Renovation 4th Edition
Page 86
materials to help customers assemble and install
cabinets, including videos, step-by-step photo
As the front baskets of these Hafele® units
pull out and swivel 90°, the back baskets
broadsheets, online help, phone support, and the
move into the cabinet opening so they can
infamously minimal pictographs shipped with
be accessed.
every IKEA order.
Because IKEA has such thorough installation
instructions, it makes little sense to duplicate
them here. So the comments and the photos
below are one person’s experience with the IKEA
process—or, rather, four people’s experiences
because My Beloved and I corralled a pair of
friends to help us assemble the cabinets one
weekend. So here are 12 things four people
learned that I hope will be useful if you are think-
ing of doing likewise.
Pots, pans, and lids jumbled in pull-out drawers
invariably get mixed up. This two-tiered
cookware organizer by rev-a-Shelf® holds up
preliMs
to seven lids and is sturdy enough for cast-iron
cookware.
1. IKEA’s kitchen design service is a great deal.
For roughly $150, a representative will come to
your house, measure the kitchen, recommend
different cabinet configurations, and work up a
materials list and estimate. Some of that $150 fee
will be applied toward the purchase, if you decide
to buy. The service also generates a set of detailed
368 chapter 13
INSTALLINg IKEA cABINETS
1. Before installing cabinets, survey walls and floors.
2. IKEA wal cabinets hang from a leveled metal suspension
Note out-of-level floor sections, out-of-plumb wall
rail. cut it to length and screw it to every stud it crosses.
areas, and low spots that may need to be shimmed. Mark
Where the rail crosses low spots of more than 1⁄4 in., insert
stud locations. Working from your kitchen layout, mark a shims between the wal and the rail so the rail stays straight.
level line indicating the top of wall cabinets and then a
When the rail is secure, slide mounting-bolt heads into the
lower line indicating the height of the suspension rail.
suspension rail. The bolts slide freely so you can align them
to predrilled holes in the backs of the wall cabinets.
3. The job will go more smoothly if you get help hanging 4. Once cabinet faces are aligned, use quick-release
5. The insides of IKEA cabinets have
wall cabinets. If you have a corner cabinet, hang that one
clamps to draw adjacent cabinets together. clamp jaws
predrilled holes. Depending upon the
first. As one person supports each cabinet, the other
should be cushioned or shimmed to avoid marring the
cabinet door you buy, drill through
person slides the mounting bolts until they stick through
cabinets. (Note the mounting hardware to the right of
the second or fourth holes from the
holes in the cabinet back. Inside the cabinet, fit a small
the clamp.)
top and bottom, using a 3⁄16-in. bit.
metal plate and nut over each bolt. Tighten nuts loosely so
Drill through adjacent cabinet sides
you can level and adjust each cabinet. Shim cabinet
as shown, insert the connection
bottoms so they line up to adjacent cabinets.
screws into the holes, tighten them to
join the cabinets, and remove the
clamps. When you’ve joined all the
cabinets, tighten all the mounting
nuts that secure cabinets to the
suspension rail.
6. To attach doors, insert cup hinges (aka European
. . . receiving hinge parts screwed into predrilled holes
hinges or german hinges) into the predrilled holes in the
along the insides of the cabinets. Hinges can be adjusted
door frames. These hinges attach to . . .
in three directions so that doors sit flat to cabinets and
align to adjacent doors.
kitchens and baths
369
floor plans and elevations of the kitchen, which
nets take up a lot of room. Thoroughly vacuum
are invaluable if, say, you buy the countertop sep-
the site before the shipment arrives, especially if
arately or hire a contractor to install the cabinets. you’ve been renovating. IKEA cabinets’ melamine
surface can be scratched or chipped by grit, stray
2. Speaking of which, IKEA will, for a fee,
nails, and the like.
install the cabinets—but only if IKEA assembles
them, too. In other words, you can’t save money
at hoMe With ikea
by building the cabinets and having IKEA
install them.
5. Once the IKEA shipment arrives, scrutinize
3. If there is an IKEA outlet reasonably close,
the master shipping list to be sure everything’s
pick up the cabinets yourself. Shipping is expen-
there. Because boxes are large and heavy, this is
sive: A friend in Maine paid $127 for an Akurum
another two-person job. Contact IKEA immedi-
cabinet . . . and an additional $124 to have it
ately if anything’s missing.
shipped. If you do pick up the cabinets, get a
6. Open each box and check its contents
friend or two to help: Unassembled cabinets are
against the parts list enclosed—usually part of an
heavy and their boxes are unwieldy.
unstapled set of instruction sheets with picto-
4. Don’t order cabinets until you’re almost
graphs. For us, everything was there. By the way,
ready to install them. Even unassembled, cabi-
the customer service areas of IKEA stores typi-
cally have bins of miscellaneous assembly hard-
ware, free for the taking, if you’re short a part.
