Billing
Q: Why do I have multiple charges on my credit card for my order?
A:
Multiple shipments may be required to completely fulfill one order. As portions of an order are shipped, partial charges will appear on your credit card. You are not receiving duplicate charges or being over-charged. Please calculate the amount of all partial charges to make sure they are equal to the initial order total amount. If they do not equal, please do contact our Customer Service team with questions.
Installation
Q: Might I need to cut shelves and/or hang rods myself?
A:
YES. You may need to cut shelving and/or hang rods at the time of installation to fit your particular space. As these are DIY products, they are not cut to size for your individual design prior to your order shipping.
Q: How can I plan for a successful installation?
A:
Clear out your closet and remove the existing system, if necessary.
Take note of technical aspects. For instance, your reach-in closet should be at least 30 inches deep. Most towers are between 82 and 83 inches high. Even if your closet ceiling is tall enough to accommodate this height, be aware that if you put doors onto the tower, they might not be able to open all the way if the closet’s front wall is lower than the tower. The key takeaway: Always take full measurements of every wall and mark them down before selecting your components and their placement in the closet.
Q: What tools are needed for a closet system installation?
A:
Most projects will require the following tools:
- 25-ft. measuring tape
- Drill with 0.25-in and 0.5 -in. drill bits
- Phillips head and flathead screwdrivers
- Fine-tooth saw
- Level
- Step ladder
- Pencil
Q: What are the recommended heights for single-hang and double-hang closet design configurations?
A:
Single-hang height should be 70 inches from the floor; double-hang height is around 84 inches for the higher rod and 42 inches for the lower rod.
This Warranty extends to the original purchaser of the Product. This Warranty does not cover any defect resulting from abuse, misuse, neglect, or any use not in conformity with the printed directions or commonly intended application of the Product. Additionally, failures due to normal wear and tear are not covered by this Warranty. You are urged to inspect the Product upon purchase. In the event that a defect in material or workmanship appears within the Warranty Period, please follow the directions below.
Q: How far apart should I install the support brackets for my wire closet system?
A:
They should not be more than 36 inches apart for fixed-mount systems and not more than 24 inches apart for ShelfTrack.
Q: What is the recommended spacing interval for multiple rows of closet shelving?
A:
Vertical spacing between shelving depends on what you are storing. If you are hanging clothes, the recommended space is 42 inches, but if you are just using shelving for folded sheets, you may only want to space them 10 inches apart. Watch our Quick Tip video on this topic for more tips.
Q: How high should the hangtrack be from the floor?
A:
Hangtrack height will depend on the height of your ceiling and length of the standards that you plan to use. The most important part is to use the appropriate hardware type for the wall where the product will be installed.
Q: Is ClosetMaid’s wire shelving made of steel or aluminum?
A:
Our wire shelving is made of vinyl-coated steel and is a minimum of 91 percent recycled content.
Q: I have a baseboard in my closet. Can I still install the closet kits/towers?
A: Yes, but the tower unit must still be fastened against the wall. The supplied L-brackets in each kit can allow a distance of up to one inch away from the wall. If the baseboard is thicker than one inch, you will have to either cut the section where the unit will be installed or purchase a bigger L-bracket at your local hardware.
Q: Why do I need to attach the tower unit to the wall?
A:
All towers and organizers must be secured to the wall to prevent the unit from potentially tipping when it is loaded with weight.
Q: Can I mount the cabinets off the floor and onto the wall?
A:
Towers and organizers that are designed to be floor-mounted and attached to the wall must be installed as instructed. Mounting the cabinets to the wall would void all warranties. Cabinets that are designed to be installed off of the floor can be used as such.
Q: I want my Selectives/SuiteSymphony corner unit to have a left-hand configuration. Is this possible?
A:
Yes. To move from a right-hand configuration to a left-hand configuration, the shelves are flipped. The right-hand configuration has the cams facing downward at the bottom of the shelf. In the left-hand configuration, the cams face upward and cam cover caps (provided) are used.
Q: Why are there pre-drilled holes on the side panels if you don’t recommend adding more shelves?
A:
The pre-drilled holes are intended for the adjustable shelves, providing more range for flexibility.
Q: Can ClosetMaid shelves be installed in a house trailer or any other kind of trailer? What about metal studs?
A:
No. Our units can only be installed either into drywall, concrete or stud wall.
Q: The parts aren’t labeled. How do I identify them?
A:
The parts can be identified through the pre-drilled holes. The instruction manual shows you a diagram of the different parts.
Product Care
Q: How can I remove labels or stickers on wire units and hardware?
A:
The labels are designed to be removable without any type of cleaner, but if they’re not peeling off easily, you can use a product like Goo Gone®.
Q: Can the laminate panels be painted?
A:
No. The laminate will not absorb the paint.
Q: How do you suggest maintaining and keeping laminate products clean?
A:
To clean laminate products, use a damp cloth and nonabrasive cleaner. Avoid using harsh chemical cleaners. They may damage the product finish over time.
Q: Can I wash my fabric drawers?
A:
Yes, your fabric drawers can be surface washed. We recommend using a damp cloth and a non-abrasive cleaner.
Q: How do I clean my wire shelves and remove labels or store stickers from my shelving?
