Ikea Milsbo Easy Assembly Steps
The Ikea Milsbo is a fairly large glass display case: approximately 69″ tall, 29″ wide and 17″ deep. Assembly includes 30 steps, 80 small parts and it’s recommended for two people. There is a hex key (also known as an Allen wrench) included, used for tightening but you’ll also need your own philips screwdriver. There is a metal frame, and 3 glass shelves.
Assembly will take about an hour for two people.
If you’re missing the instruction booklet, here’s a link to it on the Ikea website: Ikea Milsbo Assembly Instruction Booklet.
Follow the Ikea Instructions. We assembled the Milsbo and have a few helpful tips that worked for us, that may be of help to you. Make sure to read look at all Ikea Instruction photos first, to get a good idea of how each step will progress. Keep all parts organized and grouped. And be especially careful with the glass panels, they are tall and thin and (obviously) breakable!
If you have any assembly tips you’d like to share with fellow Ikea Milsbo owners to help with assembly, please share in the comments below!
Unbox, Lay out Parts and Group, Organize
The Ikea Milsbo comes in two boxes (a larger box and a smaller box). Inspect everything closely before starting. Contact Ikea for any issues.
Lay out and organize all parts. Keep them grouped together and easily visible throughout the assembly process.
Step 1:
Screw the round leveler-screws into the bottoms of all 4 corner-legs. Tighten with the enclosed, provided wrench tool.
These leveler-screws are used later, once the Milsbo is assembled, to level it. You’ll be able to turn these screws slightly right or slightly left, which will slightly raise or lower that leg/side.
For now, screw in and tighten with provided hex key (also known as Allen wrench)
Step 2:
Assemble bottom frame (long).
Note: 4 corner-legs are NOT THE SAME!
Two have a round circle in the corner, two do not.
This will determine front of Milsbo, versus back!
Insert two long rods into specific corner-legs, making sure same corner pieces are on one long rod.
See diagram, note difference in 2 of 4 corner pieces: keep same corner pieces on same long side of frame
Step 3:
Assemble bottom frame – short.
Insert two short rods into the remaining openings of each corner-leg piece.
At this point you should have 4 standing legs with rectangle frame, attached and standing.
Step 4:
Secure frame with 8 screws.
Use 8 of the 115461/190473 screws (18 total before this step).
Use 2 in each corner (8 total).
Tighten with hex key.
Step 5:
Insert bottom, secure with 4 screws to back length of frame.
Use 4 of the 115461/190473 screws to secure bottom to frame, 2 into the top of corners of
Make sure to line up holes of metal bottom to same holes on corners of bottom frame.
Tighten with hex key.
Step 6:
Two screws needed are the 115461/190473.
Screw in and tighten one on each corner of what will be the front of the Milsbo (back of Milsbo is indicated with the middle hole on the bottom of the frame – see diagram).
Step 7:
Insert 4 main frame poles into each corner.
Screws needed are the taller 105103. You’ll use 4, one on each corner.
Tighten with hex key.
Step 8:
Insert 2nd bottom metal piece into existing frame. It should easily fit right inside bottom piece.
Make sure to line up middle front-facing hole on both pieces (this will be the back of the Milsbo) – you will be inserting the 5th tall frame pole here in the next step, using these holes to secure.
Step 9:
Insert 5th main frame pole/middle piece to frame (which will be the back of the Milsbo).
Use one screw, 100404/105057 (small screw). Tighten with philips screw driver.
This back metal piece will secure back two panes of glass.
Step 10:
Place metal top onto frame. It should easily slip in place.
Make sure front-facing small hole in metal is on same side as bottom front-facing small hole.
Step 11:
4 screws (115461/190473) to secure top to frame.
Use hex key to tighten halfway.
Do NOT tighten all the way down (yet). This wiggle room (from not tightening screws completely) will help you when inserting the glass panes in next steps.
Step 12:
Attach middle metal piece to frame with one screw (100404/105057) on top/front.
Do NOT tighten all the way in (yet). This wiggle room (from not tightening all the way) will help you when inserting the glass panes in next steps.
This section is the back of the Ikea Milsbo.
Step 13:
Turn Ikea Milsbo around, so front is now in front (back has middle vertical piece).
Insert first glass pane through to right side space. Insert straight in, not tipped (see Ikea directions, tipping can cause glass to crack or shatter).
Note: there are small metal protrusions on the bottom to help keep glass correctly in place.
Insert 2nd glass pane through to left side space. Insert straight in. Make sure glass panes are sitting vertically perfectly straight.
This part of the assembly is where you need two people most… inserting the panes of glass can be tricky.
