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Anyone Have the Sektion 15" Base Cabinets and can Recommend Inserts?

11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago

I will be putting the 15" Sektion IKEA base cabinets in DH office. There will be 4 drawers that are 5" high and 2 that are 10" high. The depth is around 12". I have 2 each 15" high drawers too.

The 5" drawers will hold some flat folders and the stuff that goes in a desk drawer like pens, clips, and other office tools. The 15" drawer will hopefully hold a hanging file rack. The kitchen salesperson said it would work and it looks like it should. A while back another salesperson said it wouldn't work.

I see a lot of insert options on the web, but can't tell much about functionality. I live 4 hours away from ikea but plan to be driving there in a few weeks to look at options.

If anyone has some thoughts or experience with their inserts I'd be grateful. Thanks

Comments (37)

  • 11 years ago

    There are a fair amount of old discussions about Ikea cabinets and their inserts but they are about the old Akurum line. I don't think there has been much done hereabouts with the new Sektion line. I'm responding simply because your post is on page 2 with no response so hoping that bumping it up will cause it to be seen with someone who might know something.

    enduring thanked funkycamper
  • 11 years ago

    I would even take information on the options for the deeper drawers. I might be able to modify the insert to the size for the shallower drawers of the 15" cabinets. I am real excited to get these up. Still prepping the wall with drywall, then paint.

  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I am doing similar in my dining room - a bar/desk with 15" deep sektion lowers, will be putting in removable file holder. I just got one of those free-standing desktop file holder boxes from a stationary store - measures approx 12x8 so I am crossing my fingers. Yes the drawers don't fit any of the ikea utensil-holders. I haven't found solutions yet but I suspect those modular fit-together options you can buy in separate pieces (like at Walmart) may be part of the picture. I will post when I get mine done.

    enduring thanked stephanj
  • 11 years ago

    I just bought some file boxes from The Container Store that I love. I have them freestanding next to my desk in the office, but they may work in a 15" drawer like stephanj suggests if you used the full-depth MAXIMERA drawers.

    http://www.containerstore.com/shop?productId=10037461&N=&Ntt=marten

    If those are too deep, they have a few others that might work:
    http://www.containerstore.com/shop?productId=11001030&N=&Ntt=desktop+file
    http://www.containerstore.com/shop?productId=10033122&N=&Ntt=desktop+file
    http://www.containerstore.com/shop?productId=10008695&N=&Ntt=desktop+file

    You could also mount hanging file rails within the drawer itself; I had a desk with a built-in file drawer that had those.


    enduring thanked hoffmalr_gw
  • 11 years ago

    And don't forget things like the Lee Valley adjustable drawer organizers:

    http://www.leevalley.com/US/Hardware/page.aspx?p=71045&cat=3,43722,43743&ap=1

    enduring thanked writersblock (9b/10a)
  • 11 years ago

    Good call! Their file frame is what I was referring to in my old desk, and it can be cut to the right length.

    http://www.leevalley.com/US/hardware/page.aspx?p=70343&cat=3,43614,43617


    enduring thanked hoffmalr_gw
  • 11 years ago

    Stephanj, if I remember the front to back interior of the drawers are 12". Mine are still in the box, so will have to measure. I would love to get a file rack in there like a lateral file, but the salesman didn't think it would work, but would with the rack front to back. My drawers are 30" wide so I could get 2 in there side by side I suppose. I'm really looking forward to seeing your setup.

    Hoffmair, Thanks for the help. I like the boxes from the container store that you linked. The boxes might work really nicely instead of a wire rack. I was thinking wire rack as I've been planing. I don't think the hardware file rack you linked in your second post will work because it is mounted to the drawer front and back. The back and sides to these 15" depth cabinet Maximera drawers are low, like 3" or so tall.

    Writersblock, The Lee Valley organizers are a real option too. I've heard others on the kitchen forum mention them over the years. It is exactly what I want for my pencil drawers.

    Thanks for these great ideas. I hope to get the cabinets put together in the next week. Keeping my focus on this task.


