Want to install a wooden KOMPLEMENT drawer right at the bottom of your IKEA PAX wardrobe, but the door hinges are in the way? It’s a common problem!
Today I’ll show you how to solve it. You simply need to replace the standard bottom hinge on each door with a specific Hettich refrigerator hinge. I’ll provide the details and link for you.
Hinge Solution for the IKEA PAX Problem
If you’ve found this blog post, you likely know the issue: standard IKEA PAX wardrobes with doors usually only allow a wire basket at the very bottom.
Why? Because the standard bottom door hinge mechanism gets in the way if you try to install a wooden KOMPLEMENT drawer there.
Visually, though, having matching wooden drawers all the way down looks much cleaner. Thankfully, with a small IKEA hack, it’s entirely possible!
Modifying the IKEA PAX Wardrobe
We replaced our wardrobe last year. We’d owned a PAX for 10 years, but our first apartment had low ceilings, so we only had the 2-meter high version.
In our new house, with more ceiling height available, it was clear we wanted the taller 2.36-meter model for ourselves. We decided to pass the older, shorter PAX down to the children.
We remain huge PAX fans and love how customizable the system is. Last year, during parental leave, we finally tackled the upgrade project.
We also relocated the wardrobe to a different wall than initially planned during construction. A key part of the new design was creating an open section specifically for clothes that have been worn once but aren’t ready for the laundry basket yet.
My husband, for instance, often wears a different shirt daily but doesn’t necessarily dirty them after a single use. Previously, these shirts ended up draped over the bedroom or wardrobe door. Now, they have a dedicated hanging space.
Below the hanging rail in this open section, we added drawers. These drawers are intended to replace the infamous “chair” – that piece of furniture many of us have which inevitably becomes a pile of semi-worn clothes!
Installing the Bottom Drawer in the PAX
Beyond just getting taller frames, I also wanted to improve the internal layout. In our old wardrobe, I’d left the very bottom compartment empty, mostly using it to store bags.
In the new setup, I aimed for a cleaner look inside. Bags used infrequently (like swimming bags or weekenders) could be stored higher up. This meant utilizing the bottom space more effectively, ideally with a wooden drawer.
However, I already knew installing a wooden drawer at the bottom position with doors wasn’t standard procedure due to the hinge conflict. A quick search led me to the solution: a special hinge from Hettich (model ET 582).
Interestingly, this hinge is actually designed for refrigerators! But with minimal adjustment, it works perfectly for the PAX door application.
What You Need:
- IKEA PAX wardrobe with doors (obviously)
- KOMPLEMENT drawer(s)
- The Hettich ET 582 refrigerator hinge (link to example - Note: This is the link from the original article and may be an affiliate link)
- Cordless drill/driver
- Small drill bit (e.g., 2mm or 3/32”)
The Solution for the IKEA PAX Hinge Problem
First, assemble the main PAX wardrobe frame and the KOMPLEMENT drawer(s) following the standard IKEA instructions. You can even install the bottom drawer while the frame is still open, before attaching the doors.
The key step comes when you attach the doors. Instead of using the standard IKEA hinge for the bottom-most position on the door, use the Hettich refrigerator hinge (ET 582).
Bonus Tip: This technique also works if you want to install a drawer in the middle section of a double-door wardrobe where the hinges from both doors would normally meet. You’ll just need two Hettich hinges for that position (one for each door).
The cup part of the Hettich hinge fits surprisingly well into the pre-drilled holes on the inside of the PAX door.
The only minor modification needed is when attaching the hinge plate to the wardrobe frame itself. You’ll need to drill two new, small pilot holes for the screws, as the Hettich plate’s holes don’t align perfectly with the PAX frame’s pre-drilled holes at that position.
This was very straightforward. My husband simply used a cordless drill with a small bit (like 2mm or 3/32”) to pre-drill the new holes before screwing the hinge plate securely to the frame.
With these simple steps, you can successfully install a wooden drawer at the very bottom of your IKEA PAX wardrobe, even with doors attached. This hack unlocks more usable and visually consistent storage space.
Enjoy your DIY project and customizing your wardrobe!