Getting a Karlstad home from Ikea?
June 11, 2011 6:20 PM Subscribe
Will an IKEA Karlstad sofa fit into the back of a Prius?
I'm looking to purchase a Karlstad. From what I can tell, it comes flat-packed.
If you've bought this sofa (or a similar one) before, were you able to get it in your car? Did you have to drive a truck or SUV, maybe get it delivered?
My car is pretty spacious with the seats folded down, but it'd be a drag to drive a couple hours to the nearest IKEA only to find I couldn't get the sofa home.
Thank you!
I'm looking to purchase a Karlstad. From what I can tell, it comes flat-packed.
If you've bought this sofa (or a similar one) before, were you able to get it in your car? Did you have to drive a truck or SUV, maybe get it delivered?
My car is pretty spacious with the seats folded down, but it'd be a drag to drive a couple hours to the nearest IKEA only to find I couldn't get the sofa home.
Thank you!
Best answer: If it's flat packed and if it doesn't fit, you should be able to get it on the roof. My IKEA has temporary cardboard roof racks for free for people without roof racks (I think twine is free, too) and tarps for sale if it's raining. They also usually have someone there to help you secure it if you're not confident in your own roof-securing abilities.
posted by BlooPen at 6:56 PM on June 11, 2011
posted by BlooPen at 6:56 PM on June 11, 2011
Best answer: First, I complement you on not becoming one of those I enjoy watching on a slow afternoon. The IKEA Tetris puzzle dance is a great source of entertainment. They should put a viewing area in.
Longest piece - 6.8'
(http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/S09840535#) pkg. information
Interior space..
These are rough measurements. Hope they help. Keep in mind that the car isn't square.
Height 26.5" measured from the deck to the center roof line
Width across the rear deck 40" (not counting the side pockets)
Length measured from end of deck mat to the top of the right rear seat folded down 60"
Length measured from top of right rear seat forward toward windshield 40"--48" max.
Please ensure that anything sliding inside the car is wrapped in padding. The plastic scratches easily. I would also have old blankets covering everything.
So depending on how wide it is you may be able to get something 9 feet long inside the car and close the hatch.
(source: priuschat.com)
You may be able to get the long piece in on it's end, but that's after a quick read. Probably with folding the passenger seat down, and just you in the car, or passenger sitting behind if you have split seats..?
posted by defcom1 at 7:17 PM on June 11, 2011
Longest piece - 6.8'
(http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/S09840535#) pkg. information
Interior space..
These are rough measurements. Hope they help. Keep in mind that the car isn't square.
Height 26.5" measured from the deck to the center roof line
Width across the rear deck 40" (not counting the side pockets)
Length measured from end of deck mat to the top of the right rear seat folded down 60"
Length measured from top of right rear seat forward toward windshield 40"--48" max.
Please ensure that anything sliding inside the car is wrapped in padding. The plastic scratches easily. I would also have old blankets covering everything.
So depending on how wide it is you may be able to get something 9 feet long inside the car and close the hatch.
(source: priuschat.com)
You may be able to get the long piece in on it's end, but that's after a quick read. Probably with folding the passenger seat down, and just you in the car, or passenger sitting behind if you have split seats..?
posted by defcom1 at 7:17 PM on June 11, 2011
Best answer: It will fit if you take it out of the box first, and kajigger all the parts separately.
posted by Sys Rq at 7:40 PM on June 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Sys Rq at 7:40 PM on June 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Seconding a roof rack. I once moved the entire contents of my two bedroom house on the roof of my 1974 VW Beetle. The most difficult thing to move was my cat, who escaped his carrier and then dashed out of the car through the hole in the rusted floorboard (that the old Beetles were notorious for.) Fortunately, I was still in the driveway at that point.
posted by MexicanYenta at 7:52 PM on June 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by MexicanYenta at 7:52 PM on June 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Hmmmm...I'm not sure if I have the exact same sofa as you're planning on --- I've got the brown leather version, although it looks the same style wise --- but just as a data point, mine didn't quite come flat-packed. The arm, bottom, and back were all of a piece, with the cushions loose; the only assembly required was screwing on the legs. So in addition to length you need to account for about 2 feet of height as well. If the Prius is a hatchback (?) and the seat folds down, it still might be done, otherwise I think it's a matter of strapping it to the roof. You definitely wouldn't be able to wrestle the box mine came in through the door in a two-door car.
posted by Diablevert at 7:59 PM on June 11, 2011
posted by Diablevert at 7:59 PM on June 11, 2011
Best answer: Ah, I stand corrected. the Ikea page has downloadable instructions, and while it seems the leather versions are one big piece with the cloth ones you've got to do a bit of DIY upholstering and attach the arms yourself. In which case it will be flatpacked and a lot easier to wrestle into the car.
posted by Diablevert at 8:05 PM on June 11, 2011
posted by Diablevert at 8:05 PM on June 11, 2011
Best answer: defcom1 - I thought I was the only person who went to the Ikea loading area on the weekend to watch if I am a bit bored (I live 5 mins walk away). A $1 hotdog and then endless entertainment as people attempt to squeeze both their purchases and themselves into the car. I think it should be a reality tv show.
My guess based on a lot of observation time at Ikea (and having a Toyota Corolla liftback which I have used to buy Ikea stuff) is that you will struggle and likely fail to get the larger package to fit into the car properly. I see a lot of issues with the larger bookcases which have long boxes of over 2m (and which are not as wide and high as the Karlstad package).