  • 11 years ago

    Before you leave, check the stock. IKEA is out of base cabinets at many stores. I just ordered cabinets from Lowe's because of this.

    enduring thanked mabeldingeldine
  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Enduring, thanks for the info! It is driving me nuts that I don't have exact interior information. For instance I want to order bins for my recycling pullout, but I have to wait until installation. Luckily the file holder I got was cheap enough I can switch it out. Ideally I would prefer hanging folders right on the drawer mechanism, but not sure that is going to work. I will be sure to post an interior organization thread once it's in (only a couple more weeks yay!) I live a 2 hour boat ride away from Ikea, so I understand wanting to have everything settled before you make that trip. Don't forget to look at their bathroom drawer organizers too.

    enduring thanked stephanj
  • 11 years ago

    You could build an insert or height extension on the back of the drawer to make the Lee Valley frame work, if you liked that option otherwise.


    enduring thanked hoffmalr_gw
  • 11 years ago

    The interior of the 15" drawer is 12" back to front, 10 1/8" side to side at the bottom - they still have ikea contoured sides - it curves up to 11 1/4" at the top. Then 2 1/"2 high to the top of the drawer side. There is enough clearance though til the next drawer to have something less than 4" high in the drawer.

    enduring thanked Miss TKO 2015
  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Oh, and the deep drawer at the bottom... those drawer sides come up 5 1/8" high, and the overall drawer space is 10 3/4" high. Same width at very bottom of drawer 10 1/8" and top bar is 11 1/4" wide.



    enduring thanked Miss TKO 2015
  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    mabeldingeldine, Hi there, long time. I have the cabinets. I freaked when I was reading post that the cabinets were scarce, so DH and I made the trip of to the Twin Cities Ikea and got the cabinets and almost all of the doors last Friday. I have the dark wood toned cabinets, and they are only 15" deep. Not many people use that size. They had everything except for my 20" tall x 18" wide doors I need for a cabinet under 2 drawers in a 36" base (15" deep). But they had the doors in stock in NJ, so I'm having them shipped to my home address for $15. I am making a return trip to MN, for a retreat in 1.5 weeks, so I will swing by the Ikea again.

    stephanj, I will look at the bathroom organizers too, thanks for the tip. I would love to run the files left to right in the drawer, but don't have the rack to test, yet. So I will be asking Miss TKO can post measurements as she offered. See her post, those measurements will help us both:) Oh I see she has posted measurements. Where do you live to take a boat ride, WA? My DS1, lives in Seattle.

    hoffmalr_gw, I will have to see what size there is available. Putting an insert along the back may provide the rack installation you've shown. If I can run the rack left to right I could make something for each side and maybe a bottom (don't know). I'll keep you posted on this project.

    Miss TKO, what is the bottom of the drawer measurement front bottom to back bottom? I see there is no curve in those edges. I see from your first post that you say 12" front to back. I might be able to squeeze a file rack in there, running left to right. And, in your bottom 15" tall paneled drawers - is that the "medium" sized Maximera drawer? It looks taller than I thought they were. I have the medium Maximera drawers for my bottom 15" high x 30" wide paneled drawers. It is so helpful to see the drawers in your space, both closed and opened. Love your installation. Thanks!

  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I put together a drawer that I plan to use for a hanging file setup. The drawer is a medium Maximera box, with a 15" tall Laxarby panel. This drawer will fit into a 30" base cabinet that is 15" deep:


    Interior dimension of the 30" drawer for the 15" base cabinet is 26-1/2"(about) x 12-1/8":

    Drawer panel from the inside, also recessed about 1/8":

    Leaving a bit of room so the hangers don't scratch:

    Because of the recessed panel, I gain about 1/8" of an inch on the panel side. Since the drawer bottom is really at 12-1/8" deep, that recess makes the functional span 12-1/4" I think. Anyway, if I push the rack all the way to the back I have about an 1/8" free space at the hangers, so it will be less likely to scratch the panel. I could put some sort of bumper on the bottom front to keep the rack pushed back. There will be some extra space in the back of the cabinet to accommodate the hangers over hang of the box, because there is a space between the box and the back of the cabinet, I believe. This is good news!

