IKEA HACKS: How to DIY a Custom Walk-in Closet with the Ikea PAX Wardrobe

One of the most popular Ikea hacks I’ve seen is a DIY closet made with the Ikea PAX wardrobe system.

In our previous townhouse, we loved how our Ikea closet turned out without much DIYing involved. We simply installed the PAX unit as-is and only custom cut one of the frames to size in order to fit a corner nook.

This time around, we wanted to try creating a custom DIY walk-in closet with this Ikea built-in hack!

In this post, we’re sharing how to achieve this Ikea closet hack and the exact tools and materials to re-create this yourself!

We’re spilling ALL the details in this step-by-step tutorial, including the EXACT measurements we used, how to paint the PAX wardrobe, closet corner solutions, custom PAX drawer fronts guide, and more.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we’ll receive a commission if you purchase through our link, at no extra cost to you. You can read our full disclosure here.

Tools and Supplies List

The complete tools and supplies list is actually VERY long and gets super detailed (like what size cabinet screws or nails to buy, for example).

So to be as helpful as possible, we created an editable Google Sheet that includes our comprehensive materials list sorted by Project Step, Tools, and Supplies.

This materials list is handy to refer to when planning your DIY closet project since it complements the exact steps we explain in this blog post!

Plus, you can easily edit the Google Sheet to organize the tools and supplies you’ll need for your own project.

Ikea PAX Wardrobe Design

After tweaking around 4 different design configurations on the Ikea PAX planner, we settled on our final PAX design.

Due to the dimensions of our closet, we opted for two 22” deep 39” width frame units on the left side and four 13” deep 29” width units with drawers and shelves as the focal point in the middle.

Closet Dimensions

For reference, our closet dimensions are 13 ft x 7.5 ft.

Since our walk-in closet is not that deep, we wanted the space to feel larger and did not want to crowd it with 22” depth units along the main focal wall, so we opted for 13” depth units there.

With a ceiling height of 9 ft, the taller 92 7/8″ frame units are the perfect choice.

29” Width Unit = Winner

From our past experience building Ikea PAX walk-in closets in our previous home, our favorite size is the 29” width unit which in our opinion looks the best and is the most durable long term.

We lined up four 29” width units as the focal wall and opted for 4 rows of drawers across the bottom.

For us, we fold our clothes much more than hanging, so our closet design is very drawer-heavy!

PAX Corner Solution

I believe Ikea used to have a corner PAX unit but for some reason it seems to be discontinued or I just can’t find it as an option on the USA Ikea website or on the PAX planner at all.

For our closet design, we did have one PAX corner to figure out and tried out a few different options.

This was the best corner solution that worked well for our space: 22” deep unit on one side and a 13” deep unit on the other (shown below).

This works for us since we were already planning on mixing up the depths of the units for our closet to maximize space.

DIY Custom Built-in Corner

With a floor vent in the floor right where a PAX unit would normally go, we had to figure out how to custom-fit another hanging space without covering the floor vent (more on how we did this later).

We ordered an extra 13″ depth frame to use (just the side frame pieces) for this custom built-in corner area.

We also designed an area with closed storage for linens and other random items that would look messy so we opted for another unit with PAX doors for the right side.

Ikea PAX Cost

The total cost of Ikea PAX products was $2,605 (before tax and delivery) with all the PAX frames, Komplement drawers, shelving, and doors included.

For all other DIY materials and tools, I listed the total project cost breakdown at the end of this post.

Ikea In-Home Delivery

HELPFUL TIP: If you’re planning on doing a walk-in closet PAX project, I’d highly recommend ordering online for in-home delivery.

With in-home delivery, they will deliver to a room of your choice which is incredibly helpful if your closet is on the second floor!

Scheduled in-home delivery costs $69 (or $59 if you’re an IKEA Family member) which is a great price for the convenience.

The delivery date is conveniently scheduled during the online checkout process.

Our scheduled order was delivered in about a week which was pretty quick!

I also noticed that IKEA has had some in-store stock issues and many of our items would not have been available in-store but were ready to ship.

So I think you’d have a better chance of having everything in stock with in-home delivery anyway.

For our project, our primary closet is on our second floor so it was amazing to have the delivery people bring everything upstairs for us.

Since there were so many heavy pieces they struggled a lot while we saved our energy 🙂

Ikea Hacks: How to DIY a Custom Built-in Closet

1. Remove Baseboards

The first step of the project was to remove the baseboard and shoe molding that was already installed in the closet.

Scoring the caulk with a utility knife and using a trim removal tool makes removal quick and easy.

In the past, we’ve tried removing baseboards without this trim tool and it is doable but a lot harder to prevent making holes in the drywall.

How it works: The trim removal tool is first hammered between the drywall and trim. Then the tool can be opened up, separating the trim from the drywall.

This affordable trim removal tool is a must-have and will come in handy for future DIY projects!

We planned on re-using the original baseboards and shoe, so we removed the nails using carpenters’ pliers.

We only removed the portion of the baseboard where the new closet frames would go and left the baseboards intact on the walls that weren’t going to have any frames.

To cut the baseboard where we needed it, we used an oscillating tool with a wood blade to cut the trim vertically where the PAX frames would be installed.

2. Assemble the PAX Frames

With IKEA’s newly updated PAX system design, assembly is super fast and we timed it around 12 minutes to assemble a frame.

There are recent changes to how the PAX is assembled, which will impact how you plan for your DIY Ikea hack project.

The biggest change is that with the old frame, you needed to manually nail the MDF board backing onto the back with about 40 nails.

I remember this step being tedious and taking quite a while during assembly.

On the PAX 2.0 units, the backer board comes pre-installed, which saves time and removes the potential for assembly errors, but also impacts how you DIY the back of the PAX.

For the rest of the PAX design updates, read this detailed blog post with ALL the latest changes we found while assembling our PAX 2.0 frames.

3. Build the Bases

To create a built-in look and allow for baseboards to wrap around the whole closet, you’ll want to build bases for the PAX frames to sit on.

What material to use: Our bases were built out of 2x6s (you can also use 2x4s if don’t need to elevate it that high).

For reference, we have 9 ft ceilings and wanted the closet frames to go all the way to the ceiling for a truly built-in look.

We chose 2x6s to give us the perfect height to use a 1×10 trim piece both at the bottom and top of the frames.

Another factor to consider is how tall your baseboards are. In our home, we have 5″ tall baseboards that need a little more height clearance at the bottom.

How to Build Frame Bases:

We first measured the dimensions of the PAX frames and created a template in SketchUp to create a cut list.

We made sure to have vertical support 2×6 pieces where the frame legs would be to make sure they are properly supported.

We used a Miter Saw with the stock Dewalt blade to cut 2x6s down to length.

Then the bases were assembled with 3” wood screws. We predrilled using a 1/8” drill bit and then drove in the screws using an impact driver.

4. Custom Backer Boards

All of the PAX units come with backer boards with