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Anyone every built their own kitchen (from that flat box) store

70herald

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Well pricing out kitchen and seriously considering installing a kitchen from that big Swedish furniture store. Obviously much cheaper than custom built (just over 1/2 the price I was quoted..), and they seem to be reasonable quality. It looks like the biggest difference is that you have to play around with spacers to make everything fit properly instead of cabinets to exact sizes, fewer door styles, and of course the quality (and work) of the install will be up to me...
Oh I will need to modify one cabinet to make it a bit skinnier (fortunately I can cut the door in a direction that it will be very difficult to see the cut edge) and a few cabinets under the peninsula which need to be reduced in depth. I have the equipment, probably the skills, hopefully the patience, and enough vacation time.

I will have about 25 cabinets to build it total,

So has anyone done their own and what where their experiences.....
 

bobhustead

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I bought base and wall cabinets from Home Depot for a large kitchen redo in '86. These were assembled units when I got them. Was reasonably priced and worked out fine.
Bob
 

NutmegCT

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Around here, Ikea is often interpreted to mean "college dorm things for short term use".

A websearch using "Ikea" and "quality" often brings lots of negative comments. Ikea items are affordable and "with it", but often don't stand up to even casual use.

Tom M.
 

JPSmit

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Funny you should mention this - Even as we speak we have 3/4 of an Ikea Kitchen in the basement awaiting assembly and installation. We had a contractor come and give an estimate - we made a couple of changes and the revised bill came back 1/3 higher - so, no to that.

Our current kitchen is Ikea and thermafoil (like Melamine) and is peeling (after probably close to 15 years) other than that it has held up pretty well.

We are going for it in part because we are moving in 3 years or so so we don't need a 20 year solution to a 5 year problem.

I am quite impressed with the quality though - and here in Canada at least if you buy a semi custom kitchen the boxes are all made by just one or two suppliers.

Here though is what we do know.

1. The online planning software is appalling.

2. You can pay them $39 (here) and they give you 2 hours with a planner and they produce a list - best $39 we have spent so far.

However,

3. Expect supply chain issues - ours is Navy Blue lowers with white uppers. Three weeks ago we went in and were told that it could take up to a year to get the navy blue. (so we decided on all white) Last week when we went in the Navy was coming in so we went for it.

4. At the end of our 2 hours (On Monday) we ended up with 4 lists

a) The main list of stuff that arrived on Wednesday
b) The two reservation lists of pieces we are waiting for (not sure why there is 2 but the guy was clear that you don't want everything on the list (like the lighting) because they won't ship till it is all there (as I type this I think one list is the caracasses and the other is doors)
c) The list of stuff that they had in stock (that for some reason wasn't included in list a) above) - which we had to take ourselves that day.
d) The shopping list - things like the lights which they won't reserve you just have to wait till it is in stock.

5. Our planning guy while really pleasant wasn't the sharpest pencil in the box. So, on the reservation list there is a sink - which is discontinued. We did get delivered a tap which we didn't order, a microwave surround which we also didn't order but had to stay on the aforementioned online planning software and made it to the final order. And we have a couple of doors alreay that have to change

6. According to the interweb if you read about Ikea kitchens they say it is best if you install them yourself - apparantly contractors think they know what they are doing and don't follow the instructions - you must follow the instructions.

So in conclusion, we will keep you posted, we will be taking a week next month to go at it - We think it is worth it (will likely end up being about 1/2 of the cost) and that will include quartz counters and blingy taps and handles.
 

JPSmit

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Oh and the front hall smelled of Ikea for a week - turns out Ikea smells of carboard packaging. :rolleyes2:
 

NutmegCT

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Thanks JP. What kind of wood are the cabinets made of? I've read that much of Ikea items are "pasteboard", particle board, or pressed wood chips. Definitely not durable like hardwood.
Tom M.
 

DNK

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Well pricing out kitchen and seriously considering installing a kitchen from that big Swedish furniture store. Obviously much cheaper than custom built (just over 1/2 the price I was quoted..), and they seem to be reasonable quality. It looks like the biggest difference is that you have to play around with spacers to make everything fit properly instead of cabinets to exact sizes, fewer door styles, and of course the quality (and work) of the install will be up to me...
Oh I will need to modify one cabinet to make it a bit skinnier (fortunately I can cut the door in a direction that it will be very difficult to see the cut edge) and a few cabinets under the peninsula which need to be reduced in depth. I have the equipment, probably the skills, hopefully the patience, and enough vacation time.

I will have about 25 cabinets to build it total,

So has anyone done their own and what where their experiences.....
My brother is rebuilding their kitchen in their Tuscon home and they bought all the cabinet bases and frames from Ikea (except the kitchen sink base as Ikea doesn't have one to fit the sink they are using) and then are having custom fronts to to finish them
 

JPSmit

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Thanks JP. What kind of wood are the cabinets made of? I've read that much of Ikea items are "pasteboard", particle board, or pressed wood chips. Definitely not durable like hardwood.
Tom M.

Tom, the entire planet is made out of MDF these days. (Medium density fibreboard) Even the original designer was using MDF. More acurately, if you are going for a painted finish in this price range they will steer you to MDF as it is cheaper but it is also more dimensionally stable. However, for the upper cabinets with glass doors - which ours will have, they use real wood as the rails and stiles require it.
 

DrEntropy

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JP said:
However, for the upper cabinets with glass doors - which ours will have, they use real wood as the rails and stiles require it.

