Kitchen End Panels - Stone worktops

[Carlton Banks]

There is a small chip in one of my end panels in my kitchen - it's minor however it annoys me everytime I look at it.

A replacement part is peanuts however I have a Silestone worktop which is bolted to the top of the units and adhered to the wall. Additionally, I also have a glass splashback.

How are these end panels normally bolted and is it realistic to think I can remove an end panel without disrupting the worksurface?

[dave_s13]

My end panels are screwed from the inside to the outer edge of the base unit and are not structural, so can be unscrewed.

Is there an overhang, could you just stick a new panel on top of the old one?

Picture would help?

[rich0411]

Usually fixed from inside of carcass, could have been screwed and countersinked behind the hinge plate though so could be behind there, some ropey fitters usually screw it through the shelf holes.

[Blakeatron]

How and what kind of damage?

There are lots of ways to fix scratches, dents, chips - specialist 2 part fillers, soft waxs, hard waxs etc.

Depending on the damage I would be tempted to get a hard wax kit - they are like crayons and you heat them with a special tool (normally in the kit), you mix the colours to get the exact shade.

Or as said a side panel should not be structural, but if worried just use a short timber to chock up the wall cabinets.

[m4ckg]

how do you know that the tops are bolted down? silestone and granite is usually just stuck down with silicone. Just make sure the worktop is supported before you remove the damaged panel (especially if its at the end of the run )

[singlecoil]

You should be able to see if it's stuck down with silicone if you take the drawers out and look for where the silicone has squished over the edges.

You are probably safest by, having found and removed all the screws, to try to separate the end panel at the floor end first. If it comes away ok then bend it away from the worktop. If it's stuck with silicone it will come away when subjected to that much leverage.

It may be that the worktop is exerting a bit more pressure on the end panel than on the adjacent cabinet, which will make getting the end panel out a little trickier.

I don't like end panels.

[m4ckg]

I pressumed it was an end support for a washing machine space

[Toilet Duck]

Can't you get the colour matched and fill/paint the damaged spot? Save you having to remove/re-fit panels etc

I took a panel from my kitchen to a Dulux centre and they matched the colour spot on, I then made up some of my own panels and once painted they looked like they came with the kitchen.

[m4ckg]

where does it say its painted, it could be a gloss finish or a wood grain. Can you buy wood grain effect paint?

[singlecoil]

m4ckg said:

I pressumed it was an end support for a washing machine space

You could well be right, the OP hasn't told us either way. The washing machine at the end is normally assocated with less expensive kitchens, which Silestone tends not to be associated with

[Toilet Duck]

m4ckg said:

where does it say its painted, it could be a gloss finish or a wood grain. Can you buy wood grain effect paint?

Where does it say it isn't painted? The OP says the worktops are stone, no mention of the end panel material/finish etc.

Just offering up a suggestion and trying to help the OP. No need to be a c0ck

[m4ckg]

just for your info, Silestone isn't stone, its man made. All Icm saying is don'recomend a repair until you know the facts you c0ck !

[Toilet Duck]

m4ckg said:

just for your info, Silestone isn't stone, its man made. All Icm saying is don'recomend a repair until you know the facts you c0ck !

No one knows the "facts", the OP hasn't said what the end panels are made of. Don't see why you have such an attitude. If the OP can't paint his end panels, no big deal, he doesn't have to take my advice or anyone elses, it was merely a suggestion that happened to work for me, and may benefit the OP.