7. Keeping track of a kitchen’s worth of parts
takes meticulous organization. Because IKEA
assembly hardware is uniform, we assembled all
like parts in plastic zip-top freezer bags, labeled
them, and put them someplace safe. The large
hardware elements, such as drawer slides, we
grouped in smaller cardboard boxes. Leave the
melamine panels for each cabinet in its shipping
box until you’re ready to assemble the cabinet.
Tempting though it may be, do not throw out the
large boxes.
Dividing the chores is the best way to Installing base cabinets starts with a review of wall and
install cabinets in a cost-effective
floor conditions—including the high point of the floor.
and timely manner. Most of us are
Measure up 45⁄16 in. from that high point, and run a level
capable of assembling cabinets and
line around the room. This line represents the top edge of
installing interior hardware such as
a wall strip screwed to each stud it crosses; the wall strip
drawer glides. Installing cabinets is a
supports the backs of base cabinets.
somewhat more difficult task,
depending upon how irregular walls
and floors are.
Lining up and levelin
g base cabinets
is easier than hanging wall cabinets:
The wall strips already align cabinet
backs, adjustable plastic feet can
Here, the carpenter notes the location of stub-outs for the
be screwed up or down to adjust
kitchen sink drain and supply pipes. He will transfer those
cabinet fronts, and you’re not
locations to the back of the sink cabinet and cut holes
fighting gravity.
before installing the sink cabinet.
370 chapter 13
d-day
12. Hiring pros to install the cabinets is not a
bad idea if you’re pressed for time or not all that
8. Invite friends and make a weekend of
comfortable doing it. Aligning cabinets takes skill
assembling the cabinets. It’s possible for a handy
and patience. You can also leave some of the
couple to assemble a kitchen’s worth of cabinets
more complicated IKEA hardware for them to
in two days, but it’s easier to maintain momen-
assemble, such as the sliding shelf mechanism
tum with more bodies. If one member of the
that pulls out of a corner cabinet.
party has a good collection of tools or has assem-
PS: A year later the cabinets are operating
bled IKEA cabinets before, all the better.
smoothly and look new. IKEA cabinet hardware
has some great options, including drawer divid-
9. Allow plenty of room for assembly and stor- ers that keep even wide drawers well organized
age once each cabinet is completed. Flattened
and bumpers that prevent drawers and doors
shipping boxes make an excellent assembly
from ever slamming shut.
area, protecting both your floors and the
melamine surfaces.
10. Keep cool. The pictographs showing
Countertops for
installation are minimal, but if you study them
Kitchens and Baths
carefully you’ll find the details are there. More
Most materials in this section require special
than once I was sure IKEA had screwed up when training and equipment for installation. In fact,
panel holes didn’t line up. But after revisiting the
solid-surface and stone-polymer countertop mak-
instructions and conferring with my friends—
ers will sell counter stock only to certified fabri-
until one of us had an aha moment—the assem-
cators. Some materials, such as plastic laminates,
bly was always correctly machined. Typically, a
can be successfully installed if you’re handy. But,
panel had to be flipped 180°.
as you’ll see, desirable details, such as wrapped
11. Never force things. Every bolt or screw
front edges and integral backsplashes (no seams
has its place, so if it isn’t fitting, revisit the
to leak!), are best fabricated in a pro shop. All in
instructions. Likewise, resist the temptation to
all, it’s smarter to choose a reputable installer
redrill a hole that displeases you. And when tight- than to try installing a countertop yourself. Tile
ening screws, don’t overdo it: Panel cores are par-
countertops are discussed in chapter 16.
ticleboard, which can strip if you apply too much
muscle to a screw. If you use a screw gun, make
choosing countertops Wisely
sure it’s a variable-speed model, and take it slow.
The wide array of countertop colors, materials,
and details (such as edges and backsplashes),
give you tens of thousands of combinations to
choose from. Here’s help narrowing your choices.
