dowel (or a tooth-pick-and-glue mixture if the hole is too wide), and let it sit for 24 hours. Don't try to reassemble it immediately.
If the cam lock hole is ruined, you’re in a bit of trouble. You might need to drill a new hole nearby and use a "mending plate" (a flat piece of metal with screw holes) to bridge the gap between the two panels during reassembly. It won't look pretty, but it'll keep the bed from collapsing in the middle of the night.
Reassembling at the new place
When you finally get to the new bedroom, don't tighten everything immediately. This is the golden rule of how to take IKEA bed apart and put it back together. Get the whole skeleton standing first. Once every bolt is in its hole and every cam lock is engaged, then go around and do the final tightening. This ensures the frame is square. If you tighten as you go, you’ll likely find that the last corner is off by half an inch and won't line up.
Check the tightness again after a week of sleeping on it. The vibrations of you moving around will cause the hardware to settle. A quick turn of the Allen key seven days later can prevent that annoying squeak from ever starting.
Actionable Next Steps
- Clear the workspace: Give yourself at least three feet of space on all sides of the bed. You need room to lay the long side rails down without tripping.
- Gather the tools: Find your 4mm and 5mm Allen keys, a flathead screwdriver, and that rubber mallet.
- Bag and Label: Get your Ziploc bags and a Sharpie ready.
- Work in Reverse: Open the digital manual and start from the very last page, working your way backward to the beginning.
- Remove the Pins: Don't leave the metal connecting pins in the boards; unscrew them to prevent scratching other pieces during transport.