Help with IKEA w/Scherrs doors and end run dishwasher!

caligirl_cottage · Jul 5th, 08, 10:45 pm

HELP! I've created a monster and I'm struggling. I have designed an IKEA with Scherrs doors kitchen, (and to keep things interesting, I have two custom cabinets as well... grr). I have an end run dishwasher and I've seen the helpful end panel description, but if I'm getting a Scherrs doorpanel to cover that end do I use that IN ADDITION to the IKEA end panel? If I do, then from the front, you'll see the IKEA exposed edge AND the Scherrs edge (which will be different whites). My contractor is raising **** about this but I'm not sure whether it's such a big deal or not. Does this make sense?

Also, as I said, I'm getting a few custom cabinets, most notably the sink base because we're using an apron front (not Domjo) sink by Westbrass and my finicky contractor also insists it will never come out right if we use the IKEA sink base and modify it. I'm sick of arguing with my contractor, but sometimes he IS right (grr again), so I'm looking to my wiser IKEAfans friends for advice.

TY in advance

kelly · Jul 5th, 08, 10:56 pm

Hi caligirl and welcome to IKEFANS!

coverpanel and doors (door panels?) are different things. Cover panel goes on the end of the cabinet, perpendicular to the door. They are not redundant. It is very possible that your whites will not match. White is about as hard as red to match. That said, depending upon the material of your door style, which I assume is wood with Scherrs, you can paint the end panel with very light (very light) sanding. However, if you are purchasing a end/cover panel from Scherrs, you only use that, not in addition to end/cover panel from IKEA. It is purely decorative and not structural- you get what you need to build a functioning cabinet without the end/cover panel.

I find it hard to believe that you can't make the world's most basic cabinet work with any sink that will physically fit. There is nothing specifically weird about IKEA. What you have is a contractor who is frustrated with IKEA's limited sizes, so anything you want to do that is not precisely IKEA's narrow scope (love IKEA, just the reality of mass production) requires modifications. Not all contractors love modifications or finish work, and that's what you're making him do.

Without more detail I don't think we can specifically comment on how to do it, other than to say the site is literally chock full of non-professionals who have successfully done it, so what's your contractor moaning about?

caligirl_cottage · Jul 5th, 08, 11:06 pm

Thanks Kelly, that's helpful. I didn't really describe this very well. My intent was to use the end panel (perpendicular to the front of the dw) but add the Scherrs panel over the IKEA end panel, so that the look is cohesive. That's why I thought they might be redundant, but I don't feel like the Scherrs panel will be strong enough to support the counter on its own. This is so hard to describe!

As for my contractor, here's the stupid part; he's not even doing the modifications or IKEA installation at all. I have hired an IKEA installer to do that. My contractor (GC for a whole house remodel/addition) doesn't want "his name on junk" as he calls it. He wants the entire job to look great, even if he's not doing the kitchen really at all (or paying for it, I might add!). But in the case of the sink base, I kind of went along with him because again, the exposed face of the sink base where the sink will sit is going to be a very different color/finish than my Scherrs doors adjacent to it, AND the modifications are ones my IKEA installer hasn't done before, so I thought I'd just go with the few custom cabinets to pull the whole thing together and make it look good.

Sometimes I wish I'd just gone with the standard stuff like Domjo, IKEA doors and everything "normal" so I wouldn't have to struggle with these kinds of challenges.

Thanks again for your help.

kelly · Jul 5th, 08, 11:15 pm

The end panel as normally used does not support the counter in any way...so if you are using it differently, I'd need more info to comment on that.

To reiterate, there is nothing weird about using a non-IKEA apron front sink with an IKEA cabinet. There is NO kitchen installation with ANY cabinet system that doesn't require SOMETHING to be hacked. Period. It's a construction law. And if your contractor doesn't know that, he apparently works primarily with legos.

