DIY-kitchens - side panel height different size to cabinets, is it normal?

[asnoop20]

I think the price gives it away, real SS Handles of a similar ilk are around £15, besides there will be small print somewhere as a get out clause for them.

In a minute ive got to fit a 780 wall unit end panel to a 720 unit, it doesn't have cornice or pelmet, im going to cut the top, no paint or edging supplied either and its not diy kitchens - what fun!

Being my first kitchen I had no idea on handle cost, but I know materials and what rusts!

I've now bought these, solid 304 stainless at £4 each. https://www.thehandlestudio.co.uk/solid-brushed-stainless-steel-round-bar-style-cabinet-d-handles/

 

[Ricke21]

This is my first kitchen so it might be normal.

For wall cupboards I have standard height 720mm and one reduced, something like 600mm. All the end panels I've been supplied are 772mm, which means I have to cut them. This I think is a bit ****. Even with a sharp mitre blade it's likely the mdf will chip etc and be seen at the top. They may even end up looking better without end panels at all.

Just wondering if it's standard practice with kitchens or if diy-kitchens has cheaped out.

End panels are bigger to scribe into the wall. The front should be flush with the door the back scribed into the wall for a tidy finish. Cutting laminate will be best with a jigsaw and a down tooth blade. Always have blades going into the laminate side to avoid chipping. No special blade needed. Blunt blades can still chip, sometimes masking tape will prevent it

 

[opps]

End panels are bigger to scribe into the wall. The front should be flush with the door the back scribed into the wall for a tidy finish. Cutting laminate will be best with a jigsaw and a down tooth blade. Always have blades going into the laminate side to avoid chipping. No special blade needed. Blunt blades can still chip, sometimes masking tape will prevent it

The last few times I have to cut long side panels (approx 1.8m tall), I used my track saw and then a belt sander. I cut at around 75 degrees to minimise the time spent with the belt sander. The wall bowed out at one point, so I did two cuts and then ran the belt sander over it.

No risk of chipping. The final finish was about 0.25mm from the wall.

Back in the day when I used to work for a cabinet maker (MDF) we worked in a 0.4mm tolerance when end scribing, but the MDF was raw and would be caulked later.

We used to do a scribe mark and then run a stanley knife along the cut before running the jigsaw down it to reduce the chipping.

Personally, I have never tried an upcut jigsaw bit. I was advised by someone here that they can deviate a lot on the underside, that said they were talking about 45mm worktops.

Horses for courses I guess though.

 

[Ricke21]

The last few times I have to cut long side panels (approx 1.8m tall), I used my track saw and then a belt sander. I cut at around 75 degrees to minimise the time spent with the belt sander. The wall bowed out at one point, so I did two cuts and then ran the belt sander over it.

No risk of chipping. The final finish was about 0.25mm from the wall.

Back in the day when I used to work for a cabinet maker (MDF) we worked in a 0.4mm tolerance when end scribing, but the MDF was raw and would be caulked later.

We used to do a scribe mark and then run a stanley knife along the cut before running the jigsaw down it to reduce the chipping.

Personally, I have never tried an upcut jigsaw bit. I was advised by someone here that they can deviate a lot on the underside, that said they were talking about 45mm worktops.

Horses for courses I guess though.

I used to do a lot of kitchen preps. Rip out, plaster and run hot a cold feeds. Now and then I would help a fitter. Most fitters would do things using a jigsaw. Worktops was mainly routers and plunge saw. Tho bk then it just be a skill saw.

Kitchen fitting is a skill in its own. I've also seen good chippy's fit kitchens. Although the finish is like for like. A kitchen fitter has a lot of tricks and most to be quick at what they do.

The belt sander sounds like a great way to get the right finish. I can only imagine its just a case of time. But for accuracy its definitely a winner.

Im just a bricky by trade but in construction for 35 year. I like to under how any why things get done. Every days a school day. Thanks for sharing your knowledge

 

[chirpychippy]

The last few times I have to cut long side panels (approx 1.8m tall), I used my track saw and then a belt sander. I cut at around 75 degrees to minimise the time spent with the belt sander. The wall bowed out at one point, so I did two cuts and then ran the belt sander over it.

I generally plunge the excess off, then use a power planer to back the panel about 30 degrees and gradually work back to the scribe line, finish with a bit of 120 grit to slightly remove the arris before fitting.

Horses for Courses.

 

[chirpychippy]

Not significantly, and you can't really argue that "putting doors on kitchen units looks bad" because most kitchen units have doors..

Most kitchen doors are 5mm smaller in height than the cabinet. If you used one as an end panel it would be 2.5mm short top and bottom, which would look odd.

 

[asnoop20]

Most kitchen doors are 5mm smaller in height than the cabinet. If you used one as an end panel it would be 2.5mm short top and bottom, which would look odd.

Huh?, I'd want them the same size so there's a universal gap going around the top and bottom and between the doors, all about 2.5mm. I wouldn't want them with no gap on the sides (I may be thinking without pelmets and top pieces whatever they're called however).

 

[mrrusty]

Huh?, I'd want them the same size so there's a universal gap going around the top and bottom and between the doors, all about 2.5mm. I wouldn't want them with no gap on the sides (I may be thinking without pelmets and top pieces whatever they're called however).

It would look odd because it would look like a door on the end of a cabinet rather than the front. This whole saga is because you have bought a kitchen of standard components for a particular model of kitchen and are now trying to install the parts in a different way to what DIY kitchens intended to be the method for that kitchen to be installed.

All kitchen manufacturers produce ranges of components that fit together as a system, with all the parts part numbered, and programmed on to their computer controlled manufacturing kit. A company set up to automate production of ranges of pre-programmed standard parts are not going to start producing odd bits and pieces because someone decides they like that range but not how it was intended to be installed.

There are companies out there who will make 100% customisable kitchens with any size bits you want, but DIY kitchens is not one of them - they specialise in ranges of standard components.

That's not to say you can't modify parts yourself, but it was all there in black and white in the specs "side panels 772mm, wall units 720mm", which is exactly as it should be to take the standard pelmet for that range. I think you should accept it's a learning curve, and your dissatisfaction is really only your inexperience of putting this stuff together. No harm in that - we learn as we go along....

Personally I have found DIY excellent, although it is a couple of years since I last bought from them. Son's just having a kitchen professionally installed and they're using DIY because the installers say they are one of the best...

 

[asnoop20]

Not dissatisfied, it is what it is. There's no difference between the doors and end panels on what I have, same thickness and tapered edges etc.

 

[chirpychippy]

Not dissatisfied, it is what it is. There's no difference between the doors and end panels on what I have, same thickness and tapered edges etc.

Just taller, allowing for pelmets.

Incidentally alot of modern kitchens dont have a cornice or pelmet, ive just fitted this, its by Stori kitchens and yes the wall end panel was supplied 960 high for a 720 unit without cornice or pelmet. Had this kitchen been supplied by Hacker "German" then the wall end panel would the correct height but over-depth for scribing.

I expect this kitchen cost about £30k, if it was a Hacker it would be £35k and some.