Kitchen Refurb

Post Reply
User avatar
PanBiker
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16395
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 13:07
Location: Barnoldswick - In the West Riding of Yorkshire, always was, always will be.

Kitchen Refurb

Post by PanBiker »

As reported in another thread, my new kitchen units arrived today. I will be starting on construction this afternoon. Some preparation work has already been done with half the ceiling replaced with new integral down lighting. I have installed the cabling for a couple more sockets as I am extending the existing work top area.

I am not going to fully document this as I have too much to do but I will take a few photo's before and as I progress with the build to show progress.
Ian
User avatar
Stanley
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 89880
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 12:01
Location: Barnoldswick. Nearer to Heaven than Gloria.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by Stanley »

I wish you square walls......
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net

"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
User avatar
PanBiker
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16395
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 13:07
Location: Barnoldswick - In the West Riding of Yorkshire, always was, always will be.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by PanBiker »

Right here we go. These are the existing units around two sides of my kitchen. I bought this lot from Magnet I think it was when they had an outlet at Keighley. I brought the whole job lot home in and on my Astra that I had at the time, I remember I nearly broke it in the process. I fitted this last lot about 23 years ago so they have done quite well but are looking a bit tired at the edges.

Image

Image

I have taken out the boxing for the boiler flue pipe that runs over the top of the cupboards and removed the corner base unit in these photos. The worktop and two base units in the first photo are all released from their fixings. You cant see here but I have already chased new cabling in ready to break into the existing ring main to add a couple more sockets, another double above what will be an extended worktop area and a single below to power a larder fridge.

I'm trying to do this whilst still maintaining some semblance of a functioning kitchen.

Here's my drop courtesy of the lads from B&Q Doncaster facilitating hub the other day stacked mainly in the back living room and kitchen. It was a full pallet load plus 2 x 3M 600mm worktops and 1 x 2.1M 900mm breakfast bar.

Image

Image

Image

I have now cut all my worktops down to slightly oversize so they are all more manageable. I have built the new corner cabinet and it is loose fitted into the corner. The new base unit for the sink is built and I have made the cut out in the worktop for the new 1.5 bowl sink. These two units under the window are the business end of the kitchen as a such and the sink is the first priority. I will get my plumber to do the pipe work, I have all the necessary fittings but not the experience to fit it properly. I know my limitations and I need minimum downtime on this to keep the kitchen up and running.

Once the old sink, unit and worktop is out I can level up the corner unit and work out both ways from there.

I will put some more photo's up when I have the old units out.
Ian
User avatar
Tizer
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 18812
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 19:46
Location: Somerset, UK

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by Tizer »

Have you sent Sally on holiday while the job's done? :laugh5:
Nullius in verba: On the word of no one (Motto of the Royal Society)
User avatar
LizG
Senior Member
Posts: 1010
Joined: 22 Mar 2012, 05:36
Location: Melbourne Australia

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by LizG »

Hope it all goes according to plan. Keep the photos coming, I love a good kitchen reno!
Liz
User avatar
Wendyf
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 9424
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 12:26
Location: Lower Burnt Hill, looking out over Barlick

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by Wendyf »

Exciting stuff Ian. We ordered our new kitchen units from B&Q early last year and they arrived the day after Col came home from hospital after his bladder operation. We managed to stack them in a dry part of the barn and the wood block worktops behind the sofa in the living room and there they remain! Col wasn't feeling up to the job this year as it involves major work to plumbing, electrics, walls, floor & ceiling....but he has made some beautiful doors so we can shut off the kitchen from the rest of the house when work eventually starts. :grin:
We are lucky to have a decent sized utility room that we can move into, but our oil cooker/central heating boiler needs to be moved out for a while so major work needs to wait till next summer.
User avatar
Tizer
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 18812
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 19:46
Location: Somerset, UK

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by Tizer »

When we had our builders in last year putting insulation on the kitchen walls and fitting new units we went and stayed in a holiday cottage in Cornwall for a week, we couldn't face being in the house. It worked out well because they had us out of the way and could crack on without without being bothered by us.

