Mdf drawers for wardrobe

[should have gone to IKEA]

We recently had mdf fitted wardrobe made and installed. The drawer boxes (sides, base, back and front) have all been made to the same dimensions from 250mm mdf with added drawer fronts of 180mm mdf. The drawer boxes measures 50cm deep, 78.5 wide by 17cm high. The drawer fronts each measure 84.5cm wide, 21.6 cm high. Each drawer empty weighs 16kg. The soft close runners have a load capacity of 25kg. The wardrobe carcass has been made from 250mm thick mdf, this includes the back panels and shelving. We have problems. Especially with the drawers as the runners have been shattered in part due to the drawers being too wide for the carcass. Can anyone please offer advice on whether this is the norm and if not, what thickness of mdf should have been used. We haven't used any of it yet as we want it fixed and also we have a room highly contaminated with mdf.

 

[Spectric]

The wardrobe carcass has been made from 250mm thick mdf, this includes the back panels and shelving.

That is over 9 inches, did you mean 25mm which is still very thick, 18mm is more common.

 

[should have gone to IKEA]

That is over 9 inches, did you mean 25mm which is still very thick, 18mm is more common.

That is over 9 inches, did you mean 25mm which is still very thick, 18mm is more common.

2.5cm approx 1 inch

 

[should have gone to IKEA]

That is over 9 inches, did you mean 25mm which is still very thick, 18mm is more common.

The thickness is 2.5cm = 1 inch. Sorry. Still using feet and inches.

 

[should have gone to IKEA]

Photo showing measurements

 

[Spectric]

The normal prefered units are millimeters, MDF for example 12, 15, 18, 25 mm .

 

[HOJ]

Dimensionaly the drawer sizes aren't too bad, I've made bigger, but the material sizes are way over the top, not surprising the runner's are struggling and more so if they are too tight.

Are they Blum runners? which have a defined margins in order to work properly, drawer box sides should be a max of 16mm for example:

Any chance of a bigger picture to get an idea of the overall scale?

 

[should have gone to IKEA]

Dimensionaly the drawer sizes aren't too bad, I've made bigger, but the material sizes are way over the top, not surprising the runner's are struggling and more so if they are too tight.

Are they Blum runners? which have a defined margins in order to work properly, drawer box sides should be a max of 16mm for example:

View attachment 188625

Any chance of a bigger picture to get an idea of the overall scale?

Thank you for answering. Here are some photos. The drawer sides have gouges were the runners have cut in to them. I have attached a photo of the runners used.

 

[HOJ]

Clearly, not Blum runners, whats is the width of the draw opening in the carcass? in mm, for any chance of the runners working, the draw should be, I'd guess, need to be 12 to 13mm less, on either side, so a 26mm difference between the 2 dimensions,

I will politely ask did you paint them yourself.

 

[should have gone to IKEA]

Clearly, not Blum runners, whats is the width of the draw opening in the carcass? in mm, for any chance of the runners working, the draw should be, I'd guess, need to be 12 to 13mm less, on either side, so a 26mm difference between the 2 dimensions,

I will politely ask did you paint them yourself.

No we didn't paint them. Our very good decorators started to paint them but we told them not to finish due to a problem, not of their doing. These are my the measurements I have taken.

 

[HOJ]

How big is the hole they need to fit in, you have a dimension width of the drawer box @ 785mm, so the hole in the unit needs to be about 811mm wide.

 

[should have gone to IKEA]

Sorry, I sent the wrong photo. This one shows the cavity size.

 

[HOJ]

Dimensions aren't far off, possibly, the only other option is to upgrade and get some heavy duty runners, these for instance are rated for 80Kg but they are not soft close, If you've paid someone to make this then I would suggest its their job to rectify, on the basis that the original runners were probably a third of the cost of the HD ones.

 

[should have gone to IKEA]

Thank you for helping, we really appreciate you taking the time. Unfortunately, the person that made them is refusing to accept responsibility and told us to pay for him to fix it. We refused. Only had them 3 months and not even used them yet. Now they are saying, get someone else and refusing to fix the issue. Hence, we should have gone to IKEA.

 

[should have gone to IKEA]

The drawers are far too heavy, even when empty. We wanted new ones made of a lighter weight, with metal box drawers. Been advised this would be a better solution.

 

[HOJ]

the person that made them is refusing to accept responsibility

and refusing to fix the issue

They/he/them weren't part of "Trusted Trader" or any other scheme by chance,? if not you could look at other avenues to pursue, trading standards might be an option, more so if they are selling into the public domain, I appreciate that could be difficult, but the thieving bandit/s should be named and shamed, I have held my tongue so far but this is appalling workmanship, and unfit for purpose.

 

[should have gone to IKEA]

It has been a nightmare. No, he is not part of trusted trader. He has made far too many errors to mention. We are drained having to deal with the fallout. We are taking legal action. Without exception every trades person we have told about it is in disbelief.

 

[meccarroll]

Such a shame you are having to go through this any decent tradesperson would be back to make sure he puts thing right and keeps you on his good side. The person who has made these does not know what he/she is doing and I would not trust them back at all. Small calims court is a start but do it with a recognised tradespersons inspection report.

Hope this works out for you.

 

[should have gone to IKEA]

Such a shame you are having to go through this any decent tradesperson would be back to make sure he puts thing right and keeps you on his good side. The person who has made these does not know what he/she is doing and I would not trust them back at all. Small calims court is a start but do it with a recognised tradespersons inspection report.

Hope this works out for you.

 

[should have gone to IKEA]

Thank you to everyone on this site for your advice. We really appreciate the feedback.