[Read part 2 of Elfa Closet Installation]
So with the room prepped up, it was finally time to get to the actual installation. Funny how that goes– the majority of time going into getting everything ready, and then, almost a feeling of relief at being able to fall into the central project itself. Small stages of completion leading to the Bigger Thing.
Focusing first on the all-important load-bearing top track, and as suggested by the Container Store folks, taping up the plans to the appropriate wall.
Top track and Wall A plans
We measured, leveled out and pencil marked the appropriate drill holes. Used a pilot 1/8″ drill hole to test for studs or just straight plaster, and then widened the appropriate holes with a masonry 3/8″ drill bit for the plastic drywall anchors. Here’s the sensible S. system of getting the materials ready.
Ladder organization
It may look like a simple bunch of holes in a line (well okay, that’s right), but it felt like much more of an accomplishment…
Holes in a Line (exciting!)
A bit of trial and error in terms of getting the plastic anchors into the holes without splintering, but we got it down after a few mess ups. Let’s just say it was also a good thing that we had the power drill and another electric screwdriver. A lot of finishing by hand at the end, but the power tools saved us a lot of wrist twisting up to that point. And the top-tracks were done!
Top tracks installed
Then, it was all about getting the component pieces in the right place, and hanging and snapping them into position as laid out in our design. First, the hanging standards on which all the shelving and drawers would hook into.
Getting the component materials ready
Putting in the hanging standards
S. masterfully overseeing.. and putting in the shelf brackets.
Looking at plans and putting in brackets
Next? (This part was going satisfyingly quickly…) Putting in the drawers which came in two separate pieces. The sliding tracks and then the wire drawers themselves. Key part to this? Making sure the distance between the hanging standards was two feet–definitely handy to have those cardboard spacers that Elfa puts in each of the individual drawer boxes.
Talk about component-ized!
Putting in the drawer slide tracks
Snapping in the wire drawers
After the drawers, we moved on to putting the wire shelving in place– pretty easy after following the advice of pushing in the middle section first and then popping the rest of the sections in place.
Drawers and wire shelving in place
Add the finishing touches of putting on the plastic end pieces and hanging bars (and the rest of clean up), and we were done!
Wall D installation with two short hanging spaces
Walls A and B
There are the bookshelves to install in the other room too, but hey.. that time will come. In the meanwhile, it’ll all be about figuring out how to make use of all this re-designed space. Not so bad at all…
Elfa Closet Installation (part 3)
[Read part 2 of Elfa Closet Installation]
So with the room prepped up, it was finally time to get to the actual installation. Funny how that goes– the majority of time going into getting everything ready, and then, almost a feeling of relief at being able to fall into the central project itself. Small stages of completion leading to the Bigger Thing.
Focusing first on the all-important load-bearing top track, and as suggested by the Container Store folks, taping up the plans to the appropriate wall.
Top track and Wall A plans
We measured, leveled out and pencil marked the appropriate drill holes. Used a pilot 1/8″ drill hole to test for studs or just straight plaster, and then widened the appropriate holes with a masonry 3/8″ drill bit for the plastic drywall anchors. Here’s the sensible S. system of getting the materials ready.
Ladder organization
It may look like a simple bunch of holes in a line (well okay, that’s right), but it felt like much more of an accomplishment…
Holes in a Line (exciting!)
A bit of trial and error in terms of getting the plastic anchors into the holes without splintering, but we got it down after a few mess ups. Let’s just say it was also a good thing that we had the power drill and another electric screwdriver. A lot of finishing by hand at the end, but the power tools saved us a lot of wrist twisting up to that point. And the top-tracks were done!
Top tracks installed
Then, it was all about getting the component pieces in the right place, and hanging and snapping them into position as laid out in our design. First, the hanging standards on which all the shelving and drawers would hook into.
Getting the component materials ready
Putting in the hanging standards
S. masterfully overseeing.. and putting in the shelf brackets.
Looking at plans and putting in brackets
Next? (This part was going satisfyingly quickly…) Putting in the drawers which came in two separate pieces. The sliding tracks and then the wire drawers themselves. Key part to this? Making sure the distance between the hanging standards was two feet–definitely handy to have those cardboard spacers that Elfa puts in each of the individual drawer boxes.
Talk about component-ized!
Putting in the drawer slide tracks
Snapping in the wire drawers
After the drawers, we moved on to putting the wire shelving in place– pretty easy after following the advice of pushing in the middle section first and then popping the rest of the sections in place.
Drawers and wire shelving in place
Add the finishing touches of putting on the plastic end pieces and hanging bars (and the rest of clean up), and we were done!
Wall D installation with two short hanging spaces
Walls A and B
There are the bookshelves to install in the other room too, but hey.. that time will come. In the meanwhile, it’ll all be about figuring out how to make use of all this re-designed space. Not so bad at all…