# How do I keep my Ikea slat bed from falling? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 4, 2011, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544 "2011-10-04T13:20:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544/21 "2011-10-06T14:21:16Z")
I think I fixed it. I laid down cardboard over the whole thing, to keep the slats from moving around too much. Then I used a length of dowel on each side between the sideboard and the slats, so that the slats couldn’t move from side to side. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544/22 "2011-10-06T15:21:45Z")
IKEA beds have been the bane of my existence for over thirty years. Twelve finishing nails will do the trick, six on each side. Never fails. One in each corner, and the other four in the middle. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544/23 "2011-10-06T19:41:57Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > I think I fixed it. > > I laid down cardboard over the whole thing, to keep the slats from moving around too much. Then I used a length of dowel on each side between the sideboard and the slats, so that the slats couldn’t move from side to side. That sounds like it should work unless the dowels roll off. Or you can ask your next potential bed-slammer if he owns a power drill and would like to work on your bed before he works you on the bed. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544/24 "2011-10-06T20:27:07Z")
The dowels are between the side of the bed and the ends of the slats. There’s no place for them to roll to. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544/25 "2011-10-07T14:27:34Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I will naively suggest perhaps screwing them in diagonally? How would her orientation during intercourse keep the slats from falling out?:dubious: 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544/27 "2013-08-03T03:18:42Z")
You go back to IKEA and buy the slats that are slightly arched upwards. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544/28 "2013-08-03T05:40:00Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > You go back to IKEA and buy the slats that are slightly arched upwards. You re-opened this thread to repeat something that was said almost two years ago (post #12)? Why? ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544/29 "2013-08-03T05:45:49Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I will naively suggest perhaps screwing them in diagonally? It’s what my dad did for my slat bed when I was a teen, and that helped a lot. > [@kayaker](#): > > How would her _ **orientation during intercourse** _ keep the slats from falling out?:dubious: > 😛 (bolding mine) That might not help to keep the slats from falling out, but it might help to keep the frame from banging against the wall. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544/30 "2013-08-03T14:47:05Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > You re-opened this thread to repeat something that was said almost two years ago (post #12)? Why? Because I am an idiot. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544/31 "2013-08-03T14:56:24Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Because I am an idiot. :smack: All I can say is, I’m glad I haven’t done anything silly like that. For at least an hour now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544/32 "2013-08-03T15:06:10Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Because I am an idiot. :smack: Well, your username IS **Hello Again**. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544/34 "2014-01-20T19:35:16Z")
Reported. ---
**Author:** ![sf1947](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@sf1947](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sf1947)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544/35 "2015-06-18T00:34:38Z")
OK here is the real fix, buy some 3" black heavy duty Gorilla tape cut pieces 6" long and tape the slats together where they meet in the middle , will not fall thru, foolproof ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544/36 "2015-06-18T01:01:16Z")
Well, my fixes never did really work and the bed eventually became a mess of cardboard and dowels. But somehow I found a guy to marry me anyway, and we’ve graduated to a slightly nicer IKEA bed. ---
**Author:** ![kasmodiya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@kasmodiya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasmodiya)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544/37 "2018-09-25T15:32:15Z")
Oh my goodness… you are spot on in my case… I am now thinking why I didn’t put those plastic pegs? (Image 17)… Usually I know IKEA doesn’t give extra items… (hardly ever) So finally I put those pegs and everything is awesome… You are a life saver… seriously… I have been troubled for 2 months now… :D:D:D > [@Ravenman](#): > > There are small plastic pegs that you put at the head and the foot of the bed that keep the slats from moving around. It sounds like those are not installed. > > [See figure 17.](http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/customer_service/assembly/A/A90121757.pdf) You can pick up those pegs at your friendly local Ikea parts bin, near the area where you pick up large items. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-keep-my-ikea-slat-bed-from-falling/598544.md?page=1)