Customer Reviews for ClosetMaid Impressions Narrow 48 in. W - 108 in. W Chocolate Wood Closet System

I am a woman in my 60's and was able to put this together by myself. It looks beautiful and really dressed up my bathroom! Love it!

Looks great not the easiest install because I had to modify the shelves to fit my closet but it's nice

Needed to fill space and use this for shoes

We renovated. I was looking at an irregular shape master bdrm closet. I sketched it out, bought a pallet full of items: Four of the skinny towers, 12 drawers, extra shelves, four of the 90 deg corner hanger bars. The first tower took hours to put together, the rest went fast. Very nice, very clean, good instructions. The drawers were surprisingly high quality, nice slides, easy to assemble (one was missing a bag of hardware, store ordered replacement for me). We wanted more hanger space than drawers or shelves, so I bought one more tower than we needed, and used the side panels standalone as supports for hanger rods. (So system has three towers, each with 4 drawers lower, shelves upper....and lots of hanger space). I got a couple of top shelves, realized that I want to add in-between shelves at mid-height, so just ordered two more. The system also wants four of the corner shelves, but these no longer appear to be available in walnut, so I will (resentfully) have to make these from scratch. No brainer to cut out plywood to fit and mount it up, but I'll have to work to match the color perfectly. Overall, I'm very happy, except for the unavailability of corner shelves. Notes on the kludged standalone panels: Each side panel (upper and lower) is bolted to the wall in several places. Studs would have been nice, but the placement is required by the layout, so had to use molybolts. Solid. After adding the hanger rods, which brace the sections together and anchor to one tower, it is all VERY solid. Wood pegs were used in all three places to align the panels, not just one per panel as you use in the towers. I could have done this with single panels from scratch, but buying a spare tower matched the color perfectly. All the mounting holes were placed on the less visible side, and I ordered some fake-veneer wood-grain tape which should match, and I'll try covering it over.

I paid someone to install for me so I cannot speak on ease of instillation but the quality is fabulous! This closet organizer added so much more room to my tiny closets. I even ordered 2 more for my other closets. I have shown it off to my friends and they are looking into getting them too.