When I saw Ian's first two photos I thought that was the new kitchen!
Nullius in verba: On the word of no one (Motto of the Royal Society)
User avatar
PanBiker
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16395
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 13:07
Location: Barnoldswick - In the West Riding of Yorkshire, always was, always will be.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by PanBiker »

Nice of you to say so Tiz, they look OK at a distance but are curling at the edges close up. We are keeping broadly the same layout (the utility positions are fixed of course) which dictates to some extent where stuff goes. We are happy with the layout and it works well. All the water and waste requiring stuff is on the front window wall and will basically remain the same but with new units and worktops. I'm going to tile along the back of all the units when I finish off.

We have the operational triangle of cooker, sink, fridge, with worktops in between with the added advantage of a wide breakfast bar in the center of the room which you can't see on the first two photos. This is a very useful working area. Apart from renewing the units and changing the look we are incorporating a few different storage options which should be a bit more functional. The current breakfast bar which is actually a peninsular out from the wall currently has a double cupboard and two drawers, we are replacing this with a three drawer pan cupboard in the middle with two pull out larder cupboards set at each end. The current 500 wide base unit cupboard next to the corner unit is being replaced with a 3 drawer base unit. the worktop along this side will be extended to the length of the full wall as will the cupboards above.

We currently have a combination upright fridge freezer, as Sally does a lot of bulk cooking and freezing she needs a bigger freezer so we will replace the existing with a full height freezer and get a new larder fridge. We can move to totally frost free at the same time, win, win situation.

OK on your situation Wendy, we already had ours on order when Sally's mum died. I had to delay the delivery a little to get the right side of the funeral. I then had to push it back a bit further as we had the pre booked week in Suffolk with the grandchildren to fit in as well. Sally has not gone on holiday for the duration but is doing a few days out with Carla and the kids. Our Jack is living at home at the moment so I have had very welcome help with the heavy lifting and maneuvering. One of the knock on effect of Jack being at home is that we also have his fridge/freezer and his washer dryer, just a bit more stuff to move about and nothing that can't be planned round. I do have a master plan which is holding good so far although I did not factor in that my plumber is currently on holiday, best laid plans and all that. :wink:

A quick bit of dinner and then onward to a 600 base cabinet, I have built the 500 three drawer carcass this morning. I am going to build all the base cabinets then I can get them straight in and leveled as soon as I can get the sink unit out of the way.
Ian
User avatar
PanBiker
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16395
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 13:07
Location: Barnoldswick - In the West Riding of Yorkshire, always was, always will be.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by PanBiker »

My plumber is coming tomorrow morning to disconnect the sink and cap off the hot and cold. I can then get the new base unit in place, levelled and ready for the new sink unit. All the base units are built so to avoid a down day I moved onto the cupboards. I could not remember from 23 years ago how these were fixed to the wall I thought that they were fastened to a pre leveled batten but thought I had better check by taking a couple down. I was wrong, the batten was an integral part of the back of the cupboard so it was a straight four screw fix into the wall.

I built the first 600 unit to check what was required and found that they had a completely different mounting method. Each has two adjustable hangars in the top back corners. These protrude through the back and hang on two plates fixed to the wall, simple but very effective. The hangars within each cupboard have adjustments for lateral leveling in two dimensions so as long as you have the two brackets at the same level and set the right distance from the edge of each cabinet it's quite simple to level them up once on the wall. Each of the fixing plates has three mounting holes. By a stroke of luck the existing top fixing points for the previous cabinets are exactly the right distance from the top of the new cabinets so as they were all set level when I put them in I can use each top pair as a guide for the new units. I have fastened each plate with 3 x 1.75" twin thread screws into expanding multi purpose plastic rawlpugs. First cabinet carcass is hung and leveled. The beauty of this method is because they are hung on the fasteners and then pulled up to the wall with the adjusters it's quite simple to lift them back off when I come to the repainting stage. I will be able to hang and level them all but I'll leave the inter cabinet fixings until after I have painted.
Ian
User avatar
Stanley
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 89880
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 12:01
Location: Barnoldswick. Nearer to Heaven than Gloria.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by Stanley »

When I put my second-hand kitchen in 15 years ago (won from a house that was going to repossessed) I put a batten inside and long 12s screws plugged into the wall. When my Sparks saw what I had done he went pale, one of my screws went straight through the only vertical cable run in the kitchen! By a miracle I had missed the wires...
I paint round these......
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net

"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
User avatar
PanBiker
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16395
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 13:07
Location: Barnoldswick - In the West Riding of Yorkshire, always was, always will be.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by PanBiker »

Plumber turned up on time and disconnected the sink and capped off. I installed the new sink base unit and I had managed to get the back rail in the right position when I built it. I set the level for all the units from here. I went with the default settings on the legs which gives a unit height of 570mm and a worktop height of 610mm. I had already built the other cabinets so I just worked round leveling and then making the final back fixings to the wall and the cabinet interconnections. Here's the base unit in place waiting for the new sink.

