Kitchen from scratch.

[Shedhand]

G'day all.

Our extension is ready to have a kitchen built. The problem I have is universal. I've run out of money and can't aford a professionally built kitchen.
I have all the necessary tools to do this kind of work including access to a 12" Table saw with big sliding thingy for cutting sheets of melamine MDF.

A kitchen builder has offered to two pack spray my doors.
Can anyone point me to blueprints/plans for kitchen carcasses so I can make my own. :confused:
Cheers and thanx in advance.

PS: I'm in Hobart ( a backwater of contemporary kitchen fashion) so I can't get ready mades from Sydney or any mainland state for that matter unless the freight is free.

[snowyskiesau]

I installed a new kitchen about 6 years ago, all built from scratch.
To get an idea as to how the carcasses were put together and to get measurements for height, depth, etc. I visited as many kitchen display centres as I could with tape measure in hand and made as many notes as I could. I also collected brochures as some of them gave details of the construction.
I then worked out the types of cupboards I wanted and their sizes and calculated the various panel sizes required. I got the boards (16 mm HMR melamine) cut to size by the supplier as they were able to cut more accurately than I could, plus they could cut them without chipping the melamine.
All I had to do was put them together.
I might still have some of the assembly details for the pre packs. If so, I'll dig them up and scan them.

[mic-d]

I can't remember the numbers, but AWR had a story over two issues on cabinet building.

CHeers
Michael

[snowyskiesau]

If all you are after is construction details rather than detailed plans, try this link:

http://www.smartpackkit.com.au/

Under the Info Centre tab, there is a heading Cabinet Assembly Drawings that give the basic construction of the carcasses.

This is the same info I used when creating my kitchen.

[boban]

Here are the basics.

Benchtop standard dimensions 600mm wide. 900mm for a breakfast bar.

I build my carcasses 546mm deep. With an 18mm door it will get you to 564mm deep.

Kickboards I build seperately and they are 150mm high and 500mm deep. Otherwise you can get the adjustable legs from someone like Hafele.

Carcasses end up being 735mm high. How they are constructed is a matter for you. The bases always extend the full width so that the sides sit on the base. That means the sides are cut to 719mm. You do not need a top for the carcass

Top cupboards are usually either 730mm or 600mm in height and 300mm deep.

You will find that most doors are 730mm in height and vary in width although I dont like to go beyond 450mm. I also always use 3 hinges per door. 2 up top and 1 down below.

If I were you I would look for a cutting service and get the 2400mm boards ripped/cut to 719mm widths (for the sides and backs) 546mm (for the bases). This will save you handling large sheets. Make a cutting list. Mine is always in the form of a sketched drawing

If you break the whole process down into little bits you will see that it is not an overly difficult task as far as skills are concerned (butt joints galore). It is however time consuming and more so for the inexperienced person.

Do a basic design and work in regular sizes. Say 900mm for the sink cupboard and 800mm (or whatever suits you best) for most other cupboards and it will be done in no time.

Then post questions as you need to before you undertake the task at hand.

The beauty of this is that if you build the base first and get it level, you can then put the cupboards in as you build them. You'll soon see how small your shed is otherwise.

And just to finish. Whilst there are some regular sizes, there are no set dimensions. You can design the kitchen any way you like.

[duckman]

G'day Shedhand,

the AWR (Australian Wood Review) articles that mic-d referred to, are in issues numbers 38 & 39. It's a two part article but its not very extensive because as Boban has illustrated, there's really not much to kitchen cupboards.

Good luck with it.

Cheers,

Mark.

[Jack52]

Go to you local library and do a search under cabinet making. I don't know about Tassie libaries but the Brisbane library has some very useful books including some specifically dealing with kitchen cabinets, including doors and fitting hinges etc.. Only problem is most of them are american and the measurements are in feet and inches.

best of luck

Jack

[Sturdee]

If you can build a box, you can make kitchen cabinets. Drawers are boxes that slide in another box sitting on its side.

I built my kitchen and found that my wife preferred drawers rather than shelves so it was building boxes and boxes till I was sick of them. So for the last cabinet I put in shelves and then I had to change it to sliding shelves.

