We had a kitchen fitted just under a year ago, it was done well but the new doors attached to our integrated fridge freezer have dropped a little and started to rub on adjacent units. Having taken the top section door off I see it is extremely heavy and in my view too heavy for the hinges on the fridge door which it is attached to. Of course it could be adjusted but I fear the problem will re-occur. I was thinking of routing out some of the door material (on the back!) to make it lighter, anyone ever done this or heard of it being done successfully? The doors are Sheraton I believe and are not wood, looks like some painted composite like MDF.
Cabinet doors too heavy for fridge/freezer
- Thread starter KateMoss
- Start date
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What model FF , most doors would be attached to cupboard not the fridge .?
Sorry, don't know, they came with the house and I can't see any maker's name - they seem decent though.
There are fixing brackets and adjusting screws top and bottom of the FF doors to take the cabinet doors. When you open the cabinet door the FF opens too (obviously). This sort of arrangement on integrated units is certainly one I've seen and used before but not on such a tall unit.
There are fixing brackets and adjusting screws top and bottom of the FF doors to take the cabinet doors. When you open the cabinet door the FF opens too (obviously). This sort of arrangement on integrated units is certainly one I've seen and used before but not on such a tall unit.
D
Deleted member 174758
On tall doors it's often better to fit three or even four hinges. Don't think it's a good idea to go routing out stuff at the back of the door - the MDF will soak-up water in the atmosphere like blotting paper unless sealed and breaking through the melamine skin on the back could also cause the door to warp as the two sides would no longer be in balance (the vinyl front skin balances out the melamine rear skin, like layers of veneer)
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Thanks, that sounds like good advice... As I say though the whole arrangement is supported by the fridge door hinges at the moment so any additional hinges would be from cabinet door to surrounding frame and I might have difficulty in getting them to work smoothly with the fridge ones. Plus there's very little room around the edges so the whole thing might have to come out to do any mods. Probably have to get the fitters back to sort it. Thanks again.
D
Deleted member 174758
Pretty much every built-in fridge or fridge/freezer I've ever installed came with an installation kit designed to accommodate doors swung on standard hinges which were connected to the cabinet. A few have required special slimline hinges, but they have been few and far between. These kits generally include sliding pieces which fix to the fridge and freezer doors and what basically amounts to a claw arrangement which screws to the back of the decor door. As far as having to get the fridge/freezer out in order to install extra hinges I'd say that was fairly normal and is why any fitter should get it all right before he inserts the fridge/freezer
In several decades of work I don't recall ever seeing a heavy decor door hung directly off a fridge door - dishwashers, washers and driers yes, but fridge/freezers never (maybe I'b#ve led a sheltered life). Hence my previous suggestion for extra hinge(s). I'm now curious as to whether or not the installation was done correctly in the first place (in which case I'd want to avoid that brand in future) or whether or the fitters simply tied their horse up on the front porch or led him round to the back lawn so he could graze there instead
In several decades of work I don't recall ever seeing a heavy decor door hung directly off a fridge door - dishwashers, washers and driers yes, but fridge/freezers never (maybe I'b#ve led a sheltered life). Hence my previous suggestion for extra hinge(s). I'm now curious as to whether or not the installation was done correctly in the first place (in which case I'd want to avoid that brand in future) or whether or the fitters simply tied their horse up on the front porch or led him round to the back lawn so he could graze there instead
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any photos? close up and distance ideally.
Could be Howdens kitchen, best to replace hinges, may be worn, looks like old kitchen?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Howdens-HJ...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=K33VFBGGJAGG2TD15BG4
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Howdens-HJ...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=K33VFBGGJAGG2TD15BG4
The cabinets are not old, it is a Sheraton kitchen fitted April 2017. The fridge freezer is older though if that's what you are referring to.
After reading all replies and due to the weight of the cabinet door, I'm inclined to think the cabinet door should be fixed (hinged) to the cabinet frame rather than being simply attached to the fridge freezer door and relying on its hinges as the fitter did it.
Your fridge is designed to take the doors on the front , difficult to change unless you can identify a separate hinge set for the FF.
The doors aren't to heavy for the appliance, the doors have been mounted incorrectly, who is the manufacturer of the fridge?? Bosch, Neff, Lamona??, with this information I can help you to understand how to correct the problem.
Thanks, as I said earlier I don't know the manufacturer - and I have had a good look all over the units.
I also understand how to correct the problem by adjusting the fixing brackets on the appliance doors if that is what you mean, but having taken the doors off and felt the weight of them I really don't want to leave them solely supported by the the appliance door hinges.
I will get the fitters back for some ideas...maybe try a sturdy stay from the top of the door to the 'soffit' of the carcass ( the door goes right to the top of the carcass I.e. above the top of the appliance, and/or an additional hinge inside the carcass in the space at the top
Look like hettich style.
Where the 2 screws/bolts are on the top of the door we have a similar arrangement but we have a support plate attached to the inside face of the fascia door that sits on the 2 screws.
There should be a nut and washer under the support bar to allow you to run the nuts up or down to adjust the hang. Seems to me these may be missing.
There should be a nut and washer under the support bar to allow you to run the nuts up or down to adjust the hang. Seems to me these may be missing.
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