How to build a boioler cupboard?

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minxysexka

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Well, I just got a quote from a guy to box some pipes in, build a cupboard, and do a bit of framing up...he has quoted me £900 plus VAT!! :twisted:

So, instead of this, I thought I would do the majority of it myself. I'm pretty new to DIY but I am learning quickly I'm happy to say. Already finished putting the kitchen units up and they are completely flush!

So, I was hoping along with the tips for boxing pipes in, someone could offer me advice on boxing in the boiler and creating a nice airing cupboard.

I know that one of the doors needs to be made slatted to allow for ventilation. I guess it will be a bit like boxing in a big pipe, except I need to have one door that opens with hinges..

Any tips are greatly appreciated (bar, 'its worth the money luv'!)

Cheers
minxka :idea:
 
I have done a few of these but it's difficult to advise without knowing more details. If the boiler is in a corner this is fairly easy. I assume you want a full height cupboard as you mentioned an airing cupboard.

Make a square frame with a rail about mid-height (to suit your boiler height). Make the frame slightly shorter then floor to ceiling distance. Fix the frame to a side panel and then fix vertical battens to the walls to screw the whole assembly to.

Screw through the battens from the inside to avoid having too many screws to hide.

Horizontal battens can then be fitted inside to take slatted shelves.

A pair of doors can then be surface mounted to your frame.

You can buy all sorts of vented panels to fix to your doors after you have cut a hole in them for ventilation, I would put one about 6" away from floor & ceiling.

Use some beading or cornice to close the gap at the top, or push it up to the ceiling before fixing to the walls and use skirting around the bottom.

There are other ways of doing this but I hope it helps.
 
Dont know exactly what this fella was going to do for you, or how big this job was going to be. But before you start buying materials, just weigh up what he was doing for you for the money quoted and what you may end up with after you have done it, as well as buying or hiring tools etc etc. and how long it's going to take you working nights and weekends.
 
Hi guys,

Thanks for the advise. Masona, thats a really useful site, I should be able to use that for a couple things I am trying to do!

Petewood, the boiler is in the corner on the left hand side of the window so that sounds like the best way of doing it, thanks.
The only thing is on one side it is going to be drilled into brick, and I think the the otherside is into plasterboard that was put in to cover up an old mini cupboard. I might be able to avoid joining it to that depending, whats the best way to attach it if I can't avoid that?

Freddie, I was up in the loft last night and found a whole bunch of timber left by the last owners, and my dad came up a few months ago to help with the kitchen so I have all the tools I need!

I think the quote the guy gave was a bit much considering the size of the room, and the framing up he would need to have done was fairly minimal..

None of it is urgent, apart from the small area over the pipes in the kitchen so I can tile, so I'm just going to take my time and work through it all. I had originally thought the same thing, but £900 for some skirting and a wooden box!!

minxka
 
Fixing to plasterboard is ok, you can get special plugs at a hardware shop.
 
another point to keep in mind make shure the cupboard is big enough or make acces for the things like the waterpump enough room to get the boiler front off it could have wing nuts round the back
allow room for spaners to fit onto nuts ect

in other words if its an imovable structure make shure thers room to work round the boiler

or if space is tight make the cupboard moveable for access

good luck
 
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