I had some trouble with Veddinge doors recently.
[edit: great news! I will soon be posting more videos! next project: how I build my bases for IKEA kitchen islands - rock solid every time!]
[this post is long: Too long, don't feel like reading - here is summary]
From a practical standpoint - the Veddinge doors are well suited for display kitchens - the finish on the doors is the weakest of all the solid colour IKEA doors that I tested. It is not recommended that they be re-sprayed [because some people buy IKEA doors and re-spray them for different colour]. It is challenging to achieve proper clean visible cuts and joints, and the cut/ routed edge if not properly protected will becomes vulnerable to chipping; The blistering damage is very visible. It is not advisable to use them in high traffic areas that will expose the surfaces to frequent abrasive contact. Good planning must be exercised to ensure that if damaged panels need to be replaced for aesthetic reasons that they be easily accessible.
Every product that IKEA puts out clearly has that statement - Design and Quality, IKEA of Sweden. So to be reasonable, since IKEA does set a pretty high standard for their kitchens, I felt that it would be best to test the solid colours in the IKEA family [I know, I am missing Ringhult - don't worry it is good - heat is the enemy of Ringhult] against theoretical damage - a scratch or jab, when you break the surface and expose the substrate.
Here is an example of me stressing the finish. So these are all 'line scored' with a box-cutter blade - and then the finish was pulled off with the tape - just like in the video.
My first impression is, that once cut through the finish, there is some great tension in the finish that is relieved and it immediately crackles along the scratch line. Because the finish is so level [flat], that crackled paint is very obvious to the eye. If you run your fingers along, it will start flaking off.
I inspected the damaged area and the first thing I noticed was that:
A] the undercoat is clear - primer coat is clear. That means that any damage will be very visible due to high contrast with the MDF substrate; Typically, the primer is the same [or close] colour - may not be applicable in this case - given the process that IKEA uses.
B] the undercoat has a quite a bit of sheen to it. I know that one of the most basic rules of finishing is that you never paint over a glossy surface - paints don't adhere well to glossy surfaces - you always have to abrade the surface. Running my finger over the brown reflective areas it feels very smooth - I want to say nice finish. So was IKEA in their 'efficiency' decided to skip a step? Perhaps, the process, was from the beginning designed not to include that step? Who made the decision to approve this finish and mass produce it on a the scale that it is? I've seen the predecessor to Veddinge, and it did nothing like this - my opinion, they were better quality doors.
Few days ago I went to see an APLAD kitchen - predecessor to Veddinge - the intent was to replace them with new doors. I had also chance to witness some 'catastrophic damage' to the doors. Even though the damage was all the way to the core - with the finish punctured all the way through - badly gouged - it was still very solidly adhering to the substrate - a typical behaviour when the doors are properly lacqeured.
I was disappointed.
I had sneaky suspicion that I am not alone in my issues with Veddinge doors. But how do I test that theory?
Ha!
IKEA's AS-IS section should prove a fertile testing grounds - I mean, this is where damaged doors go to die, or shall I say get a second chance in life..... So I went in and carefully went through the racks filled with random doors and panels. And to my no-surprise, large portion of the scratched Veddinge doors had that blistering happening.
Not in love with Veddinge....
Alright, so with all this negative news, is there hope for Veddinge? Are there any 'up-sides' to the door/panel style that IKEA makes?
There are, don't despair. That flat white slab is the corner-stone of all modernist/minimalist kitchens. Here they are -
--->> The first thing that you have going for Veddinge is your lifestyle. Maybe your kitchen is an oasis of calm and relaxment while surrounded by tasteful modernism. In the morning you make your coffee, tea or smoothie and you enjoy the view out of your large windows. You pet your cat. Later you setup your Macintosh computer on the sit-at marble bar-height counter-top and do some work from home. People do have lives like that, it's true.
-->> Second thing going for Veddinge is its cost - it's relatively low. It's affordable to exchange your damaged lower drawer front [that's the 'proper' modern look]. The Veddinge drawer or door is readily available at a nearest IKEA* location, or you can purchase on-line and have it delivered right to your door.