Image

The mains switch hanging in there is the internal switch for the waterproofed socket I have in the back yard, handy for the power washer and vacuuming the car out.

Next picture shows the adjustable hangars for the cupboards, one screw adjusts height at each corner and used for leveling, the other is for the tightening the hangar to the wall.

Image

We opted for soft close drawers throughout and I have a few to fit. I have a 3 drawer 500 unit to populate and an 800 wide 3 drawer unit which will be used for pan storage. All the unit casings are drilled for the standard drawers so if you are fitting the soft close ones you have to measure and drill all the pilots for the fixing and mounting rail. Never fitted one of these before so I though I would start with the only single drawer we have which is in the 600 base unit to work through the procedure before tackling a stack of three. The soft close units are made by Prestige and are quite substantial in construction, the damping mechanism is built into the drawer sides which is a metal clad drawer arrangement that clips and locks into the runners once they are fixed in place. The front of the drawer clips on as well and has adjustment screws incorporated in the side clips for leveling. Here is the finished drawer and cupboard, minus handles as yet.

Image

I'm still using the old worktop as I need to move the fridge freezer before I can fit the new one which is running the full length of the wall. Can't move the appliance until I have made room by building and installing the rest of the cupboards and getting all the doors sorted.
Ian
User avatar
PanBiker
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16395
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 13:07
Location: Barnoldswick - In the West Riding of Yorkshire, always was, always will be.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by PanBiker »

New sink is fitted and plumbed in, some fairly involved pipework for the waste from the 1.5 bowl. The plumbing in kit supplied would not suit the position of my existing outlet pipe so the plumber made his own way. I had to do a quick runner to B&Q as it became apparent that the computer program that collated all the required bits for my build did not include an overflow kit for the sink, job stopped for £4.00 worth of stuff! Fortunately they had the right bits for the sink in stock so no real problem, I picked a drilling template up for the door and cupboard handles while I was there.

Image

I noticed in the evening that a constant drip had started from the main stop cock. Looks like the washer has gone or something now it has been brought back into use. One of the problems I suppose with infrequently used bits of kit. I'll ask them to call back and sort it, not tempting fate with my adjustable spanner, be a shame to end up flooding the kitchen.

Image

I fitted the new carousel last night, both shelves of my old one were locked together, this replacement is a lot more substantial and each of the shelves rotate independently.

Image

Going to set to with the 3 drawer 500 unit today, lots of masking tape a set square and some careful measurement is in order.
Ian
User avatar
Stanley
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 89880
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 12:01
Location: Barnoldswick. Nearer to Heaven than Gloria.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by Stanley »

Remember Jules dictum, measure twice and cut once.....
Looks like good progress, Sally will be getting excited!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net

"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
User avatar
PanBiker
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16395
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 13:07
Location: Barnoldswick - In the West Riding of Yorkshire, always was, always will be.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by PanBiker »

Aye well, in my case it should have been read twice and build once, didn't work out like that though! I started on the 3 drawer unit, the soft close drawers came in two different boxes, one for the top shallower drawer and the other containing the two deeper lower drawers. I started with the top drawer following the instructions that came with it. It was exactly the same as the 600 wide one I had done earlier so fitting was quite straightforward. The instructions gave drilling information for all the pilot holes required for a three drawer system so I measured twice, (more than that actually) and drilled all the holes required for the other two sets of runners.

