Well - long time reader, first time poster. Been having a look at other peoples attempts at fitting kitchens with the views/feedback and thought i would have a go myself....
The purpose of this post is to let others know of my experience and the end result..
Many thanks go out to my dad for all his hard work and help he gave me during the whole process.
We bought the kitchen from B&Q but due to the recent fire they had the kitchen was delayed...we was given 3 days notice of the delivery change date - by which time we didnt even have a sink anymore
Anyway... the job turned out to be MUCH bigger than i anticipated.. There were many obstacles, and keeping in mind i personally am a novice DIY guy (but i had plenty of help from my Dad).
Kitchen Space
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
When planning the kitchen, space was an issue. I wanted a worktop in the middle which would complicate things (i.e. walking around it, opening doors etc..) We also have a medium sized fridge and freezer - which would look horrible one placed ontop of the other (and taking up worktop space). So we decided to place the Fridge and Freezer in the MIDDLE of the room underneath the middle worktop - its out the way, still keeps to the "triangle" design of the kitchen access and leaves us with much more worktop space in the corner.
Its worth considering whats around to make use of. We have a chimney breast which was bricked up - so we knocked part of it out and decided to place a little hole inside it to fit the microwave in (inlcluding a socket in there). The microwave takes up a lot of space as it is. so hiding it out the way inside the wall seemed like a good opportunity... again leaving worktop space for other appliances which seems to end up being "forgotten" about in the cupboards..
Cupboards
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cupboards where a NIGHTMARE to fit... The wall brackets are terrible for screwing into the wall, the slightest bit out and the whole cupboard will look out of place.. so be aware it is difficult and will need at least 2 people ... (one of you to fetch the cupboard and hammer back from next doors garden..)
Floor Tiling
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Floor Tiling was ok, it took 2 days not rushing to fix the tiles down and grout. I was fortunate that the floor was lined with bitcherman to start with so it was very level. I recommend using fast setting tile adhesive for the floor - this way you can do half the room, and then by the time its done, its safe to tread on the tiles you have already laid.. it takes about 1 hour to set.
I started from the middle of the room out to ensure the lines where symmetrical with the centre wall and chimney breast, although i had help from the previous floor which where vynil tiles (so i followed the same pattern)
When grouting - try not to get too much over the whole tile - its a PAIN to get it off afterwards (even if you can wipe it over with a sponge straight after to remove the majority of it).
Door Handles
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I recommend purchasing the drilling guide with the kitchen, it helps a tremendous amount for people new to DIY..
Pelmets and Cornice's
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This was not too bad - but i recommend spending the money on a mitre saw to get very accurate corners, or they stand out like a sore thumb! (Like the first corner i attempted). The pelmets around the bottom included some clips to hold them against the cupboards. I found these extremely annoying to use - so in the end, the pelmets where cut in height to be a very SNUG fit and needed a little nudging to get them underneath. A bit of no more nails finished them off and they seem secure enough (even after a few kicks).
Painting
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I would recommend from personal experience painting the kitchen (if your going to paint it at all) the colour you want BEFORE starting to fit the kitchen. There turned out to be so many corners and awkward spots that im glad i didnt have to do it afterwards..
Oven Housing
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The oven housing we had with ours was B & Q's own Oven House Cupboard (600mm). The oven no way fitted inside of it... so we had to cut a lot of it away and re-strengthen the frame using additional timber along the sides..
Lights
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lighting was important in our kitchen, we wanted 3 lots... the main centre light which lit up the whole room, the under cupboard lights to light up the worktops and the little blue LED lights around the floor skirting.. A lot of planning was needed to figure out how it was going to work...
The problem was the blue LED's around the room mainly. This came in a pack of 10 for about £60 which had a central transformer... the problem was the transformer connected to a mains socket, NOT a light switch. The last thing i wanted to do was have to get down on the floor and flick a switch to turn the floor lights on... So the socket was rigged up to a swtich along with the other light switches. The transformer was positioned in the middle of the room so that the 10 LED lights could be spread out evenly around. This was done by drilling small holes in the bitcherman to lay a channel for each one. This was quite a long process but worth it. The cables where laid down, and then concreted over. The transformer in the middle of the room was later to be hidden by the central worktop.
The end result was worth it, it serves a purpose and looks great. If your entertaining and have food on the worktops its great to leave the LED's on to not take up as much electricity - but to give constant minimal lighting..
The lights underneath the cupboards where a bit of a pain - especially with the wires running underneath the cupboards. No matter how much tape was used, they would eventually drop - and the transformer could be seen from a distance which is quite an eye sore. So to resolve the issue, we made use of the "old" kitchen draws and took the base wood out which is extremely thin, and screwed this up under neath the cupboards to hold the wires up - and with it being white, it looks as if its part of the cupboards.
