Assembling GABRIEL Furniture — Step-by-Step Assembly Guide

July 9, 2026

The GABRIEL chest of drawers is a storage unit made from melamine-coated chipboard, assembled using a standardised system of cam lock connectors and wooden dowels.

The GABRIEL range includes sideboards and chests of drawers in various configurations, typically with four, six, or eight drawers. Popular finishes combine decors such as Wotan oak with matt white fronts. With standard dimensions frequently measuring 120 cm in width, 92 cm in height, and 33 cm in depth, the furniture fits into hallways, bedrooms, or living areas.

This guide leads you through the assembly in detail, explains the correct handling of the hardware, and provides instructions for secure wall mounting.

Scope of Delivery and Preparation

Before assembly begins, a precise check of the delivered components is essential. The chest of drawers is generally delivered in several flat packs. Assembly is like a mechanical puzzle – if a component does not sit accurately at the start, the entire system will jam at the end.

Unpack all cartons carefully and sort the elements:

Carcass components: Side panels, base panel, top panel, cross rails.
Drawer parts: Fronts, side panels, back panels, base panels (usually HDF boards).
Back panel: Consisting of one or more thin panels, often joined by a plastic H-profile.
Fittings pack: Contains all wood screws and furniture screws, wooden dowels, runners, and handles.

Tools Required

For a smooth assembly, the following tools should be ready to hand:

Cross-head screwdriver (sizes PZ2 and PH2)
Small hammer (ideally a rubber mallet)
Tape measure or folding ruler
Spirit level
Cordless screwdriver (only use for drilling into the wall or with a very low torque setting to prevent tear-out of the chipboard)
Drill and suitable masonry drill bit (for wall mounting)

Step-by-Step Assembly Guide

Assembly should ideally be carried out by two people, especially when the carcass needs to be uprighted or rotated. Line the working area with cardboard or a blanket to prevent scratches to the decor.

Step 1: Preparing the Side Panels

Begin with the left and right side panels as well as the central divider panel (on models with six or eight drawers).

Tap the wooden dowels into the pre-drilled holes on the front edges. If necessary, add a small drop of wood glue into the hole before inserting the dowel.
Screw the connecting bolts of the cam lock connectors into the pre-drilled 5 mm holes in the side panels. Ensure you screw them in straight and flush up to the collar.
Fit the carcass rails of the drawer runners. These are usually roller runners or single-extension runners. Use the marked pre-drilled holes and the matching Euro screws from the fittings set. The roller of the runner must point towards the front edge of the chest of drawers.

Step 2: Assembling the Carcass

Now join the base panel and the horizontal cross rails to the side panels.

Bring the components together so that the wooden dowels and the bolts of the furniture connectors slide into the corresponding openings.
Insert the round cam lock housings into the large holes (often 15 mm) in the horizontal panels. The small arrow on the housing must point towards the bolt.
Tighten the cam locks using a cross-head screwdriver with a half turn (approx. 180°) clockwise. The joint is now securely clamped.

Step 3: Fitting the Top Panel

Place the top panel onto the assembled carcass. Here too, the dowels and cam lock bolts engage with each other. Tighten all connectors firmly. Check with the spirit level that the carcass stands square.

Step 4: Securing the Back Panel (Crucial for Stability)

The back panel gives the chest of drawers its structural rigidity and prevents it from racking or collapsing sideways.

Carefully place the carcass face down onto the soft surface.
Position the back panel pieces. Ensure the coated side faces inwards (into the chest of drawers).
Measure the diagonals of the carcass from corner to corner. Both measurements must be precisely identical. Only then is the cabinet square.
Nail the back panel firmly along the edges. The spacing between nails should be roughly 10 cm to 15 cm. Aim squarely into the centre of the edge of the side and base panels to prevent the chipboard from splitting.

Step 5: Fitting the Feet

Before uprighting the chest of drawers, attach the floor glides or feet. The standard version often consists of simple plastic glides. Anyone wishing to customise the appearance or compensate for uneven flooring can install alternative furniture legs. Popular choices include black furniture legs for an industrial look or adjustable furniture legs for older properties with uneven floors.

Step 6: Assembling the Drawers

Depending on the model, the GABRIEL chest of drawers features four to eight drawers. Proceed systematically for each one:

Connect both side panels to the drawer back panel (usually using wooden dowels and long screws).
Slide the drawer bottom into the grooved side panels.
Screw the cam lock bolts into the drawer front and attach the front to the side panels. Tighten the cam locks.
Screw the drawer runner rails to the lower outer edges of the drawer. The plastic roller must be at the rear end of the drawer.
Attach the furniture handle to the front. Insert the screws from the inside through the pre-drilled holes and tighten them hand-tight.

Step 7: Inserting the Drawers

Position the chest of drawers upright in its final location. Insert the drawers from the bottom upwards. Tilt the drawer slightly downwards, place the rollers of the drawer runner over the rollers of the carcass runner, and push the drawer horizontally into place.

Wall Mounting and Anti-Tip Protection

A chest of drawers with a height of 92 cm and a depth of only 33 cm carries a tipping risk, particularly when several drawers are opened at once or children pull themselves up on the handles. Wall anchoring is strictly required.

Position the chest of drawers against the wall.
Mark the drill holes on the wall through the supplied mounting bracket.
Move the chest of drawers to one side. Drill the holes according to your wall type (e.g. 6 mm or 8 mm drill bit for masonry).
Insert suitable wall plugs (Note: The supplied wall plugs are often only suitable for solid concrete or solid brick. For plasterboard walls, you will require specialist hollow wall anchors).
Screw the bracket to the wall and then to the top panel or the rear cross rail of the chest of drawers.

Common Pitfalls and Troubleshooting Tips

Drawers sticking or rubbing: This occurs when the carcass is not square. Check whether the chest of drawers is level. You may need to pack underneath a foot, or remove the back panel, realign the carcass, and renail the back panel.
Uneven gaps between fronts: Check that all cam lock connectors on the drawer fronts are fully tightened. Also check whether the runners were screwed precisely into the designated holes.
Stripped screw holes: If a screw has been overtightened in the chipboard, the board will no longer provide a firm hold. A tried-and-tested trick is to fill the hole with a little wood glue and matchsticks, allow it to harden, and screw into it afresh.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How long does it take to assemble the GABRIEL chest of drawers? For an experienced DIYer, assembly takes around 1.5 to 2 hours. If you are assembling the unit alone or have limited experience, you should allow 2.5 to 3 hours.

Can I replace the standard handles with different ones? Yes. Measure the hole centres (the distance between the two screw holes). Standard dimensions in furniture construction are 96 mm, 128 mm, or 160 mm. You can fit any furniture handle with matching hole centres.

Why do the drawers not close flush? This is usually down to wooden dowels not being driven fully home. If a dowel protrudes too far, the cam lock connector cannot close completely, creating a gap between the front and the side panel.

Can I retrofit soft-close dampers to the chest of drawers? If the chest of drawers is equipped with basic roller runners from the factory, it does not feature self-closing. Retrofitting is possible to an extent, but requires replacing the entire runner set with soft-close runners. Alternatively, small furniture door dampers can be fitted to the carcass edges to soften the impact noise of the front.

Replacement Parts and Modifications

If screws are lost or fittings damaged during assembly, they can easily be replaced. Because the series relies on standardised dimensions, off-the-shelf furniture connectors and hinges will fit. For bespoke adjustments to height or styling, it is worth looking at alternative metal furniture legs, which provide the chest of drawers with a modern, solid stance.