A:
We recommend using Goo Gone® to clean wire shelves and remove product label stickers from your wire shelving. You can easily find this product in your local hardware store.
Q: Is my laminate unit waterproof?
A:
No, laminate products are not waterproof.
Q: What should I use to clean my laminate product?
A:
To clean laminate products, use a damp cloth and non-abrasive cleaner. Avoid using harsh chemical cleaners. They may damage the product finish over time.
Q: What are ClosetMaid laminate/wood products made of?
A:
Most of our products are made from a combination of engineered woods—a mixture of high-quality, hard and soft wood materials which generally come from the surplus of the original lumber processing. Commonly referred to as MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) and composite wood, these materials are wood fibers bonded together with a synthetic resin in a process that combines high heat and pressure to make a very stable, environmentally friendly product. The result is dense, strong panels of fiberboard and/or particleboard (composite wood) which are then laminated with durable, attractive finishes. These materials are then further manufactured into furniture components in a precision, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Components are inspected and packaged with high-quality, European hardware that has been designed to make home assembly quick and easy.
Design
Q: How can I get help designing my storage system?
A:
Our team of designers will be happy to assist you. Just go to the design page on our . Under Professional Design, click the Get Started link and follow the steps to sign up. For a small fee of $5 USD, you will be given two design options and one free redesign. You will be provided with 3D colored drawings, wall sections and a shopping/parts list with images.
Q: I have more than one area that I would like to have designed. Do I have to submit design requests for each one individually?
A:
Yes, the design request submitted online is good for one area only. Each space should have one request submitted online.
Q: Do you only provide designs for closets?
A:
No! You can request designs for storage in closets, garages, laundry rooms, mudrooms and more.
Q: What information do you need to complete my storage or closet design?
A:
Here is the information needed by our designers to work on your design:
- Dimensions of each wall
- Height of ceiling (if it’s an uneven height, a sketch is required, especially if the ceiling is sloping)
- Highest and lowest points of the ceiling, if sloped (this can be shown in the sketch)
- Obstacles such as windows, access, switches, mouldings, etc (exact position and dimensions)
- Storage requirements (long-hang, short-hang, drawers, shelves, shoes, etc.)
- Material preference (wire, wood or both)
Q: Can someone come to my house to measure, then create a storage or closet design for me?
A:
We do not provide this kind of service, but we have Authorized Installing Dealers available that can accommodate your requirements. Some of our dealers can visit your home, work with you on a design and do the installation as well. We just need your zip code to check the available Installing Dealer near you.
Q: I submitted a request and payment online. When do I receive my designs?
A:
The Professional Design Service turnaround time is within four business days upon receipt of complete requirements and dimensions. The completed designs will be sent to the registered email address of the design request submitted online. Note: During peaks of design request, the four-day turnaround may be extended depending on the volume.
Q: It's been more than two or four days but I still have not received the design I requested. Why not?
A:
Possible reasons why you have not yet received your designs:
- We are still waiting for the closet dimensions to start your design. We make sure to follow up twice on needed dimensions.
- Our team sent an email with a few questions about your requirements, obstacles or dimensions but we have not received your response yet.
- Your email address could have been spelled incorrectly in your initial request.
- We did not receive your design request. (If Professional Design Service: Possibly you did not finish the design application online up to the payment stage. If Faxback: We did not receive the faxback form.)
- Your design is in your spam/junk folder. Make sure to add our email address to your safe sender list.
You may contact our design team at design@ames.com
Q: I need to request a redesign. How do I proceed?
A:
Please go to the customer design page (this is the link where you viewed your design). There is a "Request Redesign" field available that you can use to submit a redesign. You can also send an email to our design team for your required changes. Your first redesign is free of charge.
Q: Store representatives cannot identify the item numbers in the parts list. What should I do?
A:
You might have received a design with the ClosetMaid generic item numbers listed and you will need the item numbers converted to retail store SKU numbers. You can email the design team at design@ames.com for assistance or call 1-800-874-0008 (Mon.-Fri. 9am to 5pm EST). Please note that design layouts may change if there are changes in the product line due to product exclusivity.
Q: I signed up online for a closet design but I changed my mind. Can I cancel the design request?
A:
Yes, you can cancel your design request. No refund is needed because consumers are not charged until their designs are completed.
Q: I would like to speak to a designer. How can I contact them?
A:
Our designers do not have direct lines. Please send an email to our design team at design@ames.com for your design-related concerns or you can chat with us through the contact us page on our website. If there is a need to discuss over the phone with a designer, please leave your name and contact number and we will have a designer call you once available.
Q: After I receive my design, what is the next step?
A:
Once you are satisfied with the design suggested by our design team, you can start purchasing the items. You may refer to your parts/shopping list to check the items you need to buy. Where to buy the product depends on the product line used in your design. Some product lines are exclusive to a store; others are available through multiple retailers as well as ClosetMaid.com. Feel free to contact our design team (design@ames.com) or our consumer line (1-800-874-0008) if you have questions.
Q: ClosetMaid’s design team created a design for me. I have purchased everything listed in the design, but I need someone to install it for me. Do you offer this service?
A:
ClosetMaid does not provide installation since our retail products are Do-It-Yourself items. While we do not render this service, we recommend you contact JEZ Enterprises if you need help with installation. You can call them at 1-877-242-0758.