# IKEA HAVSTA Cabinet Assembly Build an IKEA HAVSTA cabinet with base step by step, following its assembly manual By Rob Erskine Topic: Home & DIY [Open the interactive Jig](https://ask.jig.com/j/keFrPM0voDMt) ## Guide ### 1. Parts and Tools HAVSTA is a cabinet of solid pine wood on its own low base, called a plinth\. Here are the boards, the thin back panel, the doors and every small fitting\. You need a flat screwdriver, a cross\-head screwdriver and a spirit level\. Tap any part to see its name\. Build it on a rug or the flattened box so the wood stays unscratched\. Two people make it easier\. ### 2. 1 · First Side on the Bottom Stand a side panel on the bottom panel\. Its pegs drop into keyhole\-shaped slots; press down so they lock\. ### 3. 2 · Second Side Push the other side panel onto the three pegs sticking out of the bottom panel's edge\. The two sides now stand facing each other\. ### 4. 3 · Drop On the Top Lower the top straight down so its keyholes slide over the pegs at both ends\. The four boards now make a box\. ### 5. 4 · Slide In the Back Slide the thin back panel into the groove that runs round the back edge\. It bends a little as it goes in, and that is fine\. The half\-round notches in its edge are where the snaps go\. ### 6. 5 · Snap Dowels Push four snap dowels, little plastic pins with a flat round head, through the back panel into their sleeves\. They hold the back against the sides\. ### 7. 6 · Lock the Back Press seven plastic snaps into the notches all round the back panel, then push each cap until it clicks\. The click tells you the snap is locked\. ### 8. 7 · Wooden Dowels Now the plinth\. Its four rails lie flat on the floor\. Push a wooden dowel, a short ridged pin, into each end of the long rails\. ### 9. 8 · Expanding Dowels Push eight metal expanding dowels into the side rails, ridged end first\. Their round caps stay out, ready for the cam locks\. A cap pointing into the hole is the wrong way round\. ### 10. 9 · Corner Brackets Fit two L\-shaped metal brackets on each side rail\. Later they will hold the cabinet on its plinth\. ### 11. 10 · Lock the Brackets Press a snap dowel through each bracket so it cannot slide\. Push until its flat head sits tight against the metal\. ### 12. 11 · Fold Up Three Rails Swing the back rail and both side rails up so the dowels meet their holes\. The plinth now looks like a U\. ### 13. 12 · Back Cam Locks Press a round cam lock into each hole in the back rail\. Turn it clockwise with the flat screwdriver: it grabs the dowel's cap and pulls the joint tight\. ### 14. 13 · Close the Frame Swing the front rail up to close the frame\. Now the four rails make a strong rectangle\. ### 15. 14 · Front Cam Locks Fit the four black cam locks in the front rail and turn them clockwise the same way\. Stop turning when the joint feels firm\. ### 16. 15 · Dowels on Top Push four wooden dowels into the top edges of the plinth\. They line the cabinet up when it goes on\. ### 17. 16 · Cabinet onto the Plinth Put the cabinet onto the plinth so the dowels go into its bottom\. Lift it straight down so nothing bends\. The manual does this with the cabinet lying on its side\. It is heavy, so work with two people\. ### 18. 17 · Sleeves Push four snap sleeves into the holes of the metal tabs inside the plinth\. A sleeve is a small plastic tube that grips a pin\. ### 19. 18 · Snap Dowels Press a snap dowel into each sleeve\. Now the cabinet and plinth are locked together\. ### 20. 19 · Foot Pads Push two foot pads into the holes at the ends of the front rail's lower edge\. They protect the floor\. ### 21. 20 · Adjustable Feet Screw two adjustable feet in clockwise at the back, then stand the cabinet upright together\. The feet let you level the cabinet on an uneven floor\. ### 22. 21 · Wall Anchors Press the two wall anchor brackets onto the back, near the top corners\. Their two little pins slot into holes in the back\. ### 23. 22 · Spacer Knobs Screw a ridged spacer knob onto each anchor until there is no gap\. Turn it clockwise by hand\. ### 24. 23 · Reach the Wall Turn the knobs so they reach the wall above the skirting board, then push the cabinet back against them\. The spacers keep the cabinet straight even when a skirting board holds it away from the wall\. ### 25. 24 · Level It Lay the spirit level on the top\. Turn the feet with the hex spanner from the bag until the bubble sits in the middle\. ### 26. 25 · Fix to the Wall Screw the anchors to the wall through the washers, then click the caps on\. Fixing it to the wall stops the cabinet from tipping over\. Choose screws and plugs that suit your wall\. ### 27. 26 · Screw Sleeves Screw the two sleeves into the bottom panel with the cross\-head screwdriver until they are flush\. Flush means level with the wood, not sticking out\. ### 28. 27 · Angles Screw the two small metal angles under the top, near the back\. Use the short screws and the cross\-head screwdriver\. ### 29. 28 · Bumpers Stick the two soft bumpers under the top, so the doors close quietly\. Peel them off their card and press firmly\. ### 30. 29 · Shelf Supports Push four shelf supports into the holes in the sides, all at the same height\. Count the holes so the shelf will sit level\. ### 31. 30 · The Shelf Slide the shelf in and lower it onto the four supports\. You can move it up or down later\. ### 32. 31 · Plain Hinges Lay the doors face down on something soft\. Screw the plain hinge to one end of each door with two screws\. ### 33. 32 · Soft\-Closing Hinges Screw the soft\-closing hinge to the other end\. It has a small brake that makes the door close gently\. ### 34. 33 · Hang the Doors Hang each door on its side wall: the soft\-closing hinge goes at the top\. Fasten each hinge plate with its screws\. ### 35. 34 · Knobs Screw a knob onto each door from behind\. That is the last part\! ### 36. Done Your HAVSTA cabinet is ready\. If the doors do not line up, each hinge can be adjusted up, down, in and out with a screwdriver\.