I'm rethinking my home office setup and want to know if it's safe to use several Ikea Alex drawer units to support a custom counter top. My wife prefers no visible legs for aesthetics but isn't keen on wall brackets either. The Alex units list a weight capacity of 12kg (26lbs) each. I'm worried that the weight capacity doesn't just multiply with more units like she thinks. How do I figure out the total weight they can safely hold? Wouldn't it be safer to use legs or some bracket supports instead? Any advice would be appreciated as we work on this setup!
2 Answers
Yeah, the 26 lbs limit per Alex unit doesn’t exactly mean you can just add up the numbers! It's key to think about how the weight is distributed too; uneven weight can lead to bending. Honestly, adding legs or using a sturdier surface might be the best bet for safety and stability.
I'm curious about where you got that 12kg figure. I wasn’t able to find it on their website. Seems a bit low for a drawer slide capacity, let alone the whole unit. Maybe it’s worth checking the specs directly on their site?

I found it under the measurements section, there's a diagram showing weights stacked up on it. Here’s the link: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/alex-drawer-unit-drop-file-storage-white-50508176/.