Decide for Yourself - I usually write a long review for items costing around $500 or more. Here's another - I bought 2 of these systems and 4 shelves for each. I'm not sure if 2 or 3 stars is appropriate so I'm going with 2 because of how cheaply the finish is applied to all the wood of this entire product. Anyone would expect higher quality for the price paid for this mass produced product. The shelves are 5/8" thick particleboard (NOT MDF, explained here https://homeguides.sfgate.com/difference-between-particle-board-medium-density-fiberboard-99189.html) but the veneer woodgrain finish is a cheap plastic-like super-thin paper that is poorly attached to the shelf, very noticeable even on the front finished edges (which have the same poorly applied veneer). Out of the box, there were larger chips in the unfinished ends of some shelves but luckily I needed to shorten most shelves 2 inches so they were cut off. The narrow trim pieces you dowel + glue or screw to the front bottom edge of the shelves and face of the tower are MDF with the same super thin smooth paper finish glued to them. If you bump them with anything even minimally sharp, it will cause a rip which is very noticeable on a dark finish. The metal brackets, installation hardware, and instructions are good. However, be sure to use a rubber mallet to install the top entry cam locks, bottom nuts, and dowels, NOT a regular hammer. If you are extremely careful with handling these wood pieces and do the touch-ups I did as explained below, the finished product can look very nice - but I suspect it will look pretty bad over time if you are not careful to prevent bumping it with objects having sharper edges, or put too much weight on the minimally supported shelves. Installation Recommendations: 1. Be sure to have a dark Mohawk touch-up pen (for chocolate color units) for cleaning up all the white marks along finished edge of every (yes, EVERY) wood piece where the super thin paper veneer did not bind well to the "finished" edges of the wood, or to fix a small nick in a shelf or piece of MDF. 2. If you cut the baseboard so the tower sits flush to the wall, be sure to mount the 2 hang bar brackets as per the instructions to provide a full 12" from the center of the hang rod to the wall behind the tower. When not cutting the baseboard, consider adding a 1 1/2" angle bracket at the bottom of each side of the tower fastening it to the baseboard for stability. Be sure to level the assembled tower front to back and side-to-side before fastening. 3. When cutting shelves, wrap the shelf (tightly) on both sides along the cut line with blue painter tape. Use a radial arm saw (best since the board remains stable while cutting) or table saw to cut the shelves. You should get a cleaner cut on the top side, but the bottom side of the shelf will still have chips and some flaking on the super thin paper veneer, even with a super-sharp blade. If you use the supplied 11" shelf brackets, and you can see the flaking on the exposed 1" ends not sitting on the bracket - touch it up with a super-thin coat of black latex paint (buy a Behr black sample paint) before installing the shelf (Mohawk pen won't work on these larger uneven gafs). Unfinished (ends) of particleboard swell when too much water is absorbed so keep paint and other coloring liquids to a minimum. 4. Walls are typically never a perfect 90 degree angle - some angles can be significantly wider. Measure the shelf at the back and the front edges then cut the shelf on an angle to avoid unsightly gaps on the wider edge. Always cut on the wall side since the tower side should be (mostly) squared to the back wall it is mounted to and the cut will be less noticeable. Cut the MDF trim piece after the shelf is properly fitted by installing dowels in the holes on each end of the shelf, insert the trim onto the dowels (unglued) and mark the excess overhang with a pencil to get the correct cut-off point (the trim is easily removed using only 2 dowels). Install the trim with all the dowels and glue after cutting. 5. According to ClosetMaid's replies to HD consumer questions about how much weight one of the 4 foot shelves can hold, they have indicated the limit as 30 lbs (in 2019), 25 lbs (2018), and 10 pounds on 12/12/2016 (total weight, likely to prevent sagging), no clear consistent answer. When asked, ClosetMaid would not disclose the particleboard type (LD low denity, MD medium density, HD high density) which effects the shelf strength. If 10 pounds is correct, that's quite a low limit considering 2 pair of men's dress shoes in the original cardboard box weighs almost 4 lbs. Part of the limit is from using the hollow wall anchors supplied, but the main reason is the shelf being made from particleboard and having shorter 11" brackets to support it, particularly along the rear edge. To increase the weight limit and prevent long-term sagging, I used 1x4 (ripped in half) along the entire rear edge of the shelf, turned the 11" center bracket 90 degrees, and fastened it to the 1x4 with a steel 1 1/2" angle bracket. The center support greatly increases the weight capacity as does the full length rear shelf support (see PDF link below). The ripped 1x4 under the rear edge is nailed to studs, and I used a 1x6 on the end wall (nailed to the stud in the corners + glued on the back with construction glue) for superior strength (see photos), increasing the weight capacity above 50 lbs and eliminating the possibility of sagging for typical shelf weight or more. This official CPA Technical Bulletin PDF contains simple charts detailing the weight limit based on the (5/8" thick particleboard) shelf width and (single vs. multiple ) bracket support http://web.arauco-na.com/_file/particleboard-and-mdf-for-shelving.pdf The charts makes it apparent why a low weight limit on the shelf may be the better long term limit for the out-of-the-box installation of a 4 foot shelf. Review the chart footnotes too. 6. Before installing the shelves in the tower, consider darkening the shelf peg holes using Minwax Jacobean stain on a q-tip for a nicer finished appearance (chocolate color units). Dip the q-tip in the stain, then into the hole, and wipe away the excess stain with a clean rag or paper towel. This is easiest to do prior to assembly of the tower. 7. When installing on carpet, consider removing the carpet, padding, and tack strip under the tower and replacing it with a piece of hardwood (poplar, oak) so you don't need to remove and reinstall much of the closet system to replace the carpet. That would avoid the aggravation of trying to line up wall screw holes and level everything when reinstalling on potentially thicker or thinner carpeting. ClosetMaid could make these improvements to make this unit a super product: 1. Use a better grade of particleboard that does not chip too easily when cut or bumped 2. Use a better formica-like grade shelf finish that cuts cleanly and is not so easy to damage 3. Use stained hardwood for trim, not MDF Hope these details help.