I pulled up the box with the two larger drawers in and on scanning the instructions it became apparent that the runners were slightly different and the fixings screwed directly into the factory pre-drilled euro pilots already in the side panels. A closer look at the measurement information though did not make sense, the holes in my side panels were in the wrong place! I could not see straight away why this should be the case as both side panels are symmetrical in design. Nevertheless, measuring from the bottom as a reference as in the instructions, the holes were 15mm out? More scratching on the head and then it dawned on me to check the distance to the first set of holes from the top which turned out to be bang on. I pulled the instructions for the 500 cabinet and then discovered that I had built the unit upside down, bugger. It was fully fitted into the base run, leveled, fixed to the wall and all the lateral fixings to the other units either side made. :sad:

Closer inspection of the instructions revealed that although the side panels were indeed symmetrical there were distinct left and right panels (not the case in any of the previous base units I had built) which when built correctly set all the holes at the right height. I had to remove the unit, pull it apart and rebuild the right way round. This took a bit of doing as I had made a proper job in the first place and glued all the dowels. A bit of gentle persuasion though and I managed to get it apart and rebuild it the right way round. Offering it up again I realised that I was not out of the woods yet as I had to do a bit more to get it to fit properly. We have two service pipes for the combi boiler that run along the back wall, the condensate pipe and the breather for the boiler, these run on a downward slope the full width of the kitchen to reach the outside wall. reversing and turning the sides upside down meant I had to do a bit more cutting out at the back of the cabinet, one of the cutouts was OK as it was virtually central vertically but I had to make two more cutouts for the condensate pipe. One and a half hours later, I had the unit back in place and could continue with the drawer build. Good job I'm not paying for my time. :grin:

The top one was very straight forward (3rd time doing one of these), here it is on its runners minus drawer front.

Image

Second and third deeper drawers were a doddle as well now that the holes were in the right place. Here is the completed drawer unit with all fittings and fronts on. I have put the top two drawer handles on as we need to re-populate these drawers. No problem really with all the pilots I drilled, they are only 3mm and you don't see them anyway within the completed drawer unit.

Image

All the base units are now fitted for that wall and I am moving on to the cupboards above. I'm using an off cut of worktop temporarily to stop rubbish from the cupboard installs going down the back of the base units.
Ian
User avatar
Stanley
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 89880
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 12:01
Location: Barnoldswick. Nearer to Heaven than Gloria.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by Stanley »

Hard luck Ian.... I've been there. It's all so obvious afterwards!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net

"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
User avatar
PanBiker
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16395
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 13:07
Location: Barnoldswick - In the West Riding of Yorkshire, always was, always will be.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by PanBiker »

Indeed Stanley, I don't vex too much about stuff like this, as the saying goes, "the bloke that never made a mistake never did anything". One thing is for certain, I will be a lot more attentive when I build the 800 wide three drawer pan unit that will support the new 900 breakfast bar. There will be a vertical larder drawer on each end as well!

Anyway, onward and upwards, cracking on with the cupboards, three to go and then all the builds will be done apart from the peninsular stuff and a simple arrangement of worktop over the washing machine and dishwasher. Quite a bit of work for the peninsular as I have some sockets and cabling to sink in the wall plus installing an extra socket which will be more convenient for the fridge freezer.
Ian
User avatar
PanBiker
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16395
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 13:07
Location: Barnoldswick - In the West Riding of Yorkshire, always was, always will be.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by PanBiker »

Today's activities give good examples of Sods Law and in a separate matter the provenance that looks after drunken men and idiots!

I continued with the build of the last three cupboards this morning, a 600 unit, 500 unit and a 150 wide vertical wine rack. I decided to build all three this morning and then move on to the fitting this afternoon. I had to break off at lunchtime to take Sally to the station at Skipton to get the train down to Stratford, she is having the week down there to look after Ruby while her mum is at work.

The 600 and 500 builds went OK and were set aside ready for fitting. I moved on to the wine rack, same kind of construction, two side panels, top, bottom and back. The side panels are symmetrical so I populated them with their dowels and fixing posts for the cam fasteners in the top and bottom panels. I glued all the dowels in as I have done throughout, fitted the eight cams to top and bottom panels and then glued and fitted the bottom panel to one side panel. I moved to the top and put the glue on the protruding dowels and offered the top panel up to the fixings only to find that Sods Law was in play. there were holes in the edge of the panel but they were all in the wrong place!

