Need help installing Ikea cabinet

Question

The Problem

https://imgur.com/a/KhxzAD9/

I need some help installing Ikea high cabinets.  The photo shows 1 out of 2 cabinet constructed.  The instruction states that I should:

1. Install a metal beam on the wall
2. Install 6 flimsy plastic legs on the bottom
3. Hang the cabinet on the wall, then adjust the flimsy plastic legs.

However, the pantry looks dauntingly heavy.

Chat GPT gives an estimate of:

• for the cabinets alone: 400 lbs (180kg)
• Light pantry use: 1520 lbs (690kg)
• Heavy pantry use: 2645 lbs (1200kg)

Ikea says each leg holds 275lbs (125kg).

Question 1 - How should I mount the rail?

Ikea's instructions say the rail should be screwed into studs every 12" (30cm).  Unfortunately, my studs don't line up like that, as seen from the pictures.

a. Oversize the rail so that the left side sticks out (ugly).  That way I get a 3rd stud to screw into.  Use #8 GRK cabinet screws.  Do 1 screw in the rail's mounting hole, and an additional screw underneath the rail for additional support.  Do this 2x on the thicker support column.  This gives 8 screws to support the cabinet, but support will be weak on the right side.  Additionally, screw the cabinet to the existing small cabinet on the right for a little bit of support.

b. Do not oversize the rail.  Instead use drywall toggles on the ends for a little bit of support.  As before, use GRK screws, double screws per mounting hole, and double mount on support column.  This gives 6 screws and 2 toggles to support the cabinet.

Question 2 - How should I support the bottom?

I worry about damage to the hardwood floor, putting too much weight on the studs and damaging them, and not lining up the support properly, so that all the weight is on the wall or all the weight are on the legs.

a. Follow Ikea's instructions and use 6 flimsy plastic legs.

b. Create a toe box using 2x6, trimmed to 4.5".  Hope it doesn't warp.  I have never done this before.

c. Create toe box using plywood.  This transmit the weight to the ground on a 0.5" plywood, which isn't much surface area.  Slightly higher difficulty.  Also never done before.

d. Buy additional metal legs from Ikea.  Drill additional holes and put them in.  Keep using the existing plastic ones for they support mounting a toe kick board, but add 3 metal legs on each edge for additional support.  This totals: 4 plastic legs, 11 metal legs.  The advantage of this is adjustability so that I can be sure the loads are being transmitted to the legs + wall at the same time.

References:

cabinet 1: https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/sektion-high-cabinet-frame-white-40487419/

cabinet 2: https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/sektion-high-cabinet-frame-white-10265448/

rail: https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/sektion-suspension-rail-galvanized-60261527/

plastic legs: https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/sektion-leg-90556071/

toe kick that mounts to plastic legs: https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/foerbaettra-toe-kick-matt-white-90417754/

metal legs: https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/capita-leg-stainless-steel-60263574/

GRK cabinet screws: https://www.homedepot.ca/product/grk--8-x-2-1-2-inch-star-drive-round-washer-head-low-profile-cabinet-screws-climatek-coated-100pcs/1000739692

Answer 1

• Ignore ChatGPT. Totally irrelevant. May or may not be correct. But the bottom line is: this thing is heavy and it will be heavier with stuff in it. Don't need a so-called AI to tell you that. But 400 lbs. just for the cabinets? Even for two of them, that sounds like a lot. In fact, I'm willing to bet that the metal legs at 275 lbs. each are designed that 4 of them can safely support a cabinet with a normal load - i.e., expected total for one cabinet 1,000 lbs. or less. Generally far less.

• For a full height cabinet, do NOT support it hanging. Support it from the bottom. Looking at the instruction manual, it looks to me like the only reasons they offer the rail for use with this particular cabinet are: 1 - If you have upper cabinets in line with this one, you can use the rail across the whole wall, and 2 - it may be easier to mount the rail to studs than to mount the cabinet directly to studs. But nothing indicates that the rail is supposed to hold this as a hanging cabinet - it is only to secure it from tipping over.

• Build a toe kick/base. Use primed wood - the typical off-white primed look will match the cabinet close enough. Or use whatever would you feel like and paint it white. Alternatively, you could use the metal legs and get the official toe-kick (which is sized to match) from Ikea and use that for decorative (but not support) purposes.

• Screw the back of the cabinet into studs. Toggles, anchors, etc. are useless with a big heavy thing like this. But a few screws into studs for safety (so it doesn't move when someone climbs on it) will be sufficient if the actual support is the floor.

That just leaves the question of what to use as a toe kick/base if you don't use the metal legs. Figure out the height, then figure out the rest. 2x4s will get you 3.5". 2x6s will get you 5.5". 2x lumber is 1.5" thick and a frame of that (back, left, right, front inset a few inches) will probably be sufficient. Or you could use primed wood, which is typically thinner but will require less work in finishing/painting, and double-up for strength.

In order to not have visible screws on the bottom shelf, use L-shaped brackets underneath with screws that are a little shorter than the shelf thickness.

I have similar cabinets from when Home Depot used to sell Mills Pride flat-pack mix-and-match cabinet parts in stores. The base cabinets and the full-height cabinets (like these) came with the sides as full support with a toe-kick notch so all you had to do was assemble (similar to Ikea), put a couple of screws through to studs near the top and cut to size and nail on the toe kick. In other words, the 3/4" or 1" (can't remember which at the moment and too lazy to get up and measure right now...) side panels provided all the support needed.

Answer 2

You should really split this into two questions, but:

1. These are typically secured with an angle bracket on the top—one fastener into the top of the cabinet, one fastener into the wall. You use a wall anchor only if you can't find a stud. Odds are you will find a stud as long as the width of the cabinet is at least 24".

2. No need to worry about studs, as the floor should be supporting the weight of the cabinet. There should be no damage to the floor if you don't move the cabinet around (hard to do when it's anchored to the wall).