Remember the top and middle places where the screws weren’t tightened completely, and use this wiggle room to help when inserting the glass!
Step 14:
Secure back glass panes to middle frame pole with 3 black brackets (part #10003221/10003222) and 100404/105057 screws. Tighten with philips screwdriver.
These brackets will eventually be the middle brackets that hold the 3 glass shelves if using the Milsbo as a glass display case.
They are ALSO important brackets to keep glass pane frame in place and secure.
For a hermit crab habitat hack… you would not be using the glass shelves. Instead, these brackets should be on a level you plan to build on. You can use these brackets to help support wood or a metal rod. Get creative!
Step 15:
Continue inserting vertical glass panes for frame of Milsbo, right panel next.
MAKE SURE glass is straight vertical and not installed on an angle. Remember to insert the glass up and over the two tiny metal bumps on the bottom frame. Glass should sit straight.
Two people should work on this step. Remember the top has a little wiggle room from not being completely tightened. Use this to insert glass safely.
Step 16:
Secure back glass panes to middle frame pole with 4 more black brackets (part #10003241/10003245) and 100404/105057 screws.
These brackets should line up horizontally with the previous 3 brackets you installed in step 14.
Step 17:
Insert left (last) glass panel.
We found that bracing the glass from both sides and gently lifting up and over the two small bottom bumps worked. It took a couple of tries to get it in straight and safely.
Make sure to take your time inserting these glass panels. They are thin glass and could shatter.
Make sure the glass pane is fully straight and vertical, not sitting on an angle.
Step 18:
Secure last (left) glass panel with 4 black brackets (part #10003241/10003245) and with 100404/105057 screws, 2 on each side (front corner, back corner). Make sure to align brackets on same horizontal plane as where you placed the other brackets on back and right side glass panes.
Tighten with philips screwdriver.
If using the Ikea Milsbo as a glass display case, these black brackets would be lined up horizontally with others and used to hold the 3 included glass shelves.
They are ALSO important brackets to keep glass pane frame in place and secure.
Step 19:
Add final 4 black brackets into 4 inside corners for glass shelf 2, which would be for holding the middle glass shelf.
Use part #10003241/10003245 with 100404/105057 screws.
Tighten with philips screwdriver.
Make sure each of the brackets line up horizontally for Glass Shelf 1, Glass Shelf 2 and Glass Shelf 3.
Step 20:
MAKE SURE all tall glass panels are completely straight and NOT on an angle. They should be resting perfectly just behind the tiny metal bumps on the bottom, and up against the small rubberized top strip. That small rubberized top strip acts to cushion the top of the glass. Make sure the top of the glass is sitting correctly.
Tighten 4 top metal screws with hex key.
Step 21:
Tighten the top middle screw on the back of the Milsbo.
At this point the metal frame with all glass panels should be secure.
Step 22:
Remaining parts, in addition to the two glass door panels. For this step, use 4 medium screws (100408/108031 to tighten 2 door lock mechanisms, part 195311/195795.
Step 23:
Insert two pins into bottom front of Milsbo. These pins will be where the front doors will swivel on to open and close. Part 151059 (2).
Step 24:
Place 2 front glass door panels onto the two bottom pins from step 23.
Use two people to hold doors up until step 25.
Step 25:
Insert two pins into top door holes on metal frame. These pins will act as the hinges, for the door to open and close on. Part 195362/195363.
Step 26:
Insert a door handle on each door using handle part 10002580/10002566 with 2 screws part 100404/105057 and tighten with philips screwdriver.
Step 27:
Silver key is now ready to lock front glass door! Key is part number 10002394, and two of these keys are included.
Step 28:
Use a level tool to make sure the Milsbo is standing… level! If any of the sides need to be lower or higher, slowly tighten the screw at the bottom of that leg (refer to step 1’s leveler-screws). Use two people, one to adjust the Milsbo, and one to slowly turn the leveler-screw to raise or lower. Adjust all 4 corners as needed.
Step 29:
The Milsbo is tall!
It should be secured to a wall with the provided 90 degree metal brackets, part 106989 (2).
Attach short side to wall, long side to Milsbo using screws, part 100404/105057.
Step 30:
Add 3 glass shelves and lock front door with silver key! Key is part number 10002394, and two of these keys are included.
IF YOU ARE CREATING AN IKEA MILSBO GREENHOUSE HACK OR IKEA MILSBO HERMIT CRAB HABITAT HACK… you won’t be using the 3 glass shelves like the above photo shows. Now see STEP 2 (below)!
We are currently in the process of finishing up this project, and putting together photos, details, tips and ideas. Each of these buttons will be a new page. Each button below will become clickable as we add each of these pages… end of May and into June, 2022. Check back soon!
