Building units into kitchen cabinets

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January 4, 2004 at 5:15 pm #5123

Anonymous

Hi Tim – I am in the process of rebuilding my kitchen and struggling with some design details which, having browsed your excellent web site, I hope you might be able to help me with

please?
I want to achieve a ‘shaker’ look and I am building the cabinets myself from 18mm WBP ply with a solid wood face frame and doors. But that is presenting me with prolems on how to

build such a cabinet to accommodate an integrated AEG dishwasher (just purchased) and an existing Bosch standalone washing machine. The only way I can think of mantaining the ‘door

in a frame’ look for the dishwasher cabinet is to build the door with the bottom frame incorporated into the door -ie not fixed to the side frame. This would also solve my problem

of being able to pull out the machine if I need to. I am building my worktop to be 650 wide to give me space to push the freestanding washer back but here again I have the problem

that fixing a bottom frame would prevent me in future from pulling out the machine. I can think of no way round this other than to fix the bottom frame in place with some sort of KD

fitting.
Also the washing machine restricts the depth of the plinth to 100mm – does this sound asthetically OK or if there is a ‘minimum’ for plinths?
Finally, I am intending to have a granite work top and therefore as well as tops I intend to strengthen the open backs of the appliance cabinets with 18mm ply leaving just the

necessary gaps for pipes and cables etc but I am still a little concerned about the weight of the worktop and wonder if the cabinets would need further strengthening?
Apologies for the flood of questions but I hope you might be able to advise.
Many thanks and Happy 2004
January 4, 2004 at 11:00 pm #5125

timfoley

Steve,

In building your own units and doors you are not restricted by the size elements of standard kitchen components and essentially your kitchen will be bespoke.

Perhaps a better suggestion is to manufacture the door and frame as one component in keeping with the rest of your design and utilising them for both appliances.

This way you can manufacture a door to a width of 645mm and attach it to the relevant side of 680-700mm deep end panels leaving an internal space of 609mm for installing your

freestanding dishwasher. Installing at this depth will allow you to install your hinges and maintain a 150mm continuous plinth across the front of the appliance.

This is a great solution for integrating “freestanding” appliances and unlike alternative methods i.e. installing a smaller and seperate plinth or attaching plinth flush to the door

for opening simultaneously, this method is indistinguishable from other kitchen cabinets.

With regard to your query on worktop weight I am certain the cabinet structure will be more than sufficient particularly when you consider that a large number of cabinets are only

constructed using hardboard backs.
Installing an 18mm top rail at the rear and fixing to the wall will more than cope with the weight.

Hope this helps and good luck with the project.
Keep us posted.
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