Given that you live hours away, I wouldn't chance it and I would make alternative transport plans for your Karlstad - whether that is bringing stuff to strap it to the roof (I have seen a queen size mattress depart on the roof of a Mini - they were well prepared), delivery, or borrowing a better-sized vehicle.
posted by AnnaRat at 8:13 PM on June 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
My guess based on a lot of observation time at Ikea (and having a Toyota Corolla liftback which I have used to buy Ikea stuff) is that you will struggle and likely fail to get the larger package to fit into the car properly. I see a lot of issues with the larger bookcases which have long boxes of over 2m (and which are not as wide and high as the Karlstad package).
Given that you live hours away, I wouldn't chance it and I would make alternative transport plans for your Karlstad - whether that is bringing stuff to strap it to the roof (I have seen a queen size mattress depart on the roof of a Mini - they were well prepared), delivery, or borrowing a better-sized vehicle.
posted by AnnaRat at 8:13 PM on June 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I am answering from within my prius, whose back seats are folded down, and the front one scooted forward and leaned all the way back, maximizing cargo capacity.
(No, I didn't do this for you, it's rainy and I forgot a tent, so I'm sleeping in my car tonight. )
That big package won't fit - lengthwise, you're fine, but at 36x20, the 36" won't fit between driver seat and passenger door. Turned on its other side, the back hatch won't close. I don't know the sizes of pieces inside that package, so it *might* work if you take them out and lay the long wide one at an angle. .
If you have a roof rack, that's definitely the way to go. Otherwise, beware of tying it directly to the roof - 120 lbs may be bit much for the sheet metal.
posted by Metasyntactic at 10:39 PM on June 11, 2011
(No, I didn't do this for you, it's rainy and I forgot a tent, so I'm sleeping in my car tonight. )
That big package won't fit - lengthwise, you're fine, but at 36x20, the 36" won't fit between driver seat and passenger door. Turned on its other side, the back hatch won't close. I don't know the sizes of pieces inside that package, so it *might* work if you take them out and lay the long wide one at an angle. .
If you have a roof rack, that's definitely the way to go. Otherwise, beware of tying it directly to the roof - 120 lbs may be bit much for the sheet metal.
posted by Metasyntactic at 10:39 PM on June 11, 2011
Best answer: Looking at my neighbor's Prius, and having cuddled a Billy bookcase in an Aztek for two hours yesterday afternoon, I have to concur that the bigger one won't fit inside, but it's worth looking at the dimensions of the individual pieces. Eyeballing the instruction diagrams makes me think it won't work.
But, we've brought back beds and other similarly heavy stuff on roofs of Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler sedans using Ikea's twine and cords I've brought back later.
Just watch out for rain, because the "get it all inside the car, oh wait we can't" dance has absolutely nothing on the "oh, no, we have to run everything into the house RIGHT NOW and we're all way too short to pull this off the roof without incurring serious bodily injury" dance.
posted by SMPA at 10:46 AM on June 12, 2011
But, we've brought back beds and other similarly heavy stuff on roofs of Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler sedans using Ikea's twine and cords I've brought back later.
Just watch out for rain, because the "get it all inside the car, oh wait we can't" dance has absolutely nothing on the "oh, no, we have to run everything into the house RIGHT NOW and we're all way too short to pull this off the roof without incurring serious bodily injury" dance.
posted by SMPA at 10:46 AM on June 12, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks, everyone.
It doesn't seem wise to attempt this without a roof rack. Delivery is just about the price of the sofa, anyway.
I'll call up the IKEA in Pittsburgh and ask if they have temp roof racks that BlooPen is talking about. Bloo, do you have any more info about them?
posted by AAAAAThatsFiveAs at 7:27 PM on June 12, 2011
It doesn't seem wise to attempt this without a roof rack. Delivery is just about the price of the sofa, anyway.
I'll call up the IKEA in Pittsburgh and ask if they have temp roof racks that BlooPen is talking about. Bloo, do you have any more info about them?
posted by AAAAAThatsFiveAs at 7:27 PM on June 12, 2011
Best answer: At my IKEA, they're in a bin outside by the loading area. To make the rack, you basically fold these pieces of cardboard into a stiff triangle and use those for your rack by tying them to your car. Here is someone's flickr photo of a bin and instructions. They seem to work well, though I'd probably recommend getting as many of the pieces into the car (even if you have to unpack them from their original boxes) and putting only the biggest piece up there.
They will lose a LOT of strength if they get wet, though, so go on a day without rain and/or take a big tarp.
posted by BlooPen at 6:42 AM on June 13, 2011
They will lose a LOT of strength if they get wet, though, so go on a day without rain and/or take a big tarp.
posted by BlooPen at 6:42 AM on June 13, 2011
Response by poster: UPDATE:
The couch boxes fit perfectly in my car with the back seats down and the passenger seat pulled all the way up with the back reclined. In fact, there was plenty of space for a few other things on the side.
Prius owners, buy your KARLSTAD fearlessly!
posted by AAAAAThatsFiveAs at 12:25 PM on July 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
The couch boxes fit perfectly in my car with the back seats down and the passenger seat pulled all the way up with the back reclined. In fact, there was plenty of space for a few other things on the side.
Prius owners, buy your KARLSTAD fearlessly!
posted by AAAAAThatsFiveAs at 12:25 PM on July 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sudama at 6:27 PM on June 11, 2011