I hope you'll forgive me for saying so, but your contractor sounds like an ***. You don't want your name on junk, buddy? Great- giddyup go work for someone who wants both your snobbery and your uninformed opinions.

Sheesh!

caligirl_cottage · Jul 5th, 08, 11:33 pm

LOL, can I use your "giddyap" quote next time he acts like an a**? That's a good one. Believe me, I have had this conversation with him a number of times, having handed over hundreds of thousands of dollars to him over the last 10 months (for an "8-9 month job") and yet it never seems to sink in that he's the contractor, I'm the client and my name is on the CHECKS. We're coming up on the finish line though, so I'm just trying to suck it up and deal until I can hand him the last few sheckles that I have and send him on his way.

But back to your point; the one thing that doesn't get 'hacked up' is a custom made cabinet built especially for my sink. I'm waiting to hear how much this piece of fabulousness is going to cost before I commit, but again, my IKEA installer hasn't done one of those yet and it takes not only hacking but also supporting since I've heard that the IKEA legs have shattered from the weight of these things. Also, I have a toe-kick heater under that sink base too so I'd rather leave the whole thing to a professional for various reasons.

So, if a dishwasher is installed at the end of a run, what exactly is supposed to hold the countertop up? Sorry, I'm asking so many questions, but as you can tell, I'm new to this and I don't have a contractor who's going to help figure this out.

Thanks

kelly · Jul 5th, 08, 11:44 pm

Oh geez, who gave you that line about the legs?? The legs on these cabinets are extremely capable of carrying tremendous weights. We had someone on the site a few months ago worrying needlessly after being told by someone who sells actually cheap cabinets that IKEA cabinets would "shatter" under the weight of granite.

A complete crock.

Is your sink made of Uranium or something? Seriously. Have you picked up a Domsjo??

WikiAnswers - What is the heaviest element

Absolutely use the giddyup on that wingnut.

The countertop is held up by the dishwasher and all the other cabients- just like it's supposed to be. The weight is spread out over all of them. What's on the end is of little importance to the countertop. HTH.

caligirl_cottage · Jul 6th, 08, 12:21 am

HA! Thanks for cracking me up tonight. I sure needed it.

Seriously, I read right here on IKEAfans about the exploding leg! It must be true! My sink will weigh about 72 pounds, then there's the granite countertop and then you cut out the front of it and set it up on plastic legs. Okay, I'm becoming a ninny like my contractor...

**NBeth** · Jul 6th, 08, 1:20 am

Try this article re. end run dishwashers and panels: How to install a dishwasher at the end of a cabinet run

Birkie · Jul 6th, 08, 9:24 am

Just to clarify, since the dishwasher is not in a cabinet to support the counter, you do need some kind of support to hold the end of the counter. I would call Scherr's and ask them if their panel would support the end of a run.

If not, you could consider a couple options:

The IKEA oven panel is thicker/stronger than a regular (decorative) cover panel. If you are going to use an IKEA oven panel, you could cover the front edge of the oven panel with some iron-on veneer tape to match the Scherr's panel. But it is a little pricey at $95 esp is you are going to cover it up.

Or, instead of using the IKEA oven panel, the contractor could probably make one cheaper by using a plywood or MDF panel to support the counter, but shorten the depth an inch or two so it wouldn't be seen. Then cover the gap in front with a thin filler strip or trim piece stained to match the Scherr's decorative panel.

kelly · Jul 6th, 08, 9:48 am

OK, it was late. I get it now- I was making a silly assumption (they always are) that the DW was boxed in- e.g. in a frame (not a cab). Made that up and I apologize for the confusion and thanks to Birkie for coming along to correct.

OK, back to the exploding leg.

Do you recall the thread that was in or the search criteria you used to get it?

I have (and I am not making it up and it's early still) a 350lb wall oven and a 125lb warming drawer in a cabinet supported only by those little black plastic legs, and a 200lb rangetop sitting on a modified cabinet- with little black legs.

Really, I do.

Look at the photos.