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Original poster

Am I mad in thinking that I can fit an ikea kitchen myself?

30 replies

sophierosie · 17/02/2008 22:07

I'm planning on getting an ikea kitchen in the next few months and only need a few units. They are going in the same position as existing units so I could slowly replace them one by one.

FIL is a builder so would be able to help with the worktop.

The only unit I'd need to get someone to look at would be the sink unit. I'm having some work done before hand to move dishwasher and washing machine to one wall so there wouldn't need to be any repiping through any of the new cabinets other than the sink one.

Is this at all possible do you think? Has anyone tried this themselves?

Thanks

OP posts:
southeastastra · 17/02/2008 22:07

yes you are mad but good luck with it

MrsMattie · 17/02/2008 22:08

Yes! But I am in awe of you!

hana · 17/02/2008 22:08

yes - dh and I fitted an ikea kitchen a few years ago (well he did the bulk of the work!) but was fine, don't remember any major stresses

PeachesMcLean · 17/02/2008 22:10

Why not. They're basically flat packs aren't they, and you can probably do a chest of drawers. Same principle. DH did our Ikea kitchen and he's no carpenter.

missingtheaction · 17/02/2008 22:11

never tried a kitchen but have had good success with quite complicated ikea stuff eg wardrobes, dressing tables. key to success seems to be Follow The Instructions Exactly . hey, if a man can do it you can

Original poster
sophierosie · 17/02/2008 22:11

Hana - did you use ikea worktops? I've read that the ikea cabinets are deeper so its harder to get other worktops to fit. I was planning on going to a local woodmerchant and seeing what they could do?

OP posts:
Lubyloo · 17/02/2008 22:13

Don't want to put you off and I'm full of admiration that you are considering tackling this yourself but an Ikea kitchen is not easy to fit. We have one and a lot of kitchen fitters that I called refuse to fit Ikea fitchens. One of DH's mates who is a carpenter/joiner did it in the end and said never again. I think it is something to do with the fact that there is no void at the back and so the units have to fit flush with the wall that makes them so difficult.

Good luck! Which one are you having? I wouldn't recommend Ikea sinks and wooden worktops. We have been very disappointed with them but the units have been fine!

Original poster
sophierosie · 17/02/2008 22:13

Yes - I'm not particularly phased by flatpacks that's why I thought I'd give it ago - am on a v limited budget so want to try and get as much done myself!

OP posts:
SlightlyMadSecretSoundWinner · 17/02/2008 22:14

My dad fitted our kitchen but her was a Jack of all trades.

My DP asked my stepfather (a joiner) to help him to fit ours and DP said afterwards he was glad he did as it would have taken 10* as long, albeit it was technically easy to do. It was the experience that helped and knowing how to do it. Incidentally DP and I buit all hte flat packs beforehand. It was only the physical fitting we had help with and it still took 2 days (including plumbing but not tiling)

PeachesMcLean · 17/02/2008 22:14

We used Ikea worktops, the wooden ones are nice I thought.

Millarkie · 17/02/2008 22:14

Dh fitted our IKEA kitchen. It wasn't the quickest and easiest job he's done (and he is very 'handy'). IKEA units are a different depth to most kitchen units. and are designed to go right up to the wall with any plumbing etc inside, rather than with a gap at the back for plumbing like traditional units.
We had had our old kitchen completely removed, re-wired, and replastered so had to fix the units onto 'new' walls..and dh is an engineer so was very concerned about making sure the fittings for the wall cabinets were definitely strong enough to hold cabinets plus contents. He used much bigger bolts(?) than those that held the old units on.
Oh, and we paid professionals to fit the (non-IKEA) worktop..that would have been very expensive if dh had tried himself and mis-cut it!
Fab kitchen though - good luck

ja9 · 17/02/2008 22:15

good luck! def brave if not mad !

hana · 17/02/2008 22:17

sophierosie - yes we did. it's been fine actually (is walnut laminate) it's fairly thick with a square edge, not curved

Millarkie · 17/02/2008 22:18

Just remembered - because the units have to be attached to the wall (unlike normal ones) if your wall isn't straight you can buy little plastic dooberries (I have no idea what their name is, but they are little plastic wedges of various thickness with a hole for a screw in the middle - you slot them between the wall and the unit once the unit has been checked and found level and upright, then you tighten the bolt through the unit, the plastic things, into the wall.)

KatyMac · 17/02/2008 22:18

I made all 19 of my Ikea Kitchen cupboards in 2 days - but I got someone else to put them on the wall

Good Luck

Millarkie · 17/02/2008 22:20

Just saw your worktop question - we bought an extra-wide wood worktop (80cm rather than standard 60 I think), and then had it cut to size.

Original poster
sophierosie · 17/02/2008 22:23

I've been looking at the adel or applad in white. I wanted to get a solid beech worktop.

Yes, I'd read about them having to flush against the walls. This wouldn't be a problem as the main wall is fine and there is no need for any plumbing etc to go through unless there is anything I haven't thought about

OP posts:
FromGirders · 17/02/2008 22:30

OK, now I'm getting worried. Was planning to do an Ikea kitchen ourselves, but are novices. Looks like i'll have to call in my dad after all! Don't think I have to put any plumbing through them though, so hopefully will be OK. Keep us posted sophierose - we could swap horror stories experiences as we go?

Original poster
sophierosie · 18/02/2008 13:22

I'm sure I'll be on here pulling my hair out! I haven't yet done an order so will probably be back with lots of 'Do I need these?' questions soon!

OP posts:
ara · 18/02/2008 13:24

we did this with my brother's help when i was 41 wks pg - you can do it!!!!

GooseyLoosey · 18/02/2008 13:27

We did it but it was very time consuming. Absolutely everything needed to be assembled (including the carcasses)and I could hardly hold a screwdriver when we had finished.

We also had a lot of problems with the Ikea delivery - wrong and damaged stuff and it took ages to sort out.

It took about 4 weeks for the kitchen to be finished, but it did look good!

abidabidoo · 18/02/2008 13:44

We did this about ten years ago - dp's dad and dp did it. Took about three days but in a difficult, very small, cramped, not straight, level walls kitchen.

Having read this I now understand a bit more a lot of the problems they had. But they did it!

Main problem was one of the bits that has pre-drilled holes in it - didn't, so a long drive up to Brum and back (from nr Glos). Also our worktop wasn't wide enough in a couple of places, which I thought was because we'd tried to be clever and got some doors hand made, and they were a different thickness to the IKEA ones. Reading this I realise it was a bit of that and a bit of the IKEA units being bigger.

So I would do it again, but only because there is now an IKEA a lot nearer! (and we live in a house with straighter walls now).

FromGirders · 18/02/2008 22:42

Oh I hope my walls are straight. Went to Ikea today and bought loads of laminate, and am now hoping it won't actually be delivered until we move in . . .

suzywong · 19/02/2008 03:14

oh hurrah there IS a thread on fitting IKEA kitchens

please can someone hold my hand through the process of fitting on a base cabinet door to a faktum kitchen?

I an a donkey with a drill but am willing to learn.

TIA

and don't ask my me to ask dh, this is a point of honour that I do it myself IYKWIM.

suzywong · 19/02/2008 12:48

bumpity bump