With HandyMan on vacation this week, much progress has been made on renovating
the laundry room. We're using Ikea for the cabinetry but, as with most of the
Ikea we've used in our home, we like it to look built-in rather than
freestanding.
Anything "built-in" such as built-in bookcases in a library, a built-in closet in a primary bedroom, or built-in pantry shelves feels more custom and suited to your particular needs. Built-ins feel high quality and long-lasting and adding this detail will make your IKEA cabinets look expensive instead of a budget buy.
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The easiest way to make IKEA look built in is to install a filler panel between or around your IKEA cabinets. IKEA filler panels will take your cabinetry from looking off the shelf to looking custom made for your space.
This is a simple and straightforward update that even a notice DIYer can do.
Materials to use for filler panels are readily available. IKEA sells what they
call
coverpanels and decostrips which are ready to cut and install but you can also make your own
filler panels out of shelving materials, cabinet side panels, MDF scraps, or
wood to name a few.
So how do you make IKEA cabinets look built in?
The easiest way to make IKEA look built in is to install a filler panel between or around your IKEA cabinets. IKEA filler panels will take your cabinetry from looking off the shelf to looking custom made for your space.
How to Make IKEA PAX Look Built In
Filler panels are typically used with kitchen cabinetry. You most
commonly see filler panels used at the ends of cabinetry, to hide gaps
between the cabinet and the wall, or at the tops of cabinets to hide gaps
to the ceiling.
Similarly, you can use DIY or IKEA filler panels anywhere to give IKEA
freestanding cabinets a more custom look. I'll explain how to install
filler strips between IKEA cabinets and the wall.
Want to upgrade your IKEA PAX
cabinetry and make IKEA look like more like a custom solution? That's exactly what we did with the
IKEA PAX cabinets
in our nursery.
We added DIY filler panels beside and along the tops of the IKEA PAX cabinets. They blend in because we painted them the wall colour.
You can install filler strips wherever there is a gap: between IKEA cabinets, or between IKEA cabinets and the wall or ceiling. It's a small detail but one which creates a much more
finished and professional look. You can see what the nursery looked like
before
here.
We needed a similar solution for our laundry room where we were installing
IKEA SEKTION cabinets. IKEA now offers specific SEKTION filler panels but at the time of this project, they did not. Creating our own DIY filler would be an easy, simple process requiring just a few minutes to complete.
How do you install IKEA filler panels around cabinets?
Installing a filler panel is not difficult and can be done by even a novice
DIYer. You can use this method to create filler panels for IKEA SEKTION cabinets as well as for IKEA PAX. It doesn't have to be for IKEA either -
this DIY filler panel solution works for any project where you have a gap
between or around your cabinets.
1. Find your materials to make the filler. Measure and cut your filler.
IKEA sells various sizes of filler panels but sometimes you need to DIY your
panel to fit your specific situation.
The IKEA As Is section is a good place to look if you can't find a
ready-made filler panel. You can make a filler out of things like toe kicks,
cover panels, or flat doors. But really you can use most any material, not
just IKEA, for your filler panel. We usually just dig into our MDF scraps to
make our fillers.
We planned to have this particular panel painted the same colour as the wall
so the texture and colour didn't matter. But if you prefer your filler to be
visible and match the cabinet, then definitely use material from your same
IKEA system to make the filler piece.
Material Options Comparison: Cost vs. Finish Quality
| Material Source | Cost Range | Best Use Case |
| IKEA cover panels/deco strips | $15-40 | Exact finish match needed |
| MDF scraps/cutoffs | $0-10 | Painted finish planned |
| IKEA As-Is section finds | $5-20 | Budget-conscious matching |
| Home store melamine shelving | $12-25 | White/basic colors, no painting |
| Real wood boards | $20-50 | Contrasting accent detail |
2. Make the cleats.
A cleat is the supporting strip of wood that sits behind the filler panel.
It provides stability and something for the filler to adhere to. For our project, we needed two cleats: one for hiding the side gap, and one for the underside.
For our cleats, we used 1/2" thick pieces of wood. Follow these simple steps:
- Measure the depth of your filler panel (we used 1/2" MDF) and set the cleats that distance back from the face of the cabinet.
- Use carpenter's glue to attach the cleat to the wall and hold it in place with painter's tape while the glue dries.
3. Attach the filler panel to the cleat.
We also used carpenter's glue to adhere the filler to the cleat. The filler
likely won't be touched much so glue is strong enough for this application.
Nailing the filler to the cleat is not necessary but you can do that if you
prefer more stability.
4. Fill in any gaps with paintable caulk.
Oh, caulk, you hide so many secrets :) You don't need exceptional cutting skills to cut a filler panel that fits. Instead, just rely on caulking to hide the seams and any very small gaps. Choose a caulk that is paintable so you can match your walls and really ensure the filler looks built in.
Caulk is ideal if your wall isn't perfectly straight. Caulk is flexible and expands and contracts as needed. It gives a
seamless, clean look.
And that's all you need to do to make your IKEA cabinets look built
in.
If you notice, we also have a filler panel running along the tops of the
cabinets to hide the gap to the ceiling. Without the filler panels, these
IKEA cabinets would seem like they're 'floating' but now they feel more
substantial and built in. It's amazing how such a small detail can enhance
the look and feel of a room.
FAQ
Can I install filler panels on IKEA cabinets that are already mounted to the wall?
Yes, filler panels can be added after cabinet installation. You'll attach cleats directly to the wall next to the existing cabinets, then glue your filler panels to those cleats. The only challenge is working in tight spaces, so a low-profile nail gun or small glue applicator helps for confined areas.
Do filler panels need to match my cabinet finish exactly or can they be a different color?
Filler panels do not need to match your cabinet finish. Painting them the same color as your walls creates a seamless built-in appearance, while matching the cabinet finish makes them look like part of the cabinetry system. Using a contrasting material (like wood trim on white cabinets) creates an intentional design detail that can look more expensive than perfect matching.
What's the maximum gap size that a filler panel can reasonably cover?
Filler panels work best for gaps between 1/2 inch and 6 inches. Gaps smaller than 1/2 inch are easier to fill with caulk alone. Gaps larger than 6 inches may look disproportionate as fillers and might be better filled with additional cabinetry, open shelving, or designed as an intentional niche. Very large gaps (over 8 inches) benefit from adding structure like a full side panel rather than a simple filler strip.
Will adding filler panels make it harder to remove or adjust my IKEA cabinets later?
Filler panels attached with carpenter's glue are semi-permanent but can be removed with careful prying and scraping. If you want easier future adjustments, attach cleats to walls with removable adhesive strips or use pocket screws instead of glue so the fillers can be unscrewed. Most homeowners find the trade-off worthwhile since the improved appearance significantly increases the perceived value of the space.
Can the cleat attachment method work on textured walls or do walls need to be smooth?
Cleats can be attached to textured walls, but heavy texture may prevent flush contact with the cleat. For moderate texture, carpenter's glue still works but may require longer clamping time. For very heavy texture (like thick popcorn or heavy knockdown), you have two options: sand/scrape the texture where the cleat will sit, or use construction adhesive which fills texture irregularities better than carpenter's glue. Alternatively, attach cleats with screws into wall studs for the strongest hold regardless of texture.
***
Update:
Click on over
to see how the finished laundry room turned out!
Once the rest of the room is complete, you can see how much the filler
panels contributed to the look and feel of the laundry room.
Large gaps between the walls and cabinets are no longer visible and this modern laundry room feels complete and well thought out. Consider adding filler panels to your next cabinetry project!