Image

It looks like the panel has been reversed in the drilling jig as all the holes are actually correct but not in relation to the cams or dowels, (a bit like Eric Morecambe's piano playing :wink: ). I rang customer services and got through to a nice young lady with a very broad Scottish accent who took all my details, part numbers, nature of problem etc. She took a bit of following sometimes, the accent was not the gentile East coast lilt or full on Glaswegian but somewhere up the West Coast I think. I had to ask for a repeat of some of the details. Anyway big doos and little doos she said she would organise a replacement which would arrive on the 25th September! I said I was hoping to finish my kitchen a lot sooner than that as by that date I was expecting to be on some foreign beach for a bit of R & R. After a bit more cajoling she agreed to get a new unit to me by the day after tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest. I can live with that as the unit is a straight bolt on to the last cupboard in the run.

That sorted I took Sally onto the station and then had a bit of dinner when I got back. Right side of lunch and a brew I started the install of the 600 and 500 units. The 600 unit went up without any problem and lined up well, I did all the inter cabinet fixings and then moved on to the 500. The fixing brackets for the units have to be set 20mm in from each side of the cabinet in order to mate with the hangars on the cabinet The two lateral fixings are set on a line 57mm from the top of the cabinet, they then have a further central screw for each one.

When I designed the basic layout for the new kitchen deployment we needed a couple more sockets, a double above the new worktop length and a single below for a larder fridge that will sit underneath. It was one of the first jobs I did and I just placed the double socket where I needed it, the single below and chased the cabling into the plaster vertically straight up the wall. I can pick up the feed on the existing ring circuit here so can insert a junction box to add the two extra sockets into the ring. Back boxes are in, cabling in place and all plastering re-instated as required

I measured 500mm from the side of the last cabinet and to my shock horror the line ran straight down my recently relaid and plastered cable. Fortunately, offering the bracket up just gave me the 20mm clearance on the left of the bracket away from the cable run. If I had put the socket and inch further to the right I would have been swearing profusely. Here is the bracket in final fix position. My plastering is nothing to write home about but it dos not need to be a mirror finish as it is all hidden behind the units. Drunken men and Idiots, :grin:

Image

Right side of that lucky escape and apart from the 150 wine rack all the cupboard carcasses are done, they span 2.5 meters over 5 interconnected cabinets. This is the level on the last one, sorry should have had macro on the camera but I'm happy with the result.

Image

I think I will move onto doors and handles next.
Ian
User avatar
Stanley
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 89880
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 12:01
Location: Barnoldswick. Nearer to Heaven than Gloria.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by Stanley »

Shades of me hanging my cupboards Ian! Cable runs don't like screws driven through them!
When I built my kitchen 15 years ago I didn't do badly with my second hand units but for some reason I have never worked out got the level wrong on the unit that houses the oven, grill and ceramic hob. My olive oil tends to the left of my frying pan! I decided to live with it.....
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net

"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
User avatar
Tizer
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 18812
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 19:46
Location: Somerset, UK

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by Tizer »

Thanks Ian, I feel a bit better now knowing that it's not only me that gets things wrong! But more seriously, I'm sorry to hear you ran into trouble and I hope it all gets sorted quickly for you.
Nullius in verba: On the word of no one (Motto of the Royal Society)
User avatar
PanBiker
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16395
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 13:07
Location: Barnoldswick - In the West Riding of Yorkshire, always was, always will be.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by PanBiker »

Been cracking on quietly with my build fitting all the doors, no problems here until I got to the corner base unit with the fitted carousel. I came to fit the hangars into the cabinet for the doors and it soon became apparent that the lowest hangars for each door fouled with the carousel, in effect the bottom tray was too low. I pulled the instructions for the installation and read through them again, I have to say that I followed the assembly to the letter when I put it in. Re reading them confirmed that they clearly stated that if fitting to a standard cabinet, the lower spacer (supplied) was not required below the bottom tray, this was only required if fitting to a framed cabinet. Nevertheless it was wrong so I had to pull it back out to release the central post so that I could install the spacer. Carousel installation through the small opening into the cupboard is a bit like a Chinese puzzle as you have to install it assembled on its side but collapsed then turn it into place and set the holding pins for each tray once you have the central pole secured in its fixing top and bottom. I can tell you that there were a few choice words involved in working round this problem. :confused:

