[scrappy25]

My Ikea had the 18 inch wide, deep (5.25 height) Rationell base drawers clearanced (000.347.26)- $5 , reg $26. Since I have been thinking a lot about an Ikea kitchen, I bought one just to see how it went together. I didn't realize that it needed a drawer front to work until I got it partially together. I thought about buying several with drawer fronts to make a high pantry, but then realized that Ikea does not make a high pantry in the 18 inch width! Any suggestions on how to use these drawers to make a pantry? If not, i was thinking of buying a base 18in cabinet just to try them out. What size drawer fronts should I buy, and how many can I fit into a base cabinet- suggested configurations? I figure that when I finally do get around to the kitchen, i can reuse the cabinet and drawers at that time.



Thanks so much,

Nancy

[kmcg]

If you want to leave your options open for later choosing a door style, you could buy the rationell drawer fronts http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/store...umber=90054423

These are needed tomake the internal drawers that you hide behind a regular door. Or you can make a pullout (with deep bottom drawer attached to the door) and put in as many of the pullout drawers as you can fit. I think each drawer needs about 5-6" if they're all the regular (not deep) ones.

To make a pantry, you might be able to stack a couple base cabinets.

Kathy

[torrus]

You could purchase a 24" wide pantry and cut it down to 18" and then use the standard 18" drawer fronts and doors.

[scrappy25]

Garden of Darwin-

thanks for your suggestion about the drawer fronts. Does this drawer front support the side bars/dowels that make the side height of the drawer higher (and also supports some of the other Rationell components).

Also, can you stack base cabinets on top of each other without a contertop, or is a coutnertop needed?



torrus- have you cut down a cabinet before? How easy ot hard is that?

Thanks!

Nancy

[torrus]

Yes, you can stack base cabinets without a countertop.

Changing the width or depth of a cabinet is no big deal - you will need a table saw with a good fence. Some of the hardware won't fit after the cutting but you can screw the pieces together.

[scrappy25]

OK, so I went back to to Ikea and snagged an 11 inch (vertical) drawer front and two 6 inch ones for 50 cents each (Adel brown). I installed the 11 inch one on the $5 18 inch wide drawer, and realized that it extends 1.5 inches below the bottom edge of the metal drawer. is this the clearance that it needs for the slides? (I don't have a cabinet to install this in yet). Is this the largest drawer front available?

What do people store in these drawers? The vertical clearance from the drawer base to the top of the wood front is only 9 inches, so tall bottles won't fit, and it seems too tall to use for cans.I'm having a hard time thinking of using these for a pantry, unless I use the rationell drawer fronts suggested by kmcg and buy a door.

One last question- when I consult the door front list,

http://ikeafans.com/doorpricelist.htm

it looks like the cheaper arlig and applad styles do not have 15 inch and 18 inch door fronts available? How do people make kitchens in this style if there are no door fronts?

Thanks in advance for any answers. I feel like such a novice at this.
Nancy

Thanks
Nancy