  • 11 years ago

    yes, front bottom to back bottom is 12". and for the life of me, i don't remember a choice for "medium" in the drawer size, i think it was maxmera, but don't remember a choice for size sorry

    enduring thanked Miss TKO 2015
  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Thanks Miss TKO. I think it probably was the "medium" because if I recall now, the large didn't come in this 15" deep version. There was a 17" version in several widths, not sure what that would be for, unless under a cook top for a full depth base cabinet.

  • 11 years ago

    I had to go grab something at Ikea today and I played around with thier inserts in the kitchen dept. Many of the inserts made for the deeper 24" cabinets work really well turned sideways in any 15 " depth cabinet that is 24" wide. I checked it out because I'm thinking of using Ikea 15" cabs for a pantry wall and I want lots of drawers.

    enduring thanked wildchild2x2
  • 11 years ago

    Wow thank you Miss TKO for those measurements! I had no idea IKA drawers were so shaped inside, that's quite a difference inside to outside!

    Enduring that file system looks great - good job on thinking sideways! My office drawers will be 15 deep and wide each, but looks like I can still fit a basic letter file in there somehow. I packed up my inserts so I can't measure them right now :-(

    I live in Victoria BC so the boat trip is to Vancouver. Population of the Vancouver Island is only 750,000, so Ikea makes us travel on the ferry to Vancouver (which has two ikeas) to shop! So I am using an installation service here to do the section kitchen, but they won't do interior organizers....so I am getting creative :-)

    The 17" deep one is for the 24" deep under-sink drawer (to leave room for plumbing) FYI. I am getting one of those too, and it's a whole other organizer conversation lol....Miss TKO do you have one of those too?

    watchmelol it's good to know the inserts work sideways! I am looking forward to my bamboo cutlery organizer....

    Thanks everyone!

    enduring thanked stephanj
  • 11 years ago

    Watchmelol, thanks for the tips. I will defenatley look at everything in 2 weeks.

    Stephanj, I bet your file will fit sideways. The bottoms side to side really is like a bowl, and not as wide as the top of the sides. My deep drawers are 30" as I mention above, yet only about 26.5" side to side at the top, that doesn't discount the width at the bottom, so there goes another couple of inches (I think? I'm not measuring at this time). I used to live in Bellingham in the early to late 80's, and your description of transportation just sounded like a PNW thing, with all those islands. That big island didn't even come to mind, lol. I didn't know Vancouver had 2 IKEAs. I still have stuff I bought in the 80's from the Vancouver IKEA. I believe there was only one at that time, I never heard of 2 anyway. I always wanted to travel up the west coast of Vancouver Island, but there weren't much in the way of roads. I live in Iowa now and seldom do much exploring when I visit DS1 in Seattle, time is so precious.


  • 11 years ago

    Enduring, that's exactly right, our islands meet up with the san juans in Washington, very similar lifestyle/vibe and ferry-ing. Never been to Iowa :-) Love that you still have stuff from the 80's Ikea, my mother still has a dresser and a desk she has used everyday for 30 years!

    Good news is, those shaped drawers sound GREAT for cleaning out breadcrumbs, my kitchen nemesis....

    When you finally make the trip, I would love to see pics of what you decide on.

  • 11 years ago

    PS I know I am IKEA-obsessed right now, lol, but if anyone is lurking and wants a really close-up view of interior Sektion organizers, this video by a very thorough couple is really a fantastic close-up look and every nook and cranny!

  • 11 years ago

    Here is my 15" deep base cabinet drawer with file holders inside. The width of the drawer is 30" so the interior of the drawer is around 26". These holders fit perfectly inside. The sides of the drawers have a slope which takes away some interior width. To get the back holder out, the front needs to come out first, Even with these full extension drawers.



