Gaps between wall units (front, bottom and top) and how to fill them

Discussion in 'Kitchen Fitters' Talk' started by Jacopo, Nov 29, 2021.

  1. Jacopo

    Jacopo Member

    Hello, I'm going to buy a kitchen from DIY Kitchens and fit it myself.
    The 1000mm wide wall unit will house a 90cm canopy extractor; I have to leave a gap to the side to maintain simmetry, they don't do 700mm wide units in this style.

    What is usually done to fill the front, top and bottom of the gaps I have highlighted?

    Front: I know the answer, a filler panel
    Bottom: ?
    Top: maybe non required?


    The bottom gap will be especially visible as the 1000mm extractor unit is obviously shorter than the normal wall units, hence its base is higher and easily visible from underneath

    upload_2021-11-29_15-47-44.png
    upload_2021-11-29_16-9-27.png
     
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2021
  2. I-Man

    I-Man Screwfix Select

    Usually you wouldn't have gaps in the middle of units, only at the ends, which are then filled with an end panel cut. I think the problem you'll have is in order to look good, you'll need to match the door colour
     
  3. Jacopo

    Jacopo Member

    End panels and filler panels match the door colour, don’t they?

    Customer service have advised to use an end panel cut to size wider than the unit to go to the bottom of it, but it’s another £160 to then be mostly cut to fit the extractor

    Just wondering how people would do it; what happens when the gap is at the end of the units, is it normally left open at the bottom?
     
  4. I-Man

    I-Man Screwfix Select

    The bottom/underside is not seen
     
  5. woodbutcherbower

    woodbutcherbower Screwfix Select

    Professional joiner chipping in here. Pic attached is from a Wren kitchen I did a few years back - same scenario as yours, and every picture tells a story. The vertical panels to the side of each wall cabinet would normally have been run full-height, but the designer screwed up the plan dimensions and didn't measure properly = not enough space left on the entire wall run, so a bit of a compromise. Hope the pic points you in the right direction though.

    IMG_0013.JPG
     
  6. Jacopo

    Jacopo Member

    Your problem was the opposite of mine; you didn’t have enough space and I have too much

    I could butt the units to the central one but then they wouldn’t be aligned to the base units
     
  7. Rather than a 700 double use a 400 and a 300 together.
     
  8. Jacopo

    Jacopo Member

    Sorry, the base units (excluding the tall oven unit) are: 600+150+800+150+600 = 2300
    So if I use 400+300+1000+300+400 on the wall that’s still 2400
    I would need 650mm wide wall units, not 700mm as I initially said
    They do some 300 and 350 but not in this style and anyway I don’t want narrow units
     
  9. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    Unless I'm misunderstanding, just order an extra length of plinth and rip it down to fit the front and bottom gaps, the top won't be seen.
     
  10. Jacopo

    Jacopo Member

    That was kind of the idea; would you just fill the bottom gap by adding a custom cut piece flush with the bottom of the carcass or a full piece to go just below it?
    I think you mean the former as you mentioned a plinth, but just checking
     
  11. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    The former, being as a full piece would interfere with the extractor I assume, or you don't want to pay £160.
     
  12. Jacopo

    Jacopo Member

    Exactly, so just create an L shape piece as thick as the gap and fix it in there, easy!
     
  13. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    Yeah, you're welcome.
     
  14. Mr Rusty

    Mr Rusty Screwfix Select

    From a cooks perspective I really don't like cheek panels low down close to hobs - they always seem to get coated in cooking residues - I did my last kitchen like this and said I won't do it again. Now have an open wall with just a canopy hood over a large hob and it is much nicer to use. You would lose some storage though. Horses for courses - form over functionality.
     
    Starslikedust likes this.
  15. Jacopo

    Jacopo Member

    I'm having an open debate with my other half about which of these two design is better

    In the first one, the tall wall units have a 50mm gap between them and the extractor unit, so they are butted up to the tall oven unit on the left and to the wall on the right; they are perfectly aligned to the base unit (which are also 600mm)
    Pros: wall units aligned to base units and slighly more out of the way from the hob
    Cons: door might touch the tall oven unit and the right wall when opened; need to take car of the bottom gap as it's at eye level (which was the subject of my original question)


    In the second one, the wall units are butted up against the extractor, and there are going to be a filler panel between the tall oven unit and the left unit and a bigger filler panel on the right wall compared to design 1.
    Pros: there is plenty of space to open the doors, no need to fill the bottom gaps
    Cons: wall units not aligned to base units and closer to the hob

    What do you think?
     

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