Fess Up!! Lessons Learned During Installation

mishmish · Jun 5th, 07, 8:26 pm

greenie,
Well, there's the divider thing that you install to give the upper drawers something to screw into, but we didn't know about that one until after we had installed the base cabs (and you need to hammer it in from the back). We ended up just gluing around the back and hoping the inside screws are enough to hold it up.
Then there's the metal support bar that goes underneath the upper drawers. We also didn't know about that until after we had all the drawers in...not such a big deal to pull them out, but just another example of how I wish we had gathered all the parts and read through all the directions first, rather than going piece by piece.

greenmush · Jun 6th, 07, 10:41 am

When you place your cabinet order, the Ikean usually prints out a list of all the parts that go together with each cabinet....be sure to have that handy, and if you have the room, the time, and the OCD nature like myself, you can stack together all the pieces for each cabinet (or at least the major pieces...not necessarily hinges and hardware). Or go crazy with a Sharpie and write on the box or the plastic wrapping which pieces belong to which cabinet so that you don't forget.

greenie227 · Jun 6th, 07, 10:48 am

thanks, mishmash. i caught that just in time, thanks to you!

lesson learned: when doing the order at Ikea, make sure you ASK the Ikean to organize the draft order by cabinet, with a row showing which cabinet it is. i thought i had asked when we started my order, but when i got the draft order, it wasn't apparent what went with what cabinet. my Ikean was a dream and re-input the info for me, adding cabinet names. makes life much, much easier.

websmurf · Jun 11th, 07, 8:44 pm

# 45698376
Leave a little space to the side of you cabinets where they meet the wall. Otherwise your drawer / door may or may not open.

# 45698377
Buy a nice sharp blade for your miter/table saw if you're making major cuts, oh what the heck, get a nice balde anyway... it makes it look like you know what you're doing even if you don't.

# 45698378
Run a bead of clear silicone along the inside bottom of the sink cabinet. If you have a leak, it'll keep it from getting into the joints and melting your cabinet for about 2 minutes longer than if you didn't have it.

I already forgot lesson 1 - 45698375

Mindsprinter · Jun 14th, 07, 10:34 pm

Quote:

3) The leg plates...don't forget about them!!

Ack! What are leg plates?? Is this an Ikea item or after market part? I am having ceasarstone countertops put in...which I'm sure will weigh a small ton.

Also, do you have to order the clips separate from the legs and toekicks or are they included in the purchase?

kisaacs · Jun 15th, 07, 8:34 am

The leg plates are a little flat plate that sits in the leg and extends to the side of the cabinet to take the weight that the side bears and transfer it to the leg. They come with the legs.

The clips also come with the Numerar legs, so you should be all set there.

Kristen

Toxigal · Jun 15th, 07, 10:09 am

here's one..

i just installed a few base cabinets (shallow depth) last night and after i get them all hung on the rail, leveled, clamped and am about to gang them together, i realize i only nailed the back of the one cabinet along the top edge. why? who knows.

so, tonight i have to take it down, finish nailing on the back, and start over!

greenmush · Jun 18th, 07, 7:13 am

oh yes....we did that on one cabinet as well.....though all of them were nailed, and we put up the largest wall cabinet (36" wide x 39" tall) and after it was secured i put my hand in it and i was pushing the back out on the bottom....we had nailed all sides but the bottom....oops. Took it down, finished nailing, then got it back up.

scrappy25 · Jun 18th, 07, 5:55 pm

One tip that has been helpful-separate the types of hardware for each cabinet into an ice cube tray- count out each type, and make sure that you have the right number. If you finish and you have leftovers, you know that you missed something.

Another- you can get a 6 pack of rubber interlocking mats (2x2 feet each) at Sam's club for about $20. It makes a wonderful base for cabinet assembly, and will save your knees.

bogiesan · Jun 23rd, 07, 10:04 am

When confronted with any structural or mechanical system that didn't go together as expected, I set it aside and came back in a day or more only to find that it went together instantly.

Do not force any Ikea product's assembly. If it doesn't instantly snap into place, stop immediately: USER ERROR. You're doing something wrong.

david boise ID