Spacing to allow for skirting board

In message , AnthonyL writes

I would probably mount the rail onto a suitable thickness batten, with another lower down to space it our from the wall evenly. Use plastic spacers, bits of hardboard etc if you need to fine tune the spacing from the wall.

Though that will leave an gap behind the units which may be rather annoying. Maybe fine a suitable filler strip?

Or remove that section of skirting? You could put it in the loft and put it back if the unit is removed?

I'm not familiar with the construction of these units, but would it be possible to scribe the sides of the base unit around the skirting, or failing that, cut and remove the piece of skirting that is in the way?

Cash

AnthonyL scribbled

If the unit is not fitted flush against the wall, the backs of the shelves can be pushed out and before you know it, you're looking at 500 quids worth of tut.

Even putting the unit flush against the wall still allows some space for those nails Ikea provides as fixings to get pushed out.

Screws would have been so much better and wouldn't add much to the cost.

Remove the skirting.

When building flat pack furniture a bit of extra wood glue and a few more suitable fixings is within the realm of DIY.

As for taking it apart to take with you when you move - this usually results in paying the removal men to transport it to the new property where it stays in the garage for 10 years before going in the skip.

Have you checked to see if the bottom of the unit that butts up to the skirting board hasn't been cut away to miss said skirting board? Some Ikea units have that treatment.

Failing that, as others have suggested, remove the skirting board.

I'd use a multitool, will cut the skirting in situ easily.

Then you only need to remove the cut out section, - so shouldn't leave any damage on the bits of wall that will show.

A good plug for the multi tool.....if it gives you a nice square cut and doesn't wreck the blade when it hits the plaster....:-)

It's not that hard to get a pretty straight cut as long as you take a bit of care, you could always cut inside the required a line a little and then take it back to the line with a rasp blade or delta sander.

Even if the blade does go in contact with the plaster, it will still be fine to use IME, I've always found uses for blades until the teeth are almost gone :-)

An alternative approach:

Build and level a plinth first that will raise the base to above skirting level, and allow you to get the base properly level before you start.

The result will be the furniture "sits" better, and is nice and square. No need to notch, pad, wedge etc, and lastly, it will be easier to get to whatever equipment you shove in those cubby holes without laying on the floor!

A bit like what I did for this bookcase:

No need for a plinth, IKEA supply some legs to lift those units off the ground by 100mm, stops the doors catching on deep pile carpet too.

Richard

Now you tell me - and I've just gone the batten route!

Not tall enough unless you have very short skirtings!

All 100mm legs would achieve would be to create a dirt and dust trap underneath the unit with constant faffing about trying to get underneath with a cleaner attachment; or looking for things that might have rolled underneath.

Having only just looked at this, a plinth is clearly the only way to go. As it stands, in the illustration it seems to be standing on tiny pads, making it very difficult to clean right up to the unit without bashing the doors. A plinth keeps the doors clear of floor level dust and if set in a bit can act as a kickboard for cleaner attachments to rub up against. Again, if set in a bit, there's less of a requirement for the plinth to be an exact match.

michael adams

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Actually Ikea do longer chrome legs for one of their ranges. I used a set a year or so ago to lift a unit over a 6" skirting. Had forgotten about that...