Visiting family a few weeks ago, we found out that the IKEA kitchen doors can be fitted with an additional damper unit. That’s the device that gives them the “soft close”, so they don’t slam shut if you let go. It’s a small unit that clips onto the hinge and presses against the door, stopping it from closing fast.

Door damper

When we fitted our kitchen back in 2004, I don’t remember that being an option. Maybe it was, and we didn’t do it as it cost too much. In any case, we didn’t get them. So I was pleasantly surprised that a pack of two dampers costs £4 which, with 10 cupboard doors, five packs will do just fine, and £20 is very reasonable to do the whole kitchen. We bought them today.

Thinking this was going to be a nice quick job to fit, I sat down with the first one to clip it on. The IKEA hinges are great – they just unclip from the door – so it was easy to try.

IKEA Integral cupboard door hince circa 2004

Of course, things weren’t so simply. After an annoying time pushing and levering, I came to the conclusion that they just weren’t going to go on. I guessed that they had changed design in the last 10 years, and the “integral” hinges we have aren’t the same as “integral” hinges today. (As an aside, it’s a good reason why software has version numbers. IKEA could learn a lesson here.) The diagram on the damper packaging then seemed to confirm this; the new hinges obviously have rectangular holes, rather than oval ones.

Hinge and packaging

It looked like it should nearly fit, with a bit of modification. And that turned out to be the case. The damper is held in place with three clips; two pointing away from the door, and the sprung-loaded third pointing towards the door. These clip into the single hole in the centre of the hinge. With a bit of squaring off, I thought, it might just go. Certainly worth trying one hinge to see.

Out came the small file:

Small file

It took less than two minutes to flatten the back of the hole off to take the two rear lugs. I found the quickest and easiest way was just to hold the hinge pressed against my leg (wearing jeans) and to file it like that. The metal is pretty soft, so it cuts fast.

Rear of hole filed flat

The front then also needed to be flattened off a little to take the spring lug. The entire hole could just be opened out to a rectangle, but there doesn’t seem any point.

Damper mounting hole filed out

Success!

Hinge with damper

After the first couple, I got to be able to fit one to a door in about 2-3 minutes. A nice kitchen upgrade, and will hopefully save a few banged doors.

Hinge in place on cupboard

Note the damper is IKEA part number 801.262.13. I don’t know what the hinge part number is, or if it changed when the design did. Numbers stamped on the hinge would have been nice, as would have instructions on the web site. Although the doors are good, we’re now left with drawer dampers that definitely won’t fit; it would have been nice to know first as the picture (inside the tough sealed packaging) would have confirmed that easily.

4 Thoughts on “Fitting IKEA kitchen door dampers to older hinges”

  • Hi,

    This problem was very frustrating. And I did not have a file.

    Before reading this I tried hammering them in. Oddly enough 1 went in, but after I saw the problem as posted here I had a lot of success with an easier method of fitting.

    Essentially, I took a larger pair of pliers and twisted the bottom teeth inward to create a more circular fit. Then squished them together a bit and then I squished the front holding part in a bit and… voila! They went on just right.

    Happy happy day. Oh, also, I did take off the encasement as it seemed to be a bit easier to manage the squishing process and it easily snapped back on when the piece was in place.

    Not sure if you are interested in posting this. Warm regards, Laura

  • Thank you – I bought 10 packs at my Ikea last night in the “As is” section for $1.00 each thinking I could retrofit my rental property kitchen real cheap. (We just did a re-model in our kitchen at home this spring and paid $7.00 per pack so I thought this was a major bargin) Then I tried to install these dampers this am and found out the same problem you had – oval holes. Thank heavens for the good things on the internet – problem solved and money saved!

  • addendum – going to try using my Dremel tool bit so that I do not have to take all the hinges off the doors.

Leave a Reply to A Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *