You are reading about IKEA kitchens and keep seeing two names: Sektion and Metod. A blog says one thing, a YouTube video says another, and now you are not sure which one you actually have.
Here is the short version, then the details that matter when you buy doors, panels, or a whole new kitchen.
By the end you will know which system you have, why the fronts are not interchangeable, and what that means if you want to swap your doors.
Same idea, two systems
Both Sektion and Metod are IKEA's modular box-and-front kitchens. You buy a frame (the box), then choose doors, drawer fronts, hinges, and legs. The concept is the same on both sides of the ocean.
The difference is measurement. North America builds in inches, so Sektion cabinets are sized in inches. Europe builds in centimetres, so Metod is sized in metric. That one choice changes almost everything downstream.
Sektion replaced the older Akurum system in North America in 2015. Metod replaced Faktum in Europe a couple of years earlier. If you have an IKEA kitchen from before roughly 2014 to 2015, you may have one of those older systems instead.
Sektion vs Metod: the size differences
The cabinets are close in size, but not the same. Here are the standard dimensions people ask about most. Treat these as typical IKEA sizes; always confirm against your own cabinets before ordering anything.
| Spec | Sektion (North America) | Metod (Europe) |
|---|---|---|
| Sold in | US, Canada | Europe, Australia, most other markets |
| Base cabinet depth | 24" (about 61 cm) | 60 cm (about 23.6") |
| Base frame height | 30" | 60 cm or 80 cm (more heights offered) |
| Wall cabinet depth | 12" (also 15") | 37 cm (about 14.6") |
| Wall cabinet heights | 15", 20", 30", 40" | 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140 cm |
| Standard widths | 12", 15", 18", 21", 24", 30", 36" | 20, 30, 40, 60, 80 cm |
| Leg / plinth height | 4" to 4¾" | 8 cm or 16 cm |
Look at the wall cabinet depth line. Sektion wall boxes are 12 inches deep. Metod wall boxes are 37 cm, which is closer to 14.6 inches. That is almost three inches of difference on the same wall cabinet.
Widths are the bigger gap for planning. Metod uses 40, 60, and 80 cm modules. Sektion uses 15, 24, and 30 inch modules. They do not line up, so a Metod door made for a 60 cm cabinet will not cover a 24 inch Sektion opening.
Why doors and fronts are not interchangeable
This is the part that trips people up. The two systems share many of the same door designs, but not the same door sizes or hinge holes.
Two things get in the way:
1. The panels are different sizes. Because the boxes are sized in inches versus centimetres, the doors that cover them are too. A Metod front is a few millimetres to a few centimetres off from its Sektion cousin.
2. The hinges bore in different spots. Both systems use IKEA soft-close hinges, but the mounting positions are not identical. A door drilled for one system will not sit right on the other.
So even if a door looks the same in both catalogues, you cannot mix them. This matters most if you moved between continents, bought cabinets abroad, or inherited a kitchen and are not sure of its origin.
Which one do I have?
Quick ways to tell them apart:
Check the country. If you bought your kitchen in the US or Canada in the last decade, it is almost certainly Sektion. If you bought it in the UK, Europe, or Australia, it is Metod.
Measure a wall cabinet's depth. Around 12 inches points to Sektion. Around 14 to 15 inches (37 cm) points to Metod.
Check the receipt or IKEA account. The cabinet frames are listed by system name on your order history and on the assembly instructions.
If your kitchen is older and the boxes measure in odd sizes with face frames, you may have Akurum (North America) or Faktum (Europe) instead. Those are retired, and new IKEA fronts will not fit them.
What this means for new doors in Canada
If you are in Canada, you have Sektion. That is good news, because it is the system semi-custom front makers build for here.
At Kitch we make our doors, drawer fronts, and panels to fit IKEA Sektion boxes (and Godmorgon vanities). You keep the IKEA frames you already have, and swap the fronts for a custom look in styles like Slab, Shaker, Gruv, or Deco.
The one caution: if you brought a Metod kitchen with you from overseas, our Sektion fronts will not fit it. Send us your details before ordering and we will confirm.
Common doubts, answered honestly
"Is Metod better than Sektion?" Neither is better. They are the same idea built to different rulers. Europe gets more frame heights and a taller plinth option; North America gets appliance panels sized for bigger fridges and ranges. You use whatever your region sells.
"Can I import Metod doors to get a style I saw online?" You can try, but the sizes and hinge holes will fight you, and returns across borders are a headache. It is usually cheaper and cleaner to buy a Sektion-fit front locally.
Takeaway
Sektion and Metod are the same modular kitchen concept, split by region and by inches versus centimetres. The names change the sizes, the sizes change the doors, and the doors do not cross over. In Canada, you have Sektion, which means you have plenty of custom-front options that fit what you already own.
Book a free discovery call and we will walk through your cabinets with you. Book a discovery call at mykitch.ca.
FAQ
Does IKEA still sell Sektion in 2026?
Yes. Sektion is IKEA's current kitchen cabinet system in the US and Canada. Metod is the current system in Europe and most other markets.
Are Sektion and Metod doors the same?
The styles overlap, but the sizes and hinge positions do not. A Metod door will not fit a Sektion box, and the reverse is also true.
What replaced Akurum?
Sektion replaced Akurum in North America in 2015. In Europe, Metod replaced the older Faktum system. New IKEA fronts do not fit those retired lines.
I live in Canada. Do custom fronts fit my IKEA kitchen?
If your kitchen is Sektion, yes. Kitch fronts are made to fit IKEA Sektion cabinets and Godmorgon vanities. Confirm your sizes before ordering if you are unsure.
Sizes are typical IKEA dimensions and can vary by product and year. Measure your own cabinets before ordering.