Ikea Avsikt now soft closes!

Materials: AVSIKT - BLUM hinges

Description: When I began updating my kitchen with IKEA cabinetry, I was disappointed to find that my cabinet door choice AVSIKT did not have the soft close feature that is ubiquitous to other IKEA cabinets and drawers. The problem was that the door was flush with the cabinet frame when closed and that the inset glass was recessed so that the the RATIONEL door damper that piggy-backed to the INTEGRAL door hinge did not make contact with door in order to soften the closing of it.

After much research, I discovered that the OEM for IKEA cabinet hinges was BLUM and that they did infact manufacture a hinge that fits aluminum framed glass cabinet doors: B073T550AB.

This particular hinge slides, snaps into and screws onto the hinge cutout on the door frame and provides a "foot" that protrudes in front of the glass (see photo) and provides that strike surface needed by the RATIONEL door damper in order to soften the close.

Finding this hinge online was elusive and it appears simply as: 73T550AB.

The "hack" is to simply replace the hinges with the above part and clip on the RATIONEL damper to the hinge and voila! the AVSIKT doors now close softly!

~ P J Pires, New Bedford, MA

Bath Vanity from Appliance Cabinet

Materials: LACK bookshelf and AVSIKT roll front cabinet

Description: I recently remodeled a former laundry room into a very narrow (41") bathroom. I needed a sink, countertop and storage, but didn't want the space to feel cramped, so I used a shallow wall-mounted hand sink (150mm = 9 7/8" deep), and cut down a LACK wall shelf to float underneath.

I ran the shelf lengthwise through a table saw to make it 3/8" narrower at the back - - this still kept enough veneer to hide the support bracket, while making the front flush with the sink depth. I then cut the shelf to fit the room length, and cut the internal metal shelf support to the match. I core-drilled holes for the sink supply and waste plumbing lines, positioning the holes to avoid the shelf’s internal supports. I filled the hole sides with patching compound and put 3 coats of polyurethane on all surfaces.

For additional storage, I recessed the 12" deep AVSIKT roll front kitchen cabinet into the stud bay, so that it fits underneath the shelf. The roll-front avoids the problem of cabinet doors swinging into the adjacent toilet. The grey foil and brushed aluminum finish goes great with the chrome plumbing fixtures. A small shim above the this cabinet snugs the LACK shelf to the underside of the sink, providing additional support.

Final installation has to follow a sequence for proper fit: first the wall-mounted sink, then the cabinet exactly 2" lower, then the shelf support, then the faucet and water supply lines.

Slip the shelf halfway onto the supports, then pull the water lines (braided flexible pipe) through their shelf hole as you continue to slide the shelf into place. Connect the water lines to the supply. Finally, install the waste line. Due to the small size of the bathroom, I waited until the shelf was installed before setting the toilet into place.

Notice the GRUNDTAL toilet paper dispenser attached to the underside of the LACK shelf -- I find that it still holds strongly even though the 2 screws are in the hollow portion of the shelf.

~ Steve, San Gabriel, CA