Decide for Yourself - I usually write a long review for items costing around $500 or more (I bought 2 of these units). Here's another - I'm not sure if 2 or 3 stars is appropriate so I'm going with 2 because of how cheaply the finish is applied to all the wood of this entire product. Anyone would expect higher quality for the price paid for this mass produced product. The shelves are 5/8" thick particleboard (NOT MDF, explained here https://homeguides.sfgate.com/difference-between-particle-board-medium-density-fiberboard-99189.html) but the veneer woodgrain finish is a cheap plastic-like super-thin paper that is poorly attached to the shelf, very noticeable even on the front finished edges (which have the same poorly applied veneer). Out of the box, there were larger chips in the unfinished ends of some shelves but luckily I needed to shorten most shelves 2 inches so they were cut off. The narrow trim pieces you dowel + glue or screw to the front bottom edge of the shelves and face of the tower are MDF with the same super thin smooth paper finish glued to them. If you bump them with anything even minimally sharp, it will cause a rip which is very noticeable on a dark finish. The metal brackets, installation hardware, and instructions are good. However, be sure to use a rubber mallet to install the top entry cam locks, bottom nuts, and dowels, NOT a regular hammer. If you are extremely careful with handling these wood pieces and do the touch-ups I did as explained below, the finished product can look very nice - but I suspect it will look pretty bad over time if you are not careful to prevent bumping it with objects having sharper edges, or put too much weight on the minimally supported shelves. Installation Recommendations: 1. Be sure to have a dark Mohawk touch-up pen (for chocolate color units) for cleaning up all the white marks along finished edge of every (yes, EVERY) wood piece where the super thin paper veneer did not bind well to the "finished" edges of the wood, or to fix a small nick in a shelf or piece of MDF. 2. If you cut the baseboard so the tower sits flush to the wall, be sure to mount the 2 hang bar brackets as per the instructions to provide a full 12" from the center of the hang rod to the wall behind the tower. When not cutting the baseboard, consider adding a 1 1/2" angle bracket at the bottom of each side of the tower fastening it to the baseboard for stability. Be sure to level the assembled tower front to back and side-to-side before fastening. 3. When cutting shelves, wrap the shelf (tightly) on both sides along the cut line with blue painter tape. Use a radial arm saw (best since the board remains stable while cutting) or table saw to cut the shelves. You should get a cleaner cut on the top side, but the bottom side of the shelf will still have chips and some flaking on the super thin paper veneer, even with a super-sharp blade. If you use the supplied 11" shelf brackets, and you can see the flaking on the exposed 1" ends not sitting on the bracket - touch it up with a super-thin coat of black latex paint (buy a Behr black sample paint) before installing the shelf (Mohawk pen won't work on these larger uneven gafs). Unfinished (ends) of particleboard swell when too much water is absorbed so keep paint and other coloring liquids to a minimum. 4. Walls are typically never a perfect 90 degree angle - some angles can be significantly wider. Measure the shelf at the back and the front edges then cut the shelf on an angle to avoid unsightly gaps on the wider edge. Always cut on the wall side since the tower side should be (mostly) squared to the back wall it is mounted to and the cut will be less noticeable. Cut the MDF trim piece after the shelf is properly fitted by installing dowels in the holes on each end of the shelf, insert the trim onto the dowels (unglued) and mark the excess overhang with a pencil to get the correct cut-off point (the trim is easily removed using only 2 dowels). Install the trim with all the dowels and glue after cutting. 5. According to ClosetMaid's replies to HD consumer questions about how much weight one of the 4 foot shelves can hold, they have indicated the limit as 30 lbs (in 2019), 25 lbs (2018), and 10 pounds on 12/12/2016 (total weight, likely to prevent sagging), no clear consistent answer. When asked, ClosetMaid would not disclose the particleboard type (LD low denity, MD medium density, HD high density) which effects the shelf strength. If 10 pounds is correct, that's quite a low limit considering 2 pair of men's dress shoes in the original cardboard box weighs almost 4 lbs. Part of the limit is from using the hollow wall anchors supplied, but the main reason is the shelf being made from particleboard and having shorter 11" brackets to support it, particularly along the rear edge. To increase the weight limit and prevent long-term sagging, I used 1x4 (ripped in half) along the entire rear edge of the shelf, turned the 11" center bracket 90 degrees, and fastened it to the 1x4 with a steel 1 1/2" angle bracket. The center support greatly increases the weight capacity as does the full length rear shelf support (see PDF link below). The ripped 1x4 under the rear edge is nailed to studs, and I used a 1x6 on the end wall (nailed to the stud in the corners + glued on the back with construction glue) for superior strength (see photos), increasing the weight capacity above 50 lbs and eliminating the possibility of sagging for typical shelf weight or more. This official CPA Technical Bulletin PDF contains simple charts detailing the weight limit based on the (5/8" thick particleboard) shelf width and (single vs. multiple ) bracket support http://web.arauco-na.com/_file/particleboard-and-mdf-for-shelving.pdf The charts makes it apparent why a low weight limit on the shelf may be the better long term limit for the out-of-the-box installation of a 4 foot shelf. Review the chart footnotes too. 6. Before installing the shelves in the tower, consider darkening the shelf peg holes using Minwax Jacobean stain on a q-tip for a nicer finished appearance (chocolate color units). Dip the q-tip in the stain, then into the hole, and wipe away the excess stain with a clean rag or paper towel. This is easiest to do prior to assembly of the tower. 7. When installing on carpet, consider removing the carpet, padding, and tack strip under the tower and replacing it with a piece of hardwood (poplar, oak) so you don't need to remove and reinstall much of the closet system to replace the carpet. That would avoid the aggravation of trying to line up wall screw holes and level everything when reinstalling on potentially thicker or thinner carpeting. ClosetMaid could make these improvements to make this unit a super product: 1. Use a better grade of particleboard that does not chip too easily when cut or bumped 2. Use a better formica-like grade shelf finish that cuts cleanly and is not so easy to damage 3. Use stained hardwood for trim, not MDF Hope these details help.