Worktops
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The worktops had to be cut to size with only 1 mitre needed in the corner.
Where a worktop didnt quite fit into a wall, we didnt cut the worktop... instead we chiselled out the plaster to slide the worktop into the wall (allowing to be later covered up by the splashback tiles).
The mitre was not done at a complete 45 degree angle. It starts 45 degree for about 2 inches, and then goes straight. This was recommended by the guy at B&Q and it looks really good. it saves a little more wood and makes it easier to fill in the join after.
For the join - you can get some special sealent stick which matches your worktop. This is extremely sticky and can be a pain to spread into it. I recommend spreading excessive amounts on and pushing it in deep to ensure it covers the gap. Make sure to leave it overnight before attempting to peel the excess off. It makes it much easier and stops any of the sealent coming back out of the join..
Wall Tiling / Splash Back
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The splashback was decided to be a plain white tile all the way around. This was done AFTER fitting the cupboards and the worktop. The reason being so that the tiles would fit down to the worktop rather than pushing the worktop to the tiles. I suggest leaving the celophane protection wrapping on the worktop till the day of completion to stop scratching and adhesive cleanup later on..
Grouting should be done when ALL tiles are finished -especially if your using a powder based grout ( i recommend using powder base and mix it a little thinner than the pre-made tubs. ) it gives a smoother finish and is much easier to push in between the tiles. Also, if you part grout, and then grout again after, you cannot guarantee to get the same shade of whiteness to match and you can see a distinguishable line..Also get someone to help with it. 1 person to push the grout in and 1 to follow 5 mins after wiping over with a wet sponge.
Once the tiling is done and worktop down, use silicone sealent (we used white to match the tiles) and put a thin bead around the worktop (where it meets the tiles). use a damp cloth and wipe over it again to get the excess off.
Around the oven - we decided to tile higher than the rest of the splashback, this was due to the fact of all the grease and mess from the cooking... it would probably have stained the wall over the time so higher tiles (up to the hood) makes it MUCH easier to wipe and clean..
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well thats all the major things i can think of at the moment - as i think of more things ill add it to this thread so hopefully someone can gain some help or advice from my problems / mistakes and other points
Ill leave you with some pics so that you get the idea of how it started and how it now looks...
Thanks.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The purpose of this post is to let others know of my experience and the end result..
Many thanks go out to my dad for all his hard work and help he gave me during the whole process.
We bought the kitchen from B&Q but due to the recent fire they had the kitchen was delayed...we was given 3 days notice of the delivery change date - by which time we didnt even have a sink anymore
Anyway... the job turned out to be MUCH bigger than i anticipated.. There were many obstacles, and keeping in mind i personally am a novice DIY guy (but i had plenty of help from my Dad).
Kitchen Space
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
When planning the kitchen, space was an issue. I wanted a worktop in the middle which would complicate things (i.e. walking around it, opening doors etc..) We also have a medium sized fridge and freezer - which would look horrible one placed ontop of the other (and taking up worktop space). So we decided to place the Fridge and Freezer in the MIDDLE of the room underneath the middle worktop - its out the way, still keeps to the "triangle" design of the kitchen access and leaves us with much more worktop space in the corner.
Its worth considering whats around to make use of. We have a chimney breast which was bricked up - so we knocked part of it out and decided to place a little hole inside it to fit the microwave in (inlcluding a socket in there). The microwave takes up a lot of space as it is. so hiding it out the way inside the wall seemed like a good opportunity... again leaving worktop space for other appliances which seems to end up being "forgotten" about in the cupboards..
Cupboards
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cupboards where a NIGHTMARE to fit... The wall brackets are terrible for screwing into the wall, the slightest bit out and the whole cupboard will look out of place.. so be aware it is difficult and will need at least 2 people ... (one of you to fetch the cupboard and hammer back from next doors garden..)
Floor Tiling
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Floor Tiling was ok, it took 2 days not rushing to fix the tiles down and grout. I was fortunate that the floor was lined with bitcherman to start with so it was very level. I recommend using fast setting tile adhesive for the floor - this way you can do half the room, and then by the time its done, its safe to tread on the tiles you have already laid.. it takes about 1 hour to set.
I started from the middle of the room out to ensure the lines where symmetrical with the centre wall and chimney breast, although i had help from the previous floor which where vynil tiles (so i followed the same pattern)
When grouting - try not to get too much over the whole tile - its a PAIN to get it off afterwards (even if you can wipe it over with a sponge straight after to remove the majority of it).
