Kitchen from scratch.

Shedhand

You generated some interesting and useful posts. Well done all.

When we did the kitchen, in the absence of a cutting service, my mate bought a new 80 tooth 235 saw blade for real smooth minimum chip cuts. It was great. Also made up a cutting jig and cut everthing the same day. All pieces the same length (eg verticals) were cut at the same time so they were exactly the same length.

A little foible of mine. If you look in your cutlery drawer you will see a lot of waste space above the cutlery to the top of the drawer. You can therefore make the drawer lower and use the space more profitably for something else. Eg Three drawers in the space normally occupied by two.

Boban

Found your posts very helpful and informative but have a couple of questions.

Why do you have 2400 melamine ripped to your specified dimensions, rather than design the carcases to use standard narrow width, pre-edged melamine?

How do you arrange the hinges; Why two at the top rather than one in the middle?

Thanks and Cheers

Graeme

Hi all, I know its probably been done to death but I wanted to renew our kitchen on a very tight budget. While poking around Bunnings I noticed a flatpax kitchen on display. I took a close look at the cabinets etc and realised I can do this. Available also was a catalogue which gave all the finished dimensions for all pantrys, base units, overheads and benches. this catalogue becomes your bible. I bought enough melamine to build one single 400mm base cabinet. The only tools needed were a small circular saw [with a good quality narrow klef blade] a decent straight edge which doubled as a saw fence, a square and probably, most importantly, common sense. It was just like a bought one. So I then worked out a plan for the kitchen, worked out how much and what sizes of sheets I would need to keep wastage down to a minimum and hey presto! To give an idea of how much money was saved: I got quoted $6355 for a custom built kitchen uninstalled, If i bought all the cabinets I needed from Bunnings I would have forked out $3500. The kitchen cost me $1400 including benchtops. If you have the time, the tools and the basic ability to use them then do it.

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Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Boban

Found your posts very helpful and informative but have a couple of questions.

Why do you have 2400 melamine ripped to your specified dimensions, rather than design the carcases to use standard narrow width, pre-edged melamine?

How do you arrange the hinges; Why two at the top rather than one in the middle?

Thanks and Cheers

Graeme

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I have a panel saw so I buy my panels full size and cut them down. The pre-edged stuff is OK but expensive when you talk about large amounts. I also have an edgebander so there is another reason. Even those little edgebanders are good value for money.

The reason I suggest getting them cut down to a particular size is that it makes it very easy to work with a ~700 x 1200mm sheet with only a marginally increased expense when compared to buying a 2400 x 1200 sheet. They are also very accurately cut. Even with a panel saw, cutting the sheets down to these sizes is what I find the most labour intensive and most likely to cause a lifting injury. You would be surprised just how many sheets a kitchen eats up.

You can do what you suggest, its just that I've never done it that way mainly because of the cost and the pre-edged stuff I've seen in hardware chains is not HMR (High Moisture Resistant) Board as its made for shelving not wet areas. To be honest I can't remember the last time I looked at board in a hardware.

With respect to the hinges, you will find that the top one is the site of most failures, not on the doors so much but on the carcasses. I saw this method at a high end kitchen manufacturer and have followed suit. It makes sense to me even if it costs an extra couple of dollars per door. Locating it in the middle would help but not as well as putting it up the top.

Think of it this way, a door always wants to fall because of its weight and a thing called gravity. Its prevented from doing so by the hinges. On the top hinge you have a pulling force, and on the botton a pushing force. By placing an additional hinge at the top, that pulling force is taken up by 4 screws instead of 2. That's my understanding of the theory behind it anyway.

Thanks Boban

Burried in your response was that you use HMR {High Moisture Resistant} board for your kitchen carcases.

I did not know that HMR even existed.

Makes one wonder how many kitchens there are out there that were made from non-HMR MDF. Do many of the professional installers specify HMR? Do the kits contain HMR? How do you say HMR in Chinese?