Weight of the doors. For anyone contemplating making your own, do NOT use HD's "Euro-style" hidden hinges. They've failed over time and caused no end of misery here. Doors sagging, misalignment and chipped laminate as a result. I'll have to remake most of the cabinet doors to use more "commercial grade" hinges now. Disheartening, to say the least. And counter tops... DuPont will not sell Corian to just anyone, you have to be a "Certified Installer". I got the Chinese knockoff "Korlan" instead. Works the same, cost is about half. No complaints, didn't fancy trying to work with quartz!
 
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70herald

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Weight of the doors. For anyone contemplating making your own, do NOT use HD's "Euro-style" hidden hinges. They've failed over time and caused no end of misery here. Doors sagging, misalignment and chipped laminate as a result. I'll have to remake most of the cabinet doors to use more "commercial grade" hinges now. Disheartening, to say the least. And counter tops... DuPont will not sell Corian to just anyone, you have to be a "Certified Installer". I got the Chinese knockoff "Korlan" instead. Works the same, cost is about half. No complaints, didn't fancy trying to work with quartz!

That is interesting about the HD doors, The Ikea hinges are (for the kitchens at least euro kitchens) are made by Blum which is good stuff. Not sure if they are identical other than the name on them, but certainly different than the hinges I have seen on other Ikea stuff.
 

Popeye

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I have designed and installed two Ikea kitchens, plus two installations of cabinetry at my wife's business (one just a cabinet, the other included a sink).

I like Ikea kitchens. Other Ikea products vary from crap to good - e.g. I love my Poang chair.

The downsides to an Ikea kitchen are lack of customization.

The quality, I found, was no different to other "reasonable" cabinets. ("Reasonable" meaning, custom-built cabinetry by a dedicated carpenter will be better. And in PA it was possible to get an Amish crew to custom-build everything for you for an Ikea price - but you had to bring them to your house to measure and later to install... difficult to do for a working father with a small car.) MDF is a better material for cabinets that get wet. Unless you use marine plywood (see "reasonable") the glue of normal plywood is water soluble and the wood may delaminate.

Also, down the road you can easily find replacement bits for Ikea cabinets. Important for our family with active kids :smile:.

Installation is not too straightforward - but not too bad. First, you need to hang the main rail straight. Perfectly horizontal and also shimmed from the wall to compensate for waviness of the wall (takes futzing and four hands). And build the cabinets square (measure both diagonals - pretty simple). A straight rail and square cabinets make installing the cabinets easy-peasy. Second, as the instructions are images and the same hardware is used in multiple configurations, you really need to pay attention. My dear wife, whom I love very much, built a handful of drawers that I had to rebuild - bottom drawers are assembled different to middles, etc. I bought an expensive 4' digital level - worth every penny.

This is my opinion, it's not the only one, and I won't be offended if you disagree :smile:
 

equiprx

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Years ago, we decided to do a complete kitchen remodel.
My brother is an architect/contractor and recommended a cabinet maker.
After I carefully made measurements and drew up the plans, we got them delivered.
The cabinet completely duplicated the drawings, including my amateur mistakes.
I left out drawers that should have been there and didn't allow for the un-squareness of the walls.
We had to squeeze 10 feet of cabinet in a 9 1/2 inch space.
Good thing we had my brother in law to fix that blunder.
I still curse my stupidity about the drawers every day, and it's been 20 years.


Well pricing out kitchen and seriously considering installing a kitchen from that big Swedish furniture store. Obviously much cheaper than custom built (just over 1/2 the price I was quoted..), and they seem to be reasonable quality. It looks like the biggest difference is that you have to play around with spacers to make everything fit properly instead of cabinets to exact sizes, fewer door styles, and of course the quality (and work) of the install will be up to me...
Oh I will need to modify one cabinet to make it a bit skinnier (fortunately I can cut the door in a direction that it will be very difficult to see the cut edge) and a few cabinets under the peninsula which need to be reduced in depth. I have the equipment, probably the skills, hopefully the patience, and enough vacation time.

I will have about 25 cabinets to build it total,

So has anyone done their own and what where their experiences.....
 

DrEntropy

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That is interesting about the HD doors, The Ikea hinges are (for the kitchens at least euro kitchens) are made by Blum which is good stuff.

The doors I made from MDF, it was the hinges from HD. No identification anyplace on 'em, likely Chinese. They've fatigued at the pivot points and at (apparently potmetal) anchor points:

HDhinge1.JPG


HDhinge2.JPG
 

Popeye

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1 word
Lazer
Great point (and great movie!) - a (quality) Laser level is very accurate over long distances. It would be great for setting the rail - especially when a door or other break requires the cabinetry to stop and restart on the other end, or if a protruding bump prevents a level from lying along the wall.

But when you are lying under a cabinet, adjusting feet to level the top surface, a Stabila digital level with beeping to indicate plumb is worth its weight in gold. (Well, almost:smile:) My decision (again, not the only or the right one) was to spend the coin ($300) on good a spirit level.
 

DNK

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Funny, in the last 15 years the only thing I've aver used is my lazer or my little torpedo level in my business
 

Jerry

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As a comparison, I have installed two kitchens with Home Depot cabinets. HD has many different levels of cabinets. We picked the middle level. One brand was great, one was warped, and one was ok. These were assembled cabinets that are shipped in wrapped cardboard but the warped brand must have been around moisture on the way over to the USA. The great brand was made in Oregon. I don't remember the brands at this time. Still have to fit and screw the cabinets together. HD does have a great tool for holding the faces together so you can screw them.
 
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