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Fitted Kitchens installation advice and how to hang wall units, extarctors and base units. |
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Some of the previous page will mean nothing if your Fitted kitchens wall units have no hanging brackets as is the case with, for example, Hygena units. In this case a level batten will need to be fixed on each elevation where wall units are to be fitted. This batten will need to be level with the bottom of the wall units. Prepare these units by drilling four 5mm countersunk holes in each corner of the cabinet, lift on to batten, drill through holes ensuring this mark is transferred through to the wall behind. Remove wall unit, drill and plug the wall, replace wall unit and fix. Connect units using the same method described above. For each subsequent kitchens unit, you can now clamp top and bottom, again ensuring edges are flush and level and drill directly through the pre-drilled countersunk holes with a masonry bit. Fit rawl plugs, fix screws and cap. Other decorative kitchens units Decorative units such as plate or wine racks have no brackets for obvious purposes and they cannot be fixed in the same way for aesthetic reasons. They can in the same way be connected to adjacent units by concealing the fixing points behind hinge back plates or shelves and to strengthen the fixing use metal angle brackets fixed into the gables at the top of the unit. Fix these to the wall as above. A good tip, when fitting decorative units between two wall units is to fit a temporary batten midway on top of the unit. Overhang the batten 300mm each side and offer up between the two wall units it is to be fitted to. This will allow the unit to sit freely while you fix to the adjoining units.
To install an integrated extractor you will need to leave the appropriate size space between the wall units. If it is extracted to outside you will need to measure the dimensions of the extraction outlet on the appliance and transfer this to the appropriate location on the wall on which it is to be fitted. Drill through the wall ensuring that the ducting is appropriately sized in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If the extractor is not being fitted to an outside wall you still have the alternative of installing rectangular section ducting which permits outside extraction through an adjacent wall by laying unobtrusively on top of adjacent wall units. Well then, that’s the wall units up. In the
next article I will show you how to install the base units and provide
a temporary work surface for the camping stove - until the weekend
dinner party is organised! I expect by now that anyone following this series
of articles is either contemplating setting up their own kitchen
installation business or wondering how to sell the expensive tools
they think they invested in before the plaster fell off the walls,
the pipes flooded the kitchen and the wall units collapsed. Choosing the right base units Base units come in various configurations and are available in flat pack or rigid format. Board thickness, construction methods and accessories also highlight the differences between manufacturers. The majority have adjustable legs fitted for ease of fitting and to prevent water ingress. Speaking as an installer my personal choice for strength and longevity would be to choose a carcass of at least 18mm construction with a back of at least 9mm board thickness and metal sided drawer boxes again with a solid base of at least 15mm board. Rigid units will save on installation time but otherwise carry no major advantage over flat pack units. Many kitchens manufacturers build co-ordinated carcasses that match their door finishes. This is a useful advantage when ends are visible but as an alternative you can fit a coordinated end support panel or even a door fascia. The majority of carcasses are constructed using melamine faced chipboard and particular care should be given to the sink base carcass which will be extremely vulnerable to water ingress over it’s lifetime. Tools required for installing Fitted kitchens The tools required for fitting the base units are as follows:
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