Cheers

Graeme

Hi All,
Such an awesome site. I am absolutely not into doing home renovations by myself. But after reading few threads here and at other forums I am highly motivated to do it myself.<O:p></O:p>
<O:p></O:p>
I am currently taking quotes to redo my existing kitchen. It's a standard size kitchen. The quotes vary from A$ 12K to 20K including a granite benchtop, sink, gloss vinyl wrap doors but excluding appliances. I don't want to spend more than A$10K as we intend to turn this property into an investment after about a year.<O:p></O:p>
<O:p></O:p>
My existing kitchen cabinets are in good condition. Now here is my list of questions.<O:p></O:p>
1. Can I reuse my cabinets and put new doors to it?<O:p></O:p>
2. If I am making cabinets from scratch what material (MDF, timber etc) is good and cost effective?<O:p></O:p>
3. As I am also getting a floating timber floor laid in kitchen and adjoining family area, adds few more questions to the list like <O:p></O:p>
1. is it ok to have a floating timber floor in kitchen ? I mean what happens if your sink overflows or say dishwasher leaks ?<O:p></O:p>
2. Should I do the flooring first and then the kitchen or vice versa. I have heard two different versions of this from the tradesman so that has added to my agony.<O:p></O:p>
Hope it's not too much of a questionnaire of a new comer.<O:p></O:p>
<O:p></O:p>
Thanks<O:p></O:p>
SandyB

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Originally Posted by SandyB

Hi All,
Such an awesome site. I am absolutely not into doing home renovations by myself. But after reading few threads here and at other forums I am highly motivated to do it myself.<O:p></O:p>
<O:p></O:p>
I am currently taking quotes to redo my existing kitchen. It's a standard size kitchen. The quotes vary from A$ 12K to 20K including a granite benchtop, sink, gloss vinyl wrap doors but excluding appliances. I don't want to spend more than A$10K as we intend to turn this property into an investment after about a year.<O:p></O:p>
<O:p></O:p>
My existing kitchen cabinets are in good condition. Now here is my list of questions.<O:p></O:p>
1. Can I reuse my cabinets and put new doors to it?<O:p></O:p>

A if the carcases are in good condition and the layout is workable then this is an option that can work

2. If I am making cabinets from scratch what material (MDF, timber etc) is good and cost effective?<O:p></O:p>

A all cabinets are made from white covered particale board

3. As I am also getting a floating timber floor laid in kitchen and adjoining family area, adds few more questions to the list like <O:p></O:p>
1. is it ok to have a floating timber floor in kitchen ? I mean what happens if your sink overflows or say dishwasher leaks ?<O:p></O:p>

A You have answered youself (insurance is a great thing)

2. Should I do the flooring first and then the kitchen or vice versa. I have heard two different versions of this from the tradesman so that has added to my agony.<O:p></O:p>

A depends really on the quality of your substrate in the flooring,if you persist in getting the floating floor the cabbies will tell you to lay it after the kitchen is installed and the floories will tell you to get the kitchen installed after they have layed the floor ,human nature being as it is both trades are looking after themselves ,go figure ,as ned kelly is said to have said just before they hanged him "such is life "

Hope it's not too much of a questionnaire of a new comer.<O:p></O:p>
<O:p></O:p>
Thanks<O:p></O:p>
SandyB

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Graeme

I wouldn't use anything less than moisture resistant particle board
Kitchens have sinks and dishwashers, which from time to time overflow

ian

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Originally Posted by SandyB

I am currently taking quotes to redo my existing kitchen. It's a standard size kitchen. The quotes vary from A$ 12K to 20K including a granite benchtop, sink, gloss vinyl wrap doors but excluding appliances. I don't want to spend more than A$10K as we intend to turn this property into an investment after about a year.
</O:p
My existing kitchen cabinets are in good condition. Now here is my list of questions.
1. Can I reuse my cabinets and put new doors to it?

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yes, but instally new hinges might be TOO hard (read expensive) making new cabinets more cost effective

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2.

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If I am making cabinets from scratch what material (MDF, timber etc) is good and cost effective?

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melamine coated moisture resistant board. Going a bit upmarket, you'd use laminate coated MR board (it's much easier to keep clean)

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3. As I am also getting a floating timber floor laid in kitchen and adjoining family area, adds few more questions to the list like <O:p</O:p
1. is it ok to have a floating timber floor in kitchen ? I mean what happens if your sink overflows or say dishwasher leaks ?