Say you accidentally damage the door - you are carrying groceries and your car keys at the same time; OR you are carving a large piece of meat and the big knife slips out of your hand and takes a ride on the half-open nearest drawer front; OR your little one takes a zoom on his little cruiser-bike, 'screeeech!' against the island panels; OR your mixing dough in the mixer and it all 'jumps off' the black granite slab countertop and tragically slams against the pantry door**
Veddinge is third least expensive line of doors - if the doors were better quality - like their predecessor APLAD - and that makes for an amazing deal for your modernist looking kitchen. If you don't mind and can afford to shell out few bucks every now and then to replace a visually offending panel or a door then your are good. CAUTION: This is where superior planning and install skill come into play - while it is easy to change doors or drawers, any cladding and panels need to be easily accessible - sometimes in design you end up 'trapping' elements. If this scenario works for you - you want to plan ahead and install your kitchen or build the island assuming that at one point you may be required to do a switch over - remove damaged piece and install a new piece.
-->> Third option
I make really nice modern laminate doors for IKEA kitchens - it's the 'Semihandmade option' they call it. Everyone that asks me to make doors for them mentions 'Semihandmade' as their inspiration. A knowledgeable client [even designers!] will want to utilize the price point of IKEA Sektion box; they will want to utilize the amazing plethora of hardware, fittings, lights and organziers [an entire kitchen eco-system people! - very well priced] and have it looking like a million bucks. The doors are custom work and are priced such - I only use ABET Laminati - Italian, beautiful product, amazing selection for accent doors and panels. AND! they are significantly more durable than the lacquered doors.
Important point to remember with modern kitchens. It has to be very well installed - plumb, level, square. The greatest effect that can be achieved, is done with the gaps - perfectly even and level. Also, pay attention to the hinge position - make sure that the hinge side doesn't stick out more than the bumper at the front [about 1/8"] - it's the 'flapping wings effect' - I see it often on DIY installs.
Chapter 1 - Kitchens are not museums
My blog is unique in the sense that it is typically found in an 'organic fashion'. It is not promoted anywhere, it doesn't have cheerful 'share on Facebook or Twitter' buttons - it is found because individuals are searching out for specific information or services. I consider my line of work, Professional IKEA Hacking, a very enjoyable chase between me and IKEA. I extensively gather information about IKEA's latest endavours and find myself excited when they introduce a new product that I can use to expand on the repertoire of the services that I offer.
Launch of SEKTION was no different - IKEA made a decision to carve out a solid place for itself - along with the significant chunk of cash that it brings - in the home renovation / building business. There were several shifts happening in the construction industry that directly contributed to that success.
First of all, gone were the days when you had to hire a 'general contractor' to do your reno. Television was chock full of very popular do-it-yourself shows that showed average folks tackling bathroom upgrades, kitchen makeovers or deck additions with the help of a handy trades people - good looking plumbers, charming carpenters or suave electricians, we are talking women here too. The 'trade curtain' had fallen and now ordinary folk got a first hand view how things were supposed to be done. The general contractor - typically a middleman with enough connections in the construction industry to reasonable, more-or-less dependable individuals***, that also took a cut of all the expenses that the owner incurred - was beginning to feel passe. I am not going to argue whether it was a good thing or a bad thing - but there was a change - suddenly each individual trade began to have more influence over the way the project turned out - good or bad - this is why it is important to hire good trades - he or she has to care, otherwise it can be a disaster. It also means that it is now up to individual trades to make design decisions - this is a big one - think tiles and wooden flooring - not so much plumbers ****and framers. [To be continued]
* Or an IKEA Pick-UP point! Yea! IKEA knows that people travel long and wide to get those affordable kitchens. In Ontario [a province, large area], Canada, IKEA has opened up several warehouse only locations. You visit IKEA once, check out the kitchens and decide that you like them and want to use them for your reno. Measure, plan and purchase - all online - have it delivered to a pick-up location close to home.
**this one is a true story;
***it's a curse in the industry - and this is by no means a generalization - but some trades I meet are questionable folk - it's like they live out of their car. It should be a reason for pause if the trade you intend to hire has no internet presence or history - if you work in the industry you got to start somewhere - it could be just some positive feedback on a forum, a rating on a rating site, even a simple free page. I was once reading a feedback column from a plumbing company, and the writing was so terrible, full of mistakes, awkward grammar - clearly non native speakers. I inquired with the owner, he said that he always insists that the client write a rating, even if they don't speak English. Full of errors - more genuine - more business.
****although nothing is more annoying than 'plumbing askew' - when the finishes are not parallel - toilet - or faucets.
