new kitchen questions

[jackg]

L shaped kitchen approx 3.5m sq.
1. Worktop: Solid laminate or chipboard laminate. Solid is hard to cut from what I have read? Is DIY realistic. Butt joints seem to be recommended for solid?
Toying with cutting a curve at one end of the worktop, again is that realistic with solid laminate?
If using a solid laminate worktop, do you raise the cabinet legs by the difference in thickness 38mm-12.5mm = 25.5mm?
2. Sink mixer, the sink is stainless steel Franke. How well can they cope with a large mixer tap without deflection?
Or is an undermounted sink and the tap mounted on the worktop stronger?

3. Miele fridge but cannot be have a cabinet door on the fridge door according to Miele. Are there generic brackets to use to achieve this and is the fridge door drilled in so doing?
Ta

 

[foxhole]

https://www.worktop-express.co.uk/solid-laminate-worktop-installation-instructions

Standard fridges tend to have curved surface making it unsuitable for cupboard mounting and are also too deep to fit in kitchen full height units.

 

[jackg]

My thoughts on cabinets have evolved:
>>Buy MFC units from Howdens or Magnet and fit.
>>Buy flat pack Birch ply units from one of two sellers on ebay.
>> Get a local joinery workshop to do the same.
>>Get a local timber merchant to cut the blanks from sheets of Birch ply and finish them myself. Need to buy door hinge hole cutter and maybe a dovetail jig? Not entirely sure of the dimensions of the units.

Any thought?

 

[Notch7]

My thoughts on cabinets have evolved:
>>Buy MFC units from Howdens or Magnet and fit.
>>Buy flat pack Birch ply units from one of two sellers on ebay.
>> Get a local joinery workshop to do the same.
>>Get a local timber merchant to cut the blanks from sheets of Birch ply and finish them myself. Need to buy door hinge hole cutter and maybe a dovetail jig? Not entirely sure of the dimensions of the units.

Any thought?

Nice though birch ply is, mfc gives you a proper scratch resistant wipe clean surface.

Solid surface worktops like earthstone are a bit porous and can stain. Laminate on chipboard is the hardest wearing and is actually the most practical kitchen worktop available. Not suitable for underslung sinks of course.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

1. Worktop: Solid laminate or chipboard laminate. Solid is hard to cut from what I have read? Is DIY realistic. Butt joints seem to be recommended for solid?
Toying with cutting a curve at one end of the worktop, again is that realistic with solid laminate?

Laminate-covered chipboard is probably the cheapest, most versatile option there is.
If using a solid laminate worktop, do you raise the cabinet legs by the difference in thickn Solid laminate (such as Trespa) can be difficult to cut - needs a jig saw and metal blades to rough-out shapes(to within a few mm of finished size) and a router, guide bush, straight cutter and template to finish to size. Not beyond the whit of anyone with a bit of router experience, however, solid laminate can generate a lot of dust (so a good P3 dust mask and dust extraction are highly advisable) and it takes a bigger router (1/2in and minimum 1400watts I'd say). AFAIK butt joints are the only way to joint solid