So get SWMBO to design what they want.

Also visit some specialist stores that deal in kitchen supplies. In Melbourne I go to Wilson & Bradley who may have a branch in Hobart. They are much cheaper and better to deal with than the bulk stores. If you are putting in drawers get the gadget to hold the runner whilst you mark out the screw holes. Makes fitting them so much easier.


Peter.

[GraemeCook]

Hi Shedhand

Helped a friend build a kitchen about ten years ago - before Gunns subsumed Rompkes.

He had the same problem, almost out of cash, so we built the carcases, no doors and put on a single sheet of melamine as the bench top. Painted the top with a one pot epoxy paint (tough) - KillRust, I think. Result was a fashionable, open shelf kitchen that looked better than it sounds.

A year later they had a butcher block top put on, and two years later we put on the doors.

If I was building a kitchen, I'd be like Sturdee and put in drawers rather than shelves. A little more expensive, more work, but you get a lot more usable and accessable storage space.

In Hobart, Uptons at Mornington (bigger than Argyle St) usually have far better prices for melamine, doors, hinges, drawer slides, etc, than Bunnings or K&D.

Cheers

Graeme

[Pulse]

I recently built two kitchens from from scratch. Boban is on the money, I'll run through my details and suppliers:

Timber:
16mm HMR melamine from laminex
-550 x 3600 long pre edged - for all floor cupboards
-300 x 3600 long pre edged - for wall cupboards
-600 x 3600 long for wall cupboard backs
3mm white craftwood 761mm x 2400 for floor cupboard backs
18mm MDF 2400 x 1200 for trims and doors

Painting:
HVLP set up
edges filled with runny timbermate
sanded with 320 grit and 240 grit to take off corners/edges
mirotone mirobild acid-catalysed 2 part polyurethane 1 primer, 2 topcoats

Hardware: (all from Nover www.nover.com.au)
Hettich hinges and metal sided door runners (means you only cut floors and backs of drawers.)
Adjustable feet with snap-on kicks
stainless steel handles.
Recessed downlights from electrical supplier


other tips
-use a good panel saw, I had access to a professional shop saw and it took about 7 hours to cut up 800kg of board.
- buy all in one drill/countersinks and have a couple of cordless drills handy.
- I used the measurements from the lamikits from laminex. I planned each sheet of board and had laser printer labels to stick to each one as I cut it.

Overall the painting is the hardest and most time consuming bit,

Good luck, let me know if you need any other info.

Cheers
Pulse

[b1ueshift]

I used a second hand kitchen to get most of my carcasses. If you get a good one cheap, it can work out cheaper than making them yourself - and less labour as well.

[boban]

If you are putting in drawers get the gadget to hold the runner whilst you mark out the screw holes. Makes fitting them so much easier.


Peter.

Drawers upon drawers and a few more drawers is exactly the way my wife wants her 'dream' kitchen (blumotion type drawers no less). I reckon a drawer cabinet takes about 4 times as much work than a standard cabinet but is that much more efficient as far as storage is concerned.

I actually install all my runners on the sides before assembling the cabinet. I just use a set square and draw the lines where the runners will go and then screw in the runners. It is even easier than the jig and is not specific to just one type of runner.

[Shedhand]

Excellent array of advice. Very much appreciated guys. Gives me a lot of hope that I can do a half way reasonable job of it. Will start the planning tomorrow with wifey.
Cheers
Mike

[Guy]

Have a look at these files:
1
2
3
4
5
these would help you out with your design's
I am not familiar with any companies that do cutting services in Tassie but there are many in Melb that do and ship there.
Have a look online at hettich's website and look at the ecomat hinges and the multitech drawers, if your on a budget stay away from the inotech drawers as they are expensive.

[Shedhand]

Have a look at these files:
1
2
3
4
5
these would help you out with your design's
I am not familiar with any companies that do cutting services in Tassie but there are many in Melb that do and ship there.
Have a look online at hettich's website and look at the ecomat hinges and the multitech drawers, if your on a budget stay away from the inotech drawers as they are expensive.

Thanks Guy. Great help.
Cheers
Mike