Easy to assemble with minimal tools. Trim adds a quality look.

The units go together very easily and are well built. I think the instructions could be a little more clear but after building one they are really easy. Our unit was missing a piece of the trim and after calling closetmaid, they shipped the piece the next day, stuff happens, it is what they do about it that matters! The only slight complaint the finish scratches just looking at it, but considering the cost and it is for the closet, no worries, but that is why I didn't give it 5 stars. I think they could provide a better protection for scratching.

Looks great in the closet and easy to Assemble. It maximizes closet space! I really like this product!

Very nice peace. Could be a little less money. I had to add some brackets in the back and also a strong one to hold on the wall. But will look good once I get one more ... I need 3 to fit my closet

Absolutely love my new closet!! So much more useable space. The cabinets have feet that adjust so leveling is a breeze. Gave 4 stats because the cherry finished was marred up in a few places, but in the closet so I only notice. The trim and shelves finish off the look. Love, love, love!!!

Overall i really like this system. I purchased two of them for a walk in closet and they were relatively easy to put together. One dissapointing fact is that many edges of the shelves were rubbed off/whitish and need yo be touched up.

this product is an absolute nightmare...none of the pieces are marked. i spent three 12 hour days putting this together and then figuring out exactly where to add the drawers so they wouldn't crash into each other. After that I had to square and level it. It looks nice, however not sure how it will hold up over time. The backing is made out of cardboard.

This looks very nice once it is installed! It does take some time, but once you get started it isn't too bad and the instructions are easy to follow. Some of my boxes arrived damaged, but it was the top shelf units and fortunately for us, the damage was in areas we had to cut off anyway. The end result is VERY nice and we decided to order a few more shelves for shoes, and drawers for the tower units. Overall, very happy we spent the money to build our own custom closet. Adding some pictures - a bit disorganized still as we wait for the additional parts, but we can fit much more than we could before.

This is my second home and the second time I'm modified my closet using this system. It's made well, looks great and easy to install.

We've had the closet impressions for 3 weeks. We are so impressed with the unit that we chose. Great for our clothes. Deep draws and excellent quality.

Easy to assemble. Nicer than most finished units I've seen since it has trim covering all the front facing edges.

We purchased 2 of these to use in our walk in closet. I used closetmaid's design services to plan our design. They aren't wood but they look very nice! And fit my budget.

Instructions were relatively easy to follow, and MOST of the product is made to a standard I'd call "good", but the finish on the panels is not very good. Some of the panels had damage on the 2 units I purchased, but they were mostly in areas that wouldn't be seen normally. The rear panels are cardboard with the same veneer, but it's shipped folded in half so you will always see the crease where they folded it unless the shelves are full. It's not a huge deal since the chocolate is a dark color; you can't notice it much. I did buy the optional shelves that sit above the hangers, and they say they can be cut to fit, but the veneer flaked away when I cut them. I even applied painters tape to it over the area that I was cutting to try to reduce the potential for damage.. I would have given 4.5 stars based on the price, but the veneer is low quality and I had to be extremely cautious to try to not damage it, but some damage was unavoidable. For what the product is, I don't think there is anything else on the market that in this price range that is any better; the next step would be solid pine and the price skyrockets. I will recommend these, but suggest to everyone to take your time and use padding or a blanket to protect the veneer while assembling.