I carried on installing the doors and handles until my replacement wine rack arrived which was delivered up on Wednesday afternoon. I knocked off from door installation and decided to finish off the cabinet run with the wine rack and making its infill piece to take the run right up to the wall. I checked all the components in the replacement kit to make sure all the holes were in the right place. All was OK so it only took 30 minutes or so to complete the build. Fixing the rack (which is only 150mm wide) is accomplished by fitting to the adjacent cabinet with sleeved through bolts. I fitted it to ensure correct alignment then measured up for the infill pieces required. These were cut and then fixed to the left hand side of the rack with a number of 1" right angled brackets. The entire assembly then refitted with the previously determined mounting holes and bolts. That now completes the full cabinet run. Here is the wine rack in place.

Image

I finished off the base unit doors then set about the full length worktop. I had cut this slightly oversize so had to have it on and off quite few times to get the final fit, as is the norm my kitchen is not perfectly square so it was a case of take a bit off at a time and offer it up. I think I must have had it on and off at least ten times before I was happy with the fit. I fastened a baton on the wall to support the far end. The worktop is fastened at four points through the top rails of the units and with two brackets at the far end. I had to fit a few wedges here and there to make it an interference fit with the corner and sink unit worktop. I fitted a right angled butt joint to the mating end of the worktop and pulled the two together with a bracket after adding silicon sealant. I had previously sealed the raw edge of the worktop with PVA adhesive as this end of the worktop is the most likely to have potential moisture ingress.

Image

My plumber called back this week as well and sorted the stop cock, it only needed the nut nipping up, its cured the drip but I have left the bowl underneath for a few days as recommended, I think it is sorted though.

Sally was down in Stratford until Friday, I picked her up from the station early afternoon, I waited until she came home before I hung the doors on the rest of the cupboards as I wanted to double check with her the likely usage which may affect which way they should open. I finished them all off yesterday afternoon and evening. I have moved on to fitting the plinths to the bottom of the units, I need to get those in place and sorted before the guy comes to fit the new vinyl flooring we have chosen. I have done two sides but cant complete the plinths until I pull the cooker out. Cutting round the new units will be the only fitting required apart from the periphery of the kitchen. The new peninsular unit will be built on top of the new vinyl as it makes it a lot easier job than having to cut out round that as well. It also ensures that we can have the entire floor covered in a single piece without any joins.

This is my next target, I will need to release the old unit and worktop from the wall.

Image

Once that is out of the way I'm going to sink the two double gang surface mounted sockets into the wall. These two sockets are separate to the ring and on their own breaker in the consumer unit. There was no convenient place to break into the existing ring when these were added. I will sink the cabling into the wall down behind the new peninsular unit, the cable runs at the moment just above the skirting in trunking I will see if I can get the run down behind, if not I will channel out for it and reinstate. I'm going to add and extra single socket to this line to power the new full height freezer that will be at that end of the kitchen, this will free up the double socket further back along the wall. I am replacing all the sockets in the kitchen with brushed stainless steel ones. One of the doubles that I will fit on the peninsular has two integral USB charging ports. No hunting around for charging plugs any more for our phones and other stuff that charge via USB.
Ian
User avatar
Stanley
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 89880
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 12:01
Location: Barnoldswick. Nearer to Heaven than Gloria.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by Stanley »

Good progress Ian..... Looking impressive!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net

"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
User avatar
PanBiker
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16395
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 13:07
Location: Barnoldswick - In the West Riding of Yorkshire, always was, always will be.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by PanBiker »

Thanks Stanley. I set about detaching the peninsular cabinet this morning. It was not for giving itself up though, I made rather a substantial job fitting it 23 years ago! The worktop was secured by six screws and the unit by 4 x 2" screws into the wall. The back cladding panels were fixed to a floor mounted baton itself fastened with four screws into the concrete floor and another four into the back rail of the base unit. I must have had a surplus of screws or something at the time. Anyway, once I had figured out how I put it together it eventually yielded to my superior will.

