Most people hate the IVAR gap and here’s how to solve it.
Over on our FB group, Amy asked this question: “We’ve just built our IVAR cabinet and put the doors on, to discover a gaping hole in the middle of the doors!
I’ve messed about with all the screws on the hinges, but it doesn’t seem to make a difference.
Has anyone got this and had the same issue? Thanks!”
Well, she’s not alone in this. If you’ve ever assembled an IVAR cabinet, you would have faced this. In fact, any IKEA cabinet with 2 doors has this issue.
It seems more prevalent on the IVAR, though, maybe partly due to the curved edge design.
But don’t lose heart. There are …
Ways to reduce the infamous IVAR gap
#1 Adjust the hinges
First, do what IKEA tells you to. Herman suggested this video showing how the various screws affect the door position.
Which corresponds to the instructions in the assembly manual.
Adjust the doors up and down
The first adjustment is to get the two doors level. So if one door is higher than the other, loosen the two screws that hold the hinge to the frame and gently nudge the door to the right position, then fasten again. (If you have someone to help you hold the door in place, it’ll be so much easier.)
Adjust the door depth (The gap between door and frame)
Once you have the door level right, you now adjust tackle the gap between the door and cabinet frame. You can see this gap from the side of the cabinet. Loosen the second screw (counting from the front) and push the door in if the gap is too large or pull it outwards if the door catches against the frame. I usually push the door all the way in and then nudge it out slightly, if necessary, for the smallest gap.
Adjust the door overlap (The gap between doors)
This is the hard bit — the side-to-side adjustments to remove the infamous IVAR gap. What I’ve found is you’ll need to make both adjustments bit by bit, adjusting the two screws, to allow the gap to close. Here’s how to do it:
- Start with the second screw: Slightly loosen this screw first.
- Adjust the first screw: Tightening this screw opens up the hinge. You’ll notice the top piece disengaging from the bottom piece. This action causes the door to move inwards, closing the gap.
- Repeat Steps 1 and 2: If the gap is still too wide, loosen the second screw again to allow the hinge more leeway to open up. Then repeat Step 2. Repeat these steps to open up the hinge fully.
- Fine-tune: Do the same on the other door and check for door alignment after each adjustment. You may need to repeat the above steps on both doors, moving the doors bit by bit until you get the best result.
- Find the right balance: If you tighten too much and the doors overlap, loosen the first screw slightly.
- Be patient: This process may take several attempts to get right. Set realistic expectations: A small gap (around 3mm) may still remain, which is acceptable for most users.
#2 The IVAR Gap Kit
If nothing works, maybe the IVAR Gap Kit will. I’ve not tried it but it promises to remove the annoying gap in no time.
Simply place 1 spacer from the IVAR Gap Kit behind each hinge, after which the space (Gap) between the doors will disappear. Like magic!
If anyone has tried this, please let us know if it works as advertised. Find out more about the IVAR Gap Kit.
#3 Cover it up
This one is from A Beautiful Mess. They removed the gap completely with a thin piece of 2″ wide basswood, glued on one of the doors.
Et voilà! Gap gone.
#4 Learn to love the gap
There are gaps but they don’t distract from the beautiful simplicity of the IVAR. Embrace the gap!
Happy hacking,
Jules