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you'll get water on the floor and the cabinets will get wet.
what happens nest depends on whether the materials are high moisture resistant — if they are, mob up the water and get on with life, if the're not ...

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2. Should I do the flooring first and then the kitchen or vice versa. I have heard two different versions of this from the tradesman so that has added to my agony.<O:p

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I'd get the cabinets done first, cause if you do the floor first you're sure as chipos going to scratch it putting in the cabinets


have fun
ian

Thanks heaps Ian. Higly appreciate it.
Sorry for so many smilies I didn't intend to post it that way.

Cool. so to start with
1. Rip the old kitchen out (I guess I can reuse some cabinets in my garden shed, garage, laundry etc.)
2. Re-check the quotes to see what cabinet material each one of them is offering and I guess I might go with

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laminate coated MR board

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3. Get cabinets done first followed by floors

Awesome. Might come back with some more questions as I get more and more into it.

Also I ll keep this post updated with my progress.

SandyB

If you are installing a floating floor is there a big height difference between before and after?
This might be something to consider re the relationship this has with the finished height of your benchtops.

Personally I favour the floor first school.
If the entire area is floored evenly then any changes or additions only have to deal with the same given.

Any kitchen you install should have carcasses made of Australian Made High Moisture Resistant Board coated on both sides with white melamine.
It is not neccesary and there are no advantages to building a carcase set out of MRMDF unless you happen to have a lot of lying around.

Respect, all.

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Originally Posted by Sybarite

It is not neccesary and there are no advantages to building a carcase set out of MRMDF unless you happen to have a lot of lying around.

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...and you have massive muscles. MDF carcases are quite heavy! :)

Thanks Sybarite,

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If you are installing a floating floor is there a big height difference between before and after?

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I don't know yet, at this stage I am getting quotes.

Thanks Arms,

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depends really on the quality of your substrate in the flooring,if you persist in getting the floating floor the cabbies will tell you to lay it after the kitchen is installed and the floories will tell you to get the kitchen installed after they have layed the floor ,human nature being as it is both trades are looking after themselves ,go figure ,as ned kelly is said to have said just before they hanged him "such is life "

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That's so true, and what I understand so far is that there is no right or wrong to the sequence it's just a matter of decision.

Well, might advance a bit more than quotes I guess, over the weekend.

Ya all have a nice one.

SandyB

By putting the floor in after you get a couple of minor benefits:

1. No damage by other trades
2. Slightly less square meterage

The down side is that the finish won't be as neat (maybe dependant on who does it)

Just random thoughts though - I'm definitely no expert

Hi all,

Apart from the self satisfaction feeling of building your own, I suggest a bit of homework and get a quote direct from Laminex on Redikits and Contour doors. If you stick to standard colours the Contour doors come in, you will get out of it for not much. I just did my large kitchen with just about all drawers and overheads this way for $1500 for kits, Colour tech doors with rolled edges, hinges all the scres, legs, everything ready for the benchtop. If you have something easy and select a plain door style on double width carcasses, you might get out of it for <$1000.

Try these

http://www.thelaminexgroup.com.au/do...e_ReadiKit.pdf

Have a poke around at the other trade stock available direct

http://www.thelaminexgroup.com.au/tr...ials/index.asp

And at the bottom of this page is Laminex's clearance stock

http://www.thelaminexgroup.com.au/clearance.asp

I just had a browse at the Victorian stock (from where tassie is supplied) they have full sized colourpanels in varying colour selection from $7 through to $44. A few of these panels and some matching edgestrip and you will be in the money.

Hope that helps.....DC :)

Just (almost) finished my kitchen from scratch. I got my bench tops made of gluelam tassie oak from Fenton Timbers in Waverley TAS. - (Bruce 03 63355288). I got around 8 metres of bench 600 wide 37 mm thick for under $1K incl. delivered to Sydney.
The cheapest price I got up here was $1300 for laminex and the cheapest solid timber bench was $3,500. I was really happy with the quality and service from them. Mind you then came the cutting,sanding and 3-4 coats of polyurethane. Worth the effort though.