How to Install a Kitchen?

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Fitting a new kitchen yourself is a big project and can sometimes be strenuous, mainly because of the power tools needed. However, if you are a die-hard DIYer who takes pride in their handwork, then read on as we have put together an answer that makes installing your kitchen look easy and effortless.

Hiring a kitchen installer adds to the overall cost of purchasing your new kitchen, and their charge is dependent on the size of your kitchen space and the complexity of your kitchen design. Installing your kitchen yourself can save you up to £4,000 while giving you greater control and complete satisfaction. So, here‘s what you need to install a kitchen by yourself.

Before you begin, there are two concepts to have at the back of your mind when installing your kitchen by yourself. One is the work triangle, and the other idea is kitchen ergonomics.

The work triangle, also known as the kitchen triangle is the kitchen design principle that every kitchen designer considers when designing a kitchen. Created in the 1920s, it was used to measure whether a residential kitchen was efficient. Think of the kitchen triangle this way – your kitchen is divided into three areas; the sink, the cooker, and the fridge. These three must be arranged in a triangle as this will provide you with the most efficient layout for your kitchen usage.

The Principles That Guides The Work Triangle

The leg of each triangle length is between 1.2 and 2.7m
The length of all the legs put together should be between 4m and 7.9m
No appliances or cabinetry should intersect any of the legs of the triangle
No significant traffic should go through the triangle

Kitchen Ergonomics, on the other hand, is the gold standard for designing an efficient kitchen. Ergonomics is the science of creating or designing your environment to fit your usage; in this case, it means your ability to work effectively in your kitchen environment.

Preliminary Step – Ensure you remove the current kitchen – the units, flooring, everything that has to do with the old kitchen.

What are the Cabinet Dimensions

The table below shows you the standard dimension of a kitchen cabinet, but like we agreed earlier, you must consider your comfort and convenience when making cabinet choice.

Fitting In the Kitchen Units

With a spirit level, measuring tape and pencil, measure out the unit space. Using the dimensions above, mark out where the top of the base will be.
Move the base units in the marked out space, beginning from a corner. Be sure to adjust the base units until it aligns with the mark on the wall.
Join all the units together. The units are clamped and screwed together via holes that are eventually hidden under the door‘s hinges. Use corner posts to avoid gaps except you are using a specific corner unit.
Set the base units in place, using brackets to fix it to the wall. You can either use wall plugs or plasterboard fixings.
The same way you marked out the base units‘ space, use your spirit level, measuring tape and pencil to mark a line horizontally on the wall where the bottom of the wall unit will rest. Allow 40cm of space between the base of the wall unit and the worktop (so you don‘t keep hitting your head).
Using the wall brackets, fix the wall units in place (most wall units require two brackets – one for each top corner). Hook the wall units on and ensure they are even .
Repeat the process of step 3 to attach the units together.
Install the cabinet doors. Screw on the door fronts and doors along with the plinths .
Lastly, you can fit the worktop. Except the worktop is a laminate worktop, don‘t try to install yourself. Laminates are straightforward to cut and work and comes with stripes for the edges.

A NOTE OF CAUTION

The last thing you want to install yourself is a kitchen that you spent over £30,000 purchasing (depending on your space style and size). It is always advisable to use a best kitchen professional fitter, because like we say at TEL Kitchens, the difference between a work of art and a crappy kitchen is a TEL Kitchen Installer. Book a free design consultation yo discuss your installation needs today.