Door Handles
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I recommend purchasing the drilling guide with the kitchen, it helps a tremendous amount for people new to DIY..
Pelmets and Cornice's
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This was not too bad - but i recommend spending the money on a mitre saw to get very accurate corners, or they stand out like a sore thumb! (Like the first corner i attempted). The pelmets around the bottom included some clips to hold them against the cupboards. I found these extremely annoying to use - so in the end, the pelmets where cut in height to be a very SNUG fit and needed a little nudging to get them underneath. A bit of no more nails finished them off and they seem secure enough (even after a few kicks).
Painting
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I would recommend from personal experience painting the kitchen (if your going to paint it at all) the colour you want BEFORE starting to fit the kitchen. There turned out to be so many corners and awkward spots that im glad i didnt have to do it afterwards..
Oven Housing
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The oven housing we had with ours was B & Q's own Oven House Cupboard (600mm). The oven no way fitted inside of it... so we had to cut a lot of it away and re-strengthen the frame using additional timber along the sides..
Lights
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lighting was important in our kitchen, we wanted 3 lots... the main centre light which lit up the whole room, the under cupboard lights to light up the worktops and the little blue LED lights around the floor skirting.. A lot of planning was needed to figure out how it was going to work...
The problem was the blue LED's around the room mainly. This came in a pack of 10 for about £60 which had a central transformer... the problem was the transformer connected to a mains socket, NOT a light switch. The last thing i wanted to do was have to get down on the floor and flick a switch to turn the floor lights on... So the socket was rigged up to a swtich along with the other light switches. The transformer was positioned in the middle of the room so that the 10 LED lights could be spread out evenly around. This was done by drilling small holes in the bitcherman to lay a channel for each one. This was quite a long process but worth it. The cables where laid down, and then concreted over. The transformer in the middle of the room was later to be hidden by the central worktop.
The end result was worth it, it serves a purpose and looks great. If your entertaining and have food on the worktops its great to leave the LED's on to not take up as much electricity - but to give constant minimal lighting..
The lights underneath the cupboards where a bit of a pain - especially with the wires running underneath the cupboards. No matter how much tape was used, they would eventually drop - and the transformer could be seen from a distance which is quite an eye sore. So to resolve the issue, we made use of the "old" kitchen draws and took the base wood out which is extremely thin, and screwed this up under neath the cupboards to hold the wires up - and with it being white, it looks as if its part of the cupboards.
Worktops
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The worktops had to be cut to size with only 1 mitre needed in the corner.
Where a worktop didnt quite fit into a wall, we didnt cut the worktop... instead we chiselled out the plaster to slide the worktop into the wall (allowing to be later covered up by the splashback tiles).
The mitre was not done at a complete 45 degree angle. It starts 45 degree for about 2 inches, and then goes straight. This was recommended by the guy at B&Q and it looks really good. it saves a little more wood and makes it easier to fill in the join after.
For the join - you can get some special sealent stick which matches your worktop. This is extremely sticky and can be a pain to spread into it. I recommend spreading excessive amounts on and pushing it in deep to ensure it covers the gap. Make sure to leave it overnight before attempting to peel the excess off. It makes it much easier and stops any of the sealent coming back out of the join..
Wall Tiling / Splash Back
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The splashback was decided to be a plain white tile all the way around. This was done AFTER fitting the cupboards and the worktop. The reason being so that the tiles would fit down to the worktop rather than pushing the worktop to the tiles. I suggest leaving the celophane protection wrapping on the worktop till the day of completion to stop scratching and adhesive cleanup later on..
Grouting should be done when ALL tiles are finished -especially if your using a powder based grout ( i recommend using powder base and mix it a little thinner than the pre-made tubs. ) it gives a smoother finish and is much easier to push in between the tiles. Also, if you part grout, and then grout again after, you cannot guarantee to get the same shade of whiteness to match and you can see a distinguishable line..Also get someone to help with it. 1 person to push the grout in and 1 to follow 5 mins after wiping over with a wet sponge.
Once the tiling is done and worktop down, use silicone sealent (we used white to match the tiles) and put a thin bead around the worktop (where it meets the tiles). use a damp cloth and wipe over it again to get the excess off.
Around the oven - we decided to tile higher than the rest of the splashback, this was due to the fact of all the grease and mess from the cooking... it would probably have stained the wall over the time so higher tiles (up to the hood) makes it MUCH easier to wipe and clean..
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well thats all the major things i can think of at the moment - as i think of more things ill add it to this thread so hopefully someone can gain some help or advice from my problems / mistakes and other points
Ill leave you with some pics so that you get the idea of how it started and how it now looks...
Thanks.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