Plastic laminate, a tried-and-true surface (often
called Formica® after a popular brand), accounts
for more than two-thirds of all countertop instal-
lations. Standard laminate is only 1⁄16 in. thick, so
it is typically glued to a 3⁄4-in. particleboard sub-
strate to lend rigidity and ensure adequate sup-
port. Plastic laminate remains so popular
because it’s tough, stain-resistant, quite economi-
cal, and available in a great range of colors and
patterns. There are also extra thick and fire-
resistant laminates. One disadvantage is that the
seams can degrade and admit water. And once
the substrate is water damaged and the laminate
is lifting, the countertop is beyond repair.
Postformed plastic laminate tops. Roughly
half of residential laminate countertops are post-
formed—in which a shop or factory adheres and
wraps a single, continuous sheet of laminate to
a particleboard substrate, creating a seamless
joint between the counter and backsplash. This
leak-free joint is the principal reason why most
kitchens and baths
371
countertop choices
plasTic
solid
quarTz
ceramic
characTerisTic
laminaTe
surface
composiTe
Tile
sTone
concreTe
Wood
durability, scratch resistance Fair
excellent*
excellent
good
good†
good
Fair‡
ease of cleaning
excellent
excellent
excellent
Fair§
excellent
good
Fair
stain resistance
good
good
excellent
Fair
Fair
poor
poor
Water resistance
good
excellent
excellent
Fair
good
good
poor
heat resistance
poor
Fair
good
excellent
excellent
excellent
poor
expense
$
$$$
$$ to $$$
$$
$$$
$ to $$
$$
* Material scratches, but scratches are easily sanded out.
† Harder stones (granite) wear well; softer stones (soapstone) scratch and stain easily.
‡ Durability depends on type of wood and finish; wood is generally a bad choice near sinks and water.
§ Glazed tiles resist stains, water, and heat, but grout joints deteriorate if not sealed and maintained.
the BeAUty of templates
Templates are useful for transferring accurate measure-
ments to any sheet material or flat surface, whether it’s
a piece of drywall that needs to be notched beneath an
exposed stair or a new door that must be fit to an old,
Templates are most often made by
out-of-square door frame. When the going gets rough,
hot-gluing strips of 1⁄8-in.-thick
the pros make templates. nowhere is this truer than
plywood (also called doorskin),
which is rigid enough to keep its
with granite slabs. often, countertop suppliers creat
e
shape yet light enough to transport
templates during the “measure date” described in
and position on counter stock.
“ordering countertops” on p. 374.
The more complex the site conditions or
cutouts, the more information the template
contains. This small section notes the type of
granite, edge bevels, thickness, and location of
the sink cutout. The template’s back edge
registers to the window width.
372 chapter 13
contractors order postformed laminate tops rath-
and maintained, and tend to collect crud. Also,
er than adhering the laminate to the substrate
irregular tile surfaces can be tricky to seal around
themselves.
sinks and splashbacks, so water can seep in and
If you opt for a postformed top, the installa-
damage wood substrates.
tion becomes a good deal simpler. The counter
natural stone slabs include granite, marble,
installer’s principal tasks will then be scribing the soapstone, limestone, and slate. Stone is natural-
top of the backsplash so it fits flush to the wall,
ly beautiful, but it’s also heavy, hard to work,
drawing mitered sections together with draw-
and very expensive. Yet for all its heft, stone is
bolts, and securing the counter substrate to the
relatively fragile and must be supported by a
top of the base cabinet. However, as discussed in
substrate—usually 3⁄4-in. plywood. Granite, the
the next section, the first step in fitting counter-
most popular stone, is available in slabs 3⁄4 in.
tops is taking careful measurements.
and 11⁄4 in. thick, up to 5 ft. wide and 10 ft. long.
Solid-surface countertops began with DuPont’s But because of its great weight, granite is usually
Corian®, which is still the best-seller in this cate-
installed in several sections 6 ft. long or less.
gory. Most brands are polyester or acrylic resins
Section seams are filled with a caulk that’s color-
with a mineral filler. Solid-surface countertops
matched to the granite, so seams are virtually
have a lot going for them: They’re water- and
invisible. To create a thicker edge, fabricators
stain-resistant; nonporous and easy to clean and
epoxy two layers of stone. When pattern-matched
thus great for food prep; and leakproof because
and polished correctly, the seams are almost
they have seamless, chemically bonded backs-
invisible.
P R O T I P
plashes and integral sinks. Unlike laminates, solid-