Image

Once I had it clear I detached the existing mains socket arrangement and trunking. I have disconnected one of the double gangs and just left the other on the end of its feed as a temporary supply for the fridge freezer. The original breakfast bar worktop for this had a preformed curved end, when I installed it I only had to cut it to the right length and fix the edging strip. I am not going to attempt to repeat this full curve on the replacement as It would really need a router and a jig to do it accurately. I only have a powered jigsaw available so I will leave the new worktop as a basic rectangle but curve both corners on the front edge.

Now to sinking the back boxes for the new sockets. The wall that these are on is the original outside wall of the house and is therefore built of stone. Ideally I need to make the holes 35mm deep to accommodate the cabling in the back boxes. Its pretty hard going in the confined space of the cut out. Here I have completed the right hand socket which will only have one cable to terminate in this box, I can get away with a 25mm back box here. The left one will have to be the full 35mm depth for the two cables required for the socket.

Image

The plaster depth required to cover the stonework is about 20mm deep so I have another 15mm or so to take out of the left hand hole. I have drilled as many holes as I could in the stonework but my Bosch drill decided to overheat and trip out so I called it a day for today. I will resume on this job tomorrow.
Ian
User avatar
Stanley
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 89880
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 12:01
Location: Barnoldswick. Nearer to Heaven than Gloria.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by Stanley »

I have a router and good cutters if you want to borrow it and if you bring your stone drills I'll sharpen them for you. Ring me before ten or call round.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net

"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
User avatar
Whyperion
Senior Member
Posts: 3068
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 22:13
Location: Stockport, after some time in Burnley , After leaving Barnoldswick , except when I am in London

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by Whyperion »

I think it has taken me longer to read than you to do.

Wish I had known about it earlier, I might have been able to make use of bits of the old kitchen.

I'll post up some pix later of my present kitchens. The one in the house where mother in law squatted as she didn't like her place is probably a 70s/80s mostly Schriber, the estate agents reckon it needs replacement , one door refuses to hang vertically but a good clean and the units seem servicable, but to make better sense to the galley kitchen the rear door should be move, along with two window, the rear lounge chimney breast too should come out ( I suspect there is a back bolier in it in the kitchen too - the 1930s semis have the Front lounge/Front Bed chimney on the wall adjoining, but the rear bed and lounge runs up the middle of the house adjoining bath airing cupboard. Given that things like central heating are in too its quite a waste of internal space - If I had money and time underfloor heating would be a better way to go.

Mum's 1960s flat is mildly superior to what was my aunt's 1950s one, both have I think Boulton & Paul type of kitchens, the council (well successor HA) have been ripping them out of vacant , and some occupied kitchens in other flats so I have some doors and drawers to re-furbish from them as my next task to make painting the existing doors easier (take off and re-hang). The inbuilt asbestos lined drying cabinet is a bit of a pain though (blockwork rendered ) , and funnilly the HA refurbishers are leaving them alone.

Given that in reality I live on take-aways and use the kitchen more for cleaning and repairing car / bike parts I should not complain too much.

The work house kitchen appears designed mid 90s but has suffered from use, and having half the space chopped off to build a downstairs WC. Consequently cupboards are about 2/3 what I call normal depth on one wall, and really need it in others - if the space actually is that small ideally a caravan/barge/boat kitchen arrangement would be better.
User avatar
PanBiker
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16395
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 13:07
Location: Barnoldswick - In the West Riding of Yorkshire, always was, always will be.

Re: Kitchen Refurb

Post by PanBiker »

Some of my old units have already been up cycled and are seeing another life. Could not take prisoners with the rest as I needed them out of the way to progress the job. I'm in preparation mode now for the flooring guy coming on Wednesday. There is a bit of preparation work to do behind the washing machine and dishwasher but I will have to dismantle this area first to get at it. Just the small matter of removing these plus two full sized fridge freezers, the oven and a sideboard so the fitter has a clear run.

I damaged my back slightly yesterday not lifting a box but putting it down! Made doing our thing at the big band swing dance last night interesting. Paracetemol and Ibuprofen came to the rescue and a good few hours of sleep went down well. Its easing but I still know its there.

The extra sockets from my last post are all in and I'm just waiting for the plaster to dry off before continuing with the decoration. Not of prime importance at the moment, the floor and periphery has to take priority to be ready by Wednesday. I have fitted all the plinths to the units and most skirting runs are painted up.
Ian
Post Reply

Return to “DIY”