Ikea Pragel

by **MattBennett** on Wed Jun 16, 2010 8:13 am

Hi everyone, thanks firstly to everyone who has posted info and advice on this site. I have read through a number of threads before and during the installation of my kitchen.

I have installed all the carcases to the kitchen and am having a fitter come at the weekend to join the tops. I wonder if any one has ever fitted Ikea Pragel Wallnut Effect and can tell me a good match with colorfill of simlar product.

I have some progress pictures of the kitchen if anyone is interested.

Regards Matt

by **timfoley** on Wed Jun 16, 2010 3:01 pm

Hi Matt,
Welcome to our forum and happy to hear it's come of some use to you during your project.
Although in my previous occupation I never installed Pragel worktops, they appear little different to the wood grain laminates I did install and not being the greatest fan of Colorfill, my advice would be to use a good quality silicone sealant which are available in various colours. They always performed best for me and my experimental period using Colorfill only served to highlight how much better a good quality silicone sealant was.
Attempting to separate a cured silicone joint is some task and proves how efficient the bond is.
Woodgrain tops such as Pragel do not lend to providing the most inconspicuous joints as the grains run in opposite directions where an L-Shaped joint is necessary but silicone will in my opinion offer a more efficient and practical bond.
Hope this helps Matt and by all means post some pics here.
Tim

by **MattBennett** on Thu Jun 17, 2010 7:58 am

Tim, many thanks for your reply.

Ill post a few pictures don't want to bore you all, sure you have seen more kitchens in your lives than you care to remember.

Tiling before plumbing sorted.

Lighting before strip light was removed

Think my Dad must have said something I didn't like

Unit starting to go in

Baton hung for wall units to be levelled from.

http://s37.photobucket.com/albums/e69/M ... 203981.jpg
Cuts for extractor fan ducting

Extractor in before cover panel installed

New plumbing and electrical, Ikea cabinets do not have a service void at the back so this was the neatest solution. Not bad for a couple of D**K heads as my Dad and I say.

Have tried something different with the plinths, gone for a small look, wife is unsure, and I must confess I'm not either.

Wall painted Crown Plum Suede

You can see our shower mixer tap installed in the new sink, just resting on the units untill the fitter comes over the weekend.

My floor tiling is pretty level quite happy with that especially with the brick pattern.

I am going to be tiling the plinths in the same tile, and we have 22mm blue LEDs for the plinth lights.

Comments, suggestions and criticism please. I am not a pro by any stretch of the imagination. A keen DIYer trying to make his pay go further. All though this is something I think I would like to do when the government has finished with me!

Regards Matt

by **MattBennett** on Thu Jun 17, 2010 8:11 am

Cant edit my last post, here is the pic that the link is no good for and one more I forgot to post

by **MattBennett** on Thu Jun 17, 2010 11:22 am

Looking at these pics and carrying on installing the plinths this morning I have defiantly decided I don't like it. I'm going to make the plinths flush with the width of the unit. IS there a standard distance that plinths are supposed to be from the from of the base? What is the accepted practice please?

Regards Matt

by **timfoley** on Thu Jun 17, 2010 11:43 am

Matt,
Very good standard of fitting. The plumbing is extremely neat and I like the flanges used to cover the base entry holes for pipes and cables.
Plinth - Have to say that I don't like the original plan and my favoured option was to fit the returns about 5mm short of the cabinet gable rather than flush with it because it would accentuates the joint more.
Ideally, where a cabinet gable is visible, I think it preferable to fit an end panel down to the floor that protrudes the doors width beyond the cabinet front. This serves to hide where the space where the door meets the cabinet and also eliminates the need for a plinth return. The front plinth then just butts up to the end panel.
Good luck with the tops.
Tim

by **MattBennett** on Thu Jun 17, 2010 2:19 pm

Tim, thanks for your compliments and criticism. All taken on board. I have decided to get end panels that come down to the floor for the ends of the base units. All though Ikea do not sell a specific end panel for the job, there is one that I can cut down to the correct size. This I feel will be the neatest way to finish things off.