  • 11 years ago

    Perfect fit! I haven't got my files in it, but looks like my 15" by 15" drawer is not going to fit the holder - but the drawer sides are big enough I am just putting the files right in it. In a few weeks I can get it all put away - still waiting on counters and a few drawer adjusts.

  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I'm looking at my drawers right now and they they need adjusting too. You might be able to fit a file rack in sideways as I showed above. These new boxes don't fit in sideways. Can you put a hanging file across the drawer, hanging from the side rails? Oh wait the rails are too low.

  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Hey look enduring they fit! Two of them! Snugly and they are kinda wedged in there but they fit perfectly! Silly me, believing my tape measure, I shoulda just tried them :-)


    The brand is Fellowes desktopper - just in case anyone needs a recommend.

  • 11 years ago

    The tabs look like they could scratch you drawer. What if you tipped that end of each box up away from the drawer front to get a bit more space in the front. Do you have 2, 6" deep boxes running side to side? if you do then you have a 12" square and you could run them front to back and the tabs could be at either side of the drawer. Like one 1/2 of my large 30" wide cabinet.


  • 11 years ago

    Oh I just looked up the dimension of the Fellowes desktopper. It is 12.5" wide, and 5.5" deep. My inserts are "Oxford - DecoFlex Letter Size Desktop Hanging File, Plastic, 12-1/4 x 6 x 9-1/2". So these are a tad narrower side to side and 1/2" deeper.

    If I remember right your drawer was not quite 12" side to side, so my deeper boxes might not fit.

    Thanks so much. Off topic:
    what kind of counter top did you put on your cabinets? I have fabricated my own soapstone counters and sink for my bathroom and my kitchen. I have a remnant that I will use for this office set. It is 3cm thick. I am somewhat concerned about the protrusions of the metal at the corners of each cabinet. It looks like all the weight would be carried on these square inch points at each of my 3 cabinets. I have thought about a layer of ply. I read somewhere that IKEA mentions using a cabinet panel as an under layment to counters. What did you do and are you happy with the results?

  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    enduring - they are rubbing up against it. They won't go sideways. I just wedged an empty paper towel roll underneath the front edges and it lifted it up enough that they slide well now :-) Nobody has to know! Thanks for the suggestion.

    I saw your other post about the countertops but ours are not installed yet so I had no input. I do see what you mean. We are getting laminate counters so not an issue for us. I see what you mean about the metal - our installer put end panels on all of our cabinet runs, which protrude slightly above the metal profile, and that must be why, didn't think about it til just now. You can see it here in the lower right corner.

    I love soapstone and am jealous! If it were me I would absolutely want a thin layer of plywood.

    enduring thanked stephanj
  • 11 years ago

    your kitchen is very nice looking. Love the contrast with the floor like someone mentioned on your kitchen thread.

    Yes I see your end panels. I wont be having end panels as my cabinets are wall to wall. I thought the internet site I saw that mentioned "end panels" were talking about laying them across the top, like your wrapped end panel is laying in your picture above. I will have to call my Twin Cities IKEA store for more info. It will probably mean a long wait on hold. I will let you know if I find out anything of importance (or not :)

    I love soapstone too. I really wanted to just have someone put in a laminate countertop in this office, for simplicity. I have remodeling fatigue. But Lowes doesn't do any counter less than 20sf, HD would do it but I didn't like the whites. I could also save money on the remnant compared with the sf price at HD. Just my time. But the job is simple really. I think the end filler panels for each end of the run will be more complicated. Soapstone is very easy to work with if it is of the softer variety.

    Here is my bathroom soapstone sink and counter. Vanity was made by a local cabinet maker for my project. He said it was one of the funnist things he has done :) If you look close you might see where i pieced together the remnants.:


  • 11 years ago

    I meant to add my "hardware on the Laxarby cabinets" photo:


    as I look at the picture, I think a layer of something between the cabinets and the counter is in order.


