When you purchase IKEA furniture, you know that you will need to crack open your toolbox for assembly. Most times, the assembly kits include all the tools you need, but these are not always of the greatest quality, and in the case of small Allen wrenches, they can get lost.
You will find out everything you need to know about IKEA wrenches, what to do when you lose one and how to find out which type to use. We also put together a table of IKEA’s most frequently used sizes and shapes of hex (Allen) keys.
The most common size Allen wrench used for IKEA furniture is the 4 mm, both the L- and S-shaped hex keys. IKEA also frequently uses 3 mm L-shaped keys, 5 mm L- and S-shaped keys, and the 6 mm L-shaped keys.
Allen Wrenches Included in Assembly Kit
First things first, you shouldn’t need to buy an Allen wrench kit in order to assemble your new IKEA furniture.
IKEA, as a brand, is all about convenience, so they make furniture that can be mostly built with standard tools that you are likely to already own, such as different-headed screwdrivers or hammers.
However, Allen wrenches are a little more specialized.
IKEA doesn’t expect you to own a professional toolbox, so they provide you with the correct Allen wrench in the assembly kit whenever one is required.
This is great, mainly because you don’t have to spend time looking for the right type and size of the wrench only to build your furniture and never use it again.
Allen wrenches come in many different types, shapes, and sizes. IKEA uses different ones for assembling different furniture or product series.
It can easily happen that after buying a few pieces of furniture in IKEA, you will own a whole collection of Allen keys. It is essential to keep them for when you need to tighten the screws as can these loosen with time a little.
Why Does IKEA Use Allen Wrenches?
IKEA doesn’t use Allen wrenches exclusively. You will often find products that utilize regular screws with screwdrivers alongside the Allen wrenches.
This may seem a little odd at first. Why do they go to such lengths to provide their customers with free Allen wrenches when they could easily just stick with screwdrivers and save themselves some extra production costs?
Well, Allen wrenches provide many benefits that make them worth the trouble.
- Handling them is very simple, so they are ideal tools for people with little building experience.
- You don’t have to use as much strength to use them as you use with screwdrivers due to the 6-point contact, nor do you need any power tools.
- Allen wrenches provide a firm grip that protects the fasteners from getting stripped unintentionally, allowing for quick and straightforward installation.
- Because these wrenches are so easy to use, you are less likely to get fatigued from using them.
Overall, they make the installation process much simpler than it would be without them.
IKEA Can Replace Lost Wrenches
In case you happen to lose the Allen wrench that was provided with your furniture, you can contact Ikea and ask for a replacement.
All you need to do is go to your local IKEA store or contact customer service via telephone and tell them the make and model of the product the wrench is for.
They should be able to send you the replacement wrench either immediately or within a few days.
Alternatively, you can order the tool via their online portal.
This service is typically free, but sometimes you may be asked to pay a small fee. To be sure, ask your local store or customer service for a price estimate.
Knowing Allen Wrench Size Can Be Helpful
Although you can get a wrench replacement from Ikea, owning your own set can come with many advantages. Even if you already have a kit, you still need to know the exact size and type of wrench that you should use.
Once you have this information, you are ready to start your project. It will spare you the hassle and time of waiting for a new replacement.
So, in which situations is it helpful to know which Allen wrench to use?
- If someone is helping you. The work will go much faster with two people working together. However, you need a second key for the other person.
- You want to dismantle a piece of IKEA furniture for which you no longer have the Allen wrench. This can be necessary when you are moving house or trying to relocate an item that can’t fit through the door. You should note that disassembling your IKEA furniture can shorten its lifespan.
- You purchased a second-hand IKEA kit, and it has all the pieces, just not the tools to assemble it. Second-hand or As-is products can be missing the Allen wrench. You will need to know which specific wrench is required when you want to dismantle, tighten, or assemble them.
- Your IKEA is charging you for the spare wrench, but you have a collection at home. If you find an Allen key that matches, you can proceed with your project right away. You don’t have to waste time and money by buying a new wrench.
How to Find out the Right Size Allen Wrench
The good news is that finding which Allen wrench size you need could not be any easier.
To see it online, visit the IKEA store and find your product. Each listed product has multiple sections. Open the section called “Product Details.” There you will find a dropdown titled “Assembly & Documents,” under which is a link to a PDF assembly file.
