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morgan_underdown

Ikea corner cabinet not even! Please help!

8 years ago

I am installing my upper wall cabinets from Ikea and the corner cabinet is not even with the ones next to it. It is not hitting the wall at the bottom left corner. Can anyone help me figure out what the remedy is? Thank you!!


Comments (17)

  • 8 years ago

    Double check that the rails are level.

    Now, double check that the cabinets are level (horizontal) and plumb (vertical). You might need to use shims to level out the cabinets, if your walls aren't square and/or plumb. Hint: they're probably not.

    If those things aren't the answer, you've built your boxes wonky.

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    Yep, shim the cabinet. The walls aren't plumb and you need to insert two shims up against the wall at the back of the cabinet. As you slowly tap them into place, the cabinet bottom will begin to tip outward and line up with the corner cabinet. To me, it looks like it's the wall cabinet that has the problem, not the corner cabinet. Do you have a long level you can use? Installers often clamp a level to the cabinet so they can see how far the bubble is moving.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Looks like the wall cab to me too though of course it's hard to tell with photo angles etc.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    You don't need them perfect. Once you get them close and screw the cabinets together, they pretty much lock together and act as a whole solid unit. All the weight is on the rails so any gap in the back is not a big issue unles it is overly big.

    We installed the corner and adjoining cabinets first. Had the same issue. Slight adjustments and shimming to the rail and they lined up close enough for us. Then after adding weight into them, the gap behind the wall was easily eliminated. But, once you can concur this one, the rest were a breeze until you do the base corner cabinet! That one was painful since needed to be level on top for the counter top.

  • 8 years ago

    Thank you all! You have reassured me that that was the problem! Just wanted to double check before I took everything down. It is the corner cabinet on the unlevel part of the wall, shimming now!

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    The first cabinet that gets installed is the corner. If you put that one up perfectly plumb and level and build it square all your other cabinets will go in easily. Watch a few YouTube videos on installing frameless cabinetry before you keep going. You have to start with the corner first. Trying to fix it now with the other cabinets up will probably be a mistake.

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    You might want to show a few photos and your cabinet layout. You can get in over your head fast.

  • 8 years ago

    Yes I agree with you! Nothing was attached yet, and corner cabinet was not level. I was just double checking that the rail needed shimmed and not something else before proceeding. This is the 4th ikea kitchen I have done and I’m honestly shocked this has been the first time I’ve run into this problem!

  • 8 years ago
    shims
  • 8 years ago
    If you just say shims you are wrong. Once the corner cabinet is installed then you attach the next cabinet so it aligns with the corner cabinet and the two meet as even, level and straight as possible, then hold the two cabinets together with clamps. You then can use shims if the gap in the back wall is not more than, say 3/8". The next cabinet should be installed this same way. When you install the molding you may have to make adjusts to that.
  • PRO
    8 years ago

    You bring the walls to the cabinets with shims; you don't take the cabinets to the walls with screws.

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    wacokid, the installation needs to be as perfect as you can possibly make it. Then when you install the molding you don't have to make adjustments! And the idea that the corner cabinet is just going to magically keep the others in place is misinformed. The better and straighter you install your cabinets, the easier it is to put the molding on.

  • 8 years ago

    No, that is not what I said. Your corner cabinet is installed first, like I said. It needs to be level and straight. The next cabinet then works off the corner cabinet. You cannot put shims between a corner cabinet and the next wall cabinet. (Maybe you do) but it will look terrible. That is why, at least I do, put clamps on the corner cabinet and the next cabinet and screw them together and then, shim as needed behind the cabinet to attach to the wall, like Joe said. Now your cabinets should be straight and level with the corner cabinet, if, if, your ceiling is not perfectly flat, you can adjust the molding to cover the small variance. Of coarse it needs to be as perfect as it can be, do you not work with any kitchens with walls and ceilings that are a little cockeyed? Your the "pro".

  • 8 years ago
    Everything will be fine when the cabinets are screwed together.
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I don't think anyone suggested shims between the cabinets. I feel sure we were all referring to shimming between wall and cab.

  • 3 years ago

    If your rails go close to the corner (as shown in the IKEA instructions) and your walls are made of drywall, this is how it should be. The reason is because the corner is more than 90 degrees due to a tape placed at the corner and a layer of patching compound on top of it adding at least 1/8". To fix it first remove 2 plastic spacers placed closer to the corner and the shorten the rails as much as possible. They should long enough to reach the hanging brackets. This will solve the problem as it did in my case. This seems to be easier than placing 1/8" shims along the entire wall.