  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    That bathroom is SO COOL!!!! Love how it works with the backsplash. Want your bathroom now :-)

    That hardware is perfect. Yes to the plywood, if you just want to keep it simple. Because you don't have complex cutouts etc, it should be a cheap and easy fix, and help with drawer clearance etc. Hope to see your "reveal" soon :-)

    ETA - lol that's totally a wrapped panel I am using as countertop. Good eye!

    enduring thanked stephanj
  • 10 years ago

    Thanks for this! We're adding a built in credenza across the back wall of our new office/old formal living room conversion, and I was trying to figure out how to do a hanging file cabinet in a 36" wide, 15" deep drawer. I wish the sides were high enough to get those $2 clips that you put the aluminum rails in!

    We're doing white cabinets with custom shaker doors from Scherr's painted white. Our counter is going to be a few 2 x 12s put togethe with pocket screws and stained dark walnut with a semi-gloss poly. I can't wait! We're going to do a similar set up in the guest room/craft room with 1 30 x24" cabinet on either side of the window, and then build in shelving above the cabinets and over the window.

    enduring thanked Stacy Wilson
  • 10 years ago

    My office project isn't done yet. Maybe by this summer it will be, in time for my DD wedding!

    My file inserts for hanging files are "Oxford - DecoFlex Letter Size Desktop Hanging File, Plastic, 12-1/4 x 6 x 9-1/2". See also the post on June 25 at 11:17AM to see how this brand of file holders worked for me. I couldn't get them in side ways because the drawer 12" front to back, and the boxes are 12-1/4". I have been happy with this in my 30" wide drawers.

    wall of cabinets, with the right side left without the filler trim, so that we can store a folded stool, and maybe something else flat and not very tall. It was DH's idea and seems to have worked fine.

    The counter is in but it is not finished at the seam. I need to epoxy the seam and finish the top. The 2 pieces are slightly different heights, so it will require some sanding to transition the approximately 1/16" difference. I will wait until warmer weather!

    I am ordering the fabric for a roman shade today. It will be a poppy colored print with a dusty greenish blue, that matches the paint in the room:


    wall to wall cabinets in the 15" deep, upper and lower, IKEA cabinet:
    The sun is blazing in this room, and the temp outside is 4f degrees. But the sun is beautiful, lol.

    Sample of fabric with oiled soapstone and cabinets:


  • 10 years ago

    I am so thankful for this thread! I have been thinking about using Sektion cabinets for my office, but I also need room for hanging folder.


    Enduring, your cabinets look beautiful, please (PLEASE) tell me where your hardware is from!? Those pulls are perfect!

  • 10 years ago

    Tstrauts, the set up I have is working fine for hanging files. I can lift out a hanging box if I want to, and take to the desk. Or just take the individual file out.

    the hardware is Amerirock in the Gilded Bronze finish. I can't remember the model. Look on their website and you'll find the model. These are 5" center to center pulls for DH. The knobs are just one of their styles that I thought went with the handles.

  • 10 years ago

    Hi everyone - I am also using Section cabinets to create a console for my home office, and then I'm using "Semihandmade" to create the custom drawer / door fronts. I am having huge concerns however with the filing cabinet solution. The Section cabinet frame I am using for the filing cabinet is 18W X 15D X15H. I also bought the Medium Maximera drawer. My issue is that the back of the Maximera drawer is only 5 1/2 inches tall and i need it to be at least 10 inches tall so I can screw a hardware filing cabinet mount into the front and the back. I'm not a fan of placing in plastic or cardboard items that fit inside and hold the files, I know it works well, but I'd really rather this be more professional and have the metal glides. This would be easy to install if only the back was at least 10 inches. Does anyone have any ideas on how to increase or extend the height of the back of the Maximera drawer? They don't make the Deep / High Maximera drawers for the 15D and 15H - so the Medium drawer is my only solution. I also have to use the Maximera drawer as "Semihandmade" is using these drawers as the template to create my custom drawer / door fronts. Thus, it seems my only option here is to figure out how to increase / extend the height of the back of the Medium Maximera drawer. Any suggestions would be beyond appreciated, thank you!