This file contains image assembly instructions together with images and product numbers of all the tools needed.
Find the product number of your wrench. To look up the product’s size, either google it with the phrase “IKEA product number” (it should be presented in one of the top 5 results) or by contacting their customer service.
Alternatively, you can try looking in your printed manual if you still have it.
Keep in mind that IKEA is a European company, and so they use metric instead of imperial units. Also, they usually use Pozidriv screwdrivers, not Phillips.
IKEA tends to use the same sized wrenches for different types of items and product series, so we have tabulated the most common Allen wrench sizes needed for the most common categories of IKEA furniture.
What Size Allen Wrench for Ikea?
| Common Allen Wrench Sizes | Shape of Allen Wrench | Product Number(s) | Other Tools Needed | |
| Bed Frames | 4 mm 4 mm 4 mm 5 mm 6 mm | S-shaped hex key L-shaped hex key Long ball-end L-shaped hex key L-shaped hex key L-shaped hex key | 100001 100092 130445 108490 100049 | Slotted screwdriver Cross slot screwdriver Curved claw hammer |
| Sofas | 5 mm 13 mm | L-shaped hex key Hollow wrench | 108490 120202 | |
| Armchairs | 4 mm 4 mm | S-shaped hex key L-shaped hex key | 100001 100092 | Slotted screwdriver Cross slot screwdriver |
| Bookcases | 3 mm 4 mm 4 mm | L-shaped hex key S-shaped hex key L-shaped hex key | 100006 100001 100092 | Typically: Slotted screwdriver Cross slot screwdriver Spirit level Occasionally: Curved claw hammer |
| Shelving Units | 4 mm 4 mm | S-shaped hex key L-shaped hex key | 100001 100092 | Typically: Slotted screwdriver Cross slot screwdriver Spirit level Occasionally: Curved claw hammer |
| Tables | 4 mm 4 mm 5 mm | S-shaped hex key L-shaped hex key L-shaped hex key | 100001 100092 108490 | Typically: Slotted screwdriver Occasionally: Cross slot screwdriver Curved claw hammer |
| Desks | 4 mm 4 mm 5 mm 6 mm | L-shaped hex key S-shaped hex key L-shaped hex key L-shaped ball head hex key | 100092 100001 108490 124325 | Typically: Slotted screwdriver Cross slot screwdriver Occasionally: Spirit level Curved claw hammer Awl |
| Chairs | 4 mm 5 mm 6 mm | S-shaped key L-shaped hex key L-shaped ball head hex key | 10083377 124345 124325 | Typically: Slotted screwdriver Cross slot screwdriver Occasionally: Awl |
| Cabinets | 4 mm 4 mm 6 mm | S-shaped hex key Long ball-end L-shaped hex key L-shaped hex key | 100001 130445 100049 | Typically: Slotted screwdriver Cross slot screwdriver Spirit level Occasionally: Curved claw hammer Awl Clamp |
| Wardrobes | 3 mm 4 mm 5 mm | L-shaped hex key S-shaped hex key S-shaped hex key | 100006 100001 100002 | Typically: Slotted screwdriver Cross slot screwdriver Spirit level Curved claw hammer Measure Occasionally: Awl Drill Step ladder |
| Drawer Sets | 3 mm 4 mm | L-shaped hex key S-shaped hex key | 100006 100001 | Typically: Slotted screwdriver Cross slot screwdriver Spirit level Curved claw hammer Occasionally: Awl Drill |
| TV and Media Furniture | 3 mm 4 mm 4 mm | L-shaped hex key L-shaped hex key S-shaped hex key | 100006 100092 100001 | Typically: Slotted screwdriver Cross slot screwdriver Spirit level Curved claw hammer Occasionally: Drill |
| Outdoor Furniture | 4 mm 4 mm 4 mm 5 mm | S-shaped hex key L-shaped hex key Long ball-end L-shaped hex key L-shaped hex key | 100001 100092 130445 108490 | Typically: Slotted screwdriver Cross slot screwdriver Occasionally: Curved claw hammer |
Need to Buy Some of the Tools?
| Tool | Amazon link |
| Allen key set | View and View |
| Slotted Screwdriver | View |
| Curved claw hammer | View |
| Spirit level | View |
| Awl | View |
| Drill | View |
| Step ladder | View |
| Clamp | View |