Excellent closet solution. Installed a his-and-hers set of these into our master walk-in after the wire shelving that came with the house pulled out. If you've ever put together Ikea this if very comparable, maybe a couple more locking nuts but also more solid as a result. I had each tower put together in 45 minutes a piece. Make sure to read the instructions through once first so you have the general progression in your head. Shouldn't be any problem after that. Everything went together well and is very solid. I did purchase 75lb twist-lock drywall anchors for the clothes bars, personal preference but I feel they hold better than the traditional anchors that come with the unit. I also purchased the available shelves which cut easily with a circular saw and really gave the unit a finished appearance. We also added 3 drawers, 2 on my wife's side and 1 on mine. Easy to assemble, solidly built and also give the unit a more finished appearance. From tearing out the old shelving, patching the drywall, quick coat of paint, assembly and installation of everything (twice, since I did a his and her side) I was finished in about 10.5 hours. Rock solid, and its amazing to have an 'adult' closet for the first time. Amazed how much more space this gave us to hand and store clothes. Would definitely recommend and purchase again in the future.

Love it... easy enough to put together and worked perfectly in the space!! Already planning to buy a few more for other closet projects.

For the price it is a nice unit. Easy to put together and well built. the only issue that we had was two shelves were scratched and the edges needed touching up with color match. We were very careful while putting the unit together so as not to scatch anything. The unit was packed well so I think maybe there is an issue with quality control and inspection before packaging.

Great looking system on a budget. This system took about 10 hours work to accomplish. It came to me in 6 boxes. 5 were shelves , the 6th was the tower parts and the hanging rods. I needed a tape measure, a drill, a screw driver, and a level for most of the work. I also used a saw to cut down 2 of the shelves that I used to fit the shorter side next to the tower. The instructions were pretty good. I did find that I needed to screw in and affix a 7 foot tall board on the wall behind the tower area to give myself an attaching area, because the studs in the wall were not where i wanted them to be for attaching the tower. Also, when it comes to placing the top area of the tower over the bottom, you really need 2 people to manage the bulky and fairly heavy placement of the top over the dowels. The biggest key to make this successful was doing my best to check that everything I was doing was as level as possible when attached in its finished position. I used 3 of the 5 shelves I was sent. one for each side that when finished were even with the top of the tower, and one about 18 inches off the floor to stack things on and under it. There is room for being able to make some changes, but I followed instructions very closely when I built it. We have a second system in transit to do another closet, cuz my wife got jealous of my new newly organized closet. For particle board, the trim package and finished look in the dark cherry is impressive.

I'm conflicted. I really like the end look. But the product is cheap. It's made out of pressed board and very thin vaneer, so it chips easily. There were several chips and scratches on the boards when we received the packages. We decided to not return because we were anxious to get project done. The other complaint is the company is very stingy on hardware. It would be nice to have at least one extra instead of missing one here and there. I do like the drawers. We have 16 drawers - 8 large and 8 small. With all this said, I do like the look. I'm excited to get my clothes and shoes put away and organized.

Ladies, this is my dream closet. It was easy to put together and install.

I purchased this for my small walk-in. I did the installation myself and I would say that it took me around a total of about 15 hours to put it all together. It's very straightforward, but it is time intensive. The construction is extremely solid and everyone who has seen it has remarked that it looks like a custom closet that would have cost 5X as much. I have four rods, and it will fit TONS of clothes and suits on either rack (I just have large hangers.) If you have trim around the bottom of your closet, you will need to remove it in order for this unit to sit flush with the wall. I would highly recommend this product, just know you will need lots of tools to get it done (drills, levels, etc.) If you have to cut the shelves that go over the rods, you can just take them to your local hardward store: they cut all 4 for about $10 and they fit perfectly. It's still a one-person job although the boxes it comes in a extremely heavy. I broke them down one-by-one in my garage and carried the pieces up to the assembly area. You won't regret this purchase.

This organizer takes some time to put together. Instructions were very clear and quality was good. Added two drawers to complete the look. Very happy with the finished products. Take your time when putting it together.

Great looking closet kit. The kit was very easy to put together, it took me about 3 hrs to assemble. (total of 2 kit) No the best quality but definitely worth the money.

It may take forever to put together and finally mount to the walls, but it is so well constructed and beautiful. Only con would be the directions for mounting the tower to the wall are confusing. We had to cut a hole in the backing and it worked out fine. I added motion sensing lights to the shelves in the tower and purchased the corresponding narrow chocolate drawers to install in the lower half of the tower. I have gotten so many compliments.