I have left the plinths at the depth from the front is there any reason why when I tile I should go to the base of the cabinet? I'm thinking if I leave enough room to get my fingers behind, I can, if necessary remove the plinths.

by **MattBennett** on Thu Jun 17, 2010 2:24 pm

by **timfoley** on Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:08 pm

Matt,
One thing that struck me when looking at the last images is that your corner cabinet door may not open fully as the adjacent washing machine appears that it may impinge on it.
To counter this you can increase the width of the corner filler by matching the door finish and fit the corner cabinet another 20-30mm from the wall corner.
This factor is also essential in corners where a drawer pack may snag against the return cabinet door and it's best to try these out before proceeding to fit the worktops.
Increasing the widths of a corner fillet will rectify any snagging issues that could occur.
As for tiling, I would personally raise the cabinetry the depth of the tiles, tile the area of any appliance recess and tile up to the cabinet feet before then fitting the plinh.
Tim

by **MattBennett** on Thu Jun 17, 2010 9:25 pm

Tim,

I have a pull out and swing unit to go in the corner base so I am hoping that the door will swing out of the way and the washer does not get in the way. I suppose I should have a little test to make sure!

I am not sure I follow what you mean with regards the tiling? Are you talking about my case or generally?

I have tiled the entire floor and put the units on top of the tiles and am tiling the entire exposed wall surface of the walls with units on. The back wall as in the pictures is painted as a "bold" wall. When I tile the walls, I will be tiling behind the ove, fridgefrezer and washing machine.

I am also going to tile the plinths following the pattern up from the floor, these however will be removable.

Oh and thanks after speaking with the wife regarding end pannels I have to endure Ikea AGAIN tommorow afternoon to buy bigger end panels!

Thanks for the input it is very much appriciated, it is good that you care about your trade so much that you are prepared to take time out of your day to offer free impartial advice if only there were more like your self.

I am finding the whole process very satisfying and can imagin there is a great sence of job satistaction at the end of a job.

Regards Matt

by **timfoley** on Fri Jun 18, 2010 5:06 pm

Matt,
Best to test out this before worktops are fitted. May prove a costly error if it doesn't work as you expected.
Re: Floor tiles - I was speaking generally and if you have already tiled the area beneath the cabinets then my previous advice doesn't apply. The units will not require raising as the tiles are already fitted.
As for your waiting in another queue at IKEA, sorry but no pain no gain I'm afraid.
I think if you asked any good kitchen fitter he'd say the same - you get a huge buzz out of transforming a kitchen when it's done correctly and it is a very satisfying feeling as you stand back to view your masterpiece.
Glad we could be of some help and hope it all goes well.
Tim

by **MattBennett** on Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:43 pm

Tim, you were right, as soon as I got home from work this morning at around 0130hrs I looked immediately at the corner unit. I have today moved the cabinet enough to allow clearance. The downside of this is the wall unit above is now out of line. I plan to make some open shelving in the small gap left. I also need to get some top opening hinges because the door for the fan unit fouls the down lighter. The end is near though and a haven't gotten worried about the problems that have cropped up.

Few pictures from today.

How close the door is now it has been moved, would never have opened before it was moved.

Spot the mistake? The good thing about being an amateur is your allowed to make mistakes and put them right!

Happy with the way the plumbing looks though need to gloss the pipes to tidy it up.

My reward for a hard days work

by **timfoley** on Wed Jun 23, 2010 10:44 am

Matt,
Glad this issue was rectified before the worktops were fitted. If only the internet allowed me to reach in and grab that bottle of Bulmers I'd have celebrated with you.

Tim

by **MattBennett** on Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:36 pm

Tim, thanks for all you help guidance and encouragement so far. I am struggling with the top opening hinges that I have bought, I am going to look more at them this weekend. I now have all doors hinges handles and soft closing dampers on now and have tiled most of walls now.

by **timfoley** on Thu Jul 15, 2010 1:24 pm

Looking good Matt.
One thing I would suggest is raising the cooker to the same level as the worktops and fitting metal shields to each worktop return end either side of the cooker. This will help prevent any heat damage.

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