Frequently Asked Questions

Closetmaid Frequently Asked Questions

Installation

  • 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.

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
  • 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.
  • They should not be more than 36 inches apart for fixed-mount systems and not more than 24 inches apart for ShelfTrack.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Our wire shelving is made of vinyl-coated steel and is a minimum of 91 percent recycled content.
  • 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.
  • All towers and organizers must be secured to the wall to prevent the unit from potentially tipping when it is loaded with weight.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • The pre-drilled holes are intended for the adjustable shelves, providing more range for flexibility.
  • No. Our units can only be installed either into drywall, concrete or stud wall.
  • The parts can be identified through the pre-drilled holes. The instruction manual shows you a diagram of the different parts.



Product Care

  • 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®.
  • No. The laminate will not absorb the paint.
  • To clean laminate products, use a damp cloth and nonabrasive cleaner. Avoid using harsh chemical cleaners. They may damage the product finish over time.
  • Yes, your fabric drawers can be surface washed. We recommend using a damp cloth and a non-abrasive cleaner.
  • 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.
  • No, laminate products are not waterproof.
  • 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.
  • 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

  • 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.
  • United States
  • Canada (English)
  • Canada (French)
  • Yes, the design request submitted online is good for one area only. Each space should have one request submitted online.
  • No! You can request designs for storage in closets, garages, laundry rooms, mudrooms and more.
  • Yes. There are free design forms/tear sheets available in retail stores that carry ClosetMaid products. Fill out a form and send it back to the numbers written in the form or you can send a scanned form via email at design@ames.com.
  • You will get one design per request and one free redesign. You will receive a line-art drawing, sections and shopping/parts list.

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)
  • 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.
  • U.S. Customers
  • Canadian Customers
  • 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.

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

  • 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.
  • 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 8pm EST, Sat. 9am to 5pm EST). Please note that design layouts may change if there are changes in the product line due to product exclusivity.
  • Yes, you can cancel your design request. No refund is needed because consumers are not charged until their designs are completed.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.


If you have specific questions about your project, call our customer service line at 1-800-874-0008 (Mon-Fri 9am to 3pm EST).