Bodging kitchen corner units smaller?
Discussion
I’m fitting a used kitchen as I’ve run out of cash! All’s well so far, except the corner units stick out too far to get an oven in the middle.
I could do with cutting the sides down and getting them back together in a shorter position. Is it even possible? It doesn’t need to last forever, or look perfect. I’m thinking screw/glue/dowel might do it? What’s the best way of getting straight cuts?
Worse case scenario I buy new corners but if I can make this work I’m a happy man!
I could do with cutting the sides down and getting them back together in a shorter position. Is it even possible? It doesn’t need to last forever, or look perfect. I’m thinking screw/glue/dowel might do it? What’s the best way of getting straight cuts?
Worse case scenario I buy new corners but if I can make this work I’m a happy man!
as a bodger of many years standing , i feel qualified to answer.
make the cuts to the side of the units that butt up to the wall. so you are cutting the backs of the units. using a circular saw this should be fairly easy. if you attempt to cut the units either side of where the cooker needs to go, it is possible but needs more accuracy and work.
i hope that makes sense , somebody more qualified should be along soon.
edited to add. strengthen the units with scrap wood before you cut them. fitted to the side of the unit that you inted to retain.
make the cuts to the side of the units that butt up to the wall. so you are cutting the backs of the units. using a circular saw this should be fairly easy. if you attempt to cut the units either side of where the cooker needs to go, it is possible but needs more accuracy and work.
i hope that makes sense , somebody more qualified should be along soon.
edited to add. strengthen the units with scrap wood before you cut them. fitted to the side of the unit that you inted to retain.
Edited by jas xjr on Sunday 19th November 17:41
Reduce the units where they abut the cooker, equal amount off both sides, screw/dowel back on, but......what about the doors? I assume they're a raised panel type, no idea how you'd cut them without it looking pants. If you reduce the back of the unit then you lose worktop space; possibly a bigger overhang on the worktop just to get by for a while?
Edited by wolfracesonic on Sunday 19th November 17:55
Edited by wolfracesonic on Sunday 19th November 17:57
If the gap is 300mm or more then you could just adapt one corner unit and have the oven off centre.
Is the kitchen that narrow? It looks like it's less than 900mm between the fronts of the cabinets on either side, so if put a door on a 600mm cabinet and you'll struggle to open it and crouch down to get stuff out. In a room that narrow you'd be better off with 600mm deep cupboards on one side only.
Is the kitchen that narrow? It looks like it's less than 900mm between the fronts of the cabinets on either side, so if put a door on a 600mm cabinet and you'll struggle to open it and crouch down to get stuff out. In a room that narrow you'd be better off with 600mm deep cupboards on one side only.
jas xjr said:
as a bodger of many years standing , i feel qualified to answer.
make the cuts to the side of the units that butt up to the wall. so you are cutting the backs of the units. using a circular saw this should be fairly easy. if you attempt to cut the units either side of where the cooker needs to go, it is possible but needs more accuracy and work.
i hope that makes sense , somebody more qualified should be along soon.
edited to add. strengthen the units with scrap wood before you cut them. fitted to the side of the unit that you inted to retain.
Defo this. Done it on two kitchens, worst was a v.expensive Magnet solid oak one I was fitting for/with a mate. Worked out we needed 70 mm off to get the fridge in the gap, same situation as yours, and when I laid the unit down and cut 35mm off the back he went doolally. Then explained what I was doing and why, doing it off the back meant the doors didn't need to be cut and it looked brillmake the cuts to the side of the units that butt up to the wall. so you are cutting the backs of the units. using a circular saw this should be fairly easy. if you attempt to cut the units either side of where the cooker needs to go, it is possible but needs more accuracy and work.
i hope that makes sense , somebody more qualified should be along soon.
edited to add. strengthen the units with scrap wood before you cut them. fitted to the side of the unit that you inted to retain.
Edited by jas xjr on Sunday 19th November 17:41
jas xjr said:
as a bodger of many years standing , i feel qualified to answer.
make the cuts to the side of the units that butt up to the wall. so you are cutting the backs of the units. using a circular saw this should be fairly easy. if you attempt to cut the units either side of where the cooker needs to go, it is possible but needs more accuracy and work.
Surely this will reduce the depth of the units along the side walls making them too narrow. Top bodging sir make the cuts to the side of the units that butt up to the wall. so you are cutting the backs of the units. using a circular saw this should be fairly easy. if you attempt to cut the units either side of where the cooker needs to go, it is possible but needs more accuracy and work.
Thanks guys,
A bit more info..
The kitchen is long and narrow, at 225cm. I need to run units down both sides as the left has windows and the right will carry wall cabinets.
Offsetting the oven isn’t my favourite idea, as it’ll look unbalanced and I’ve then got the door right against units.
Gap between unit fronts at opposite sides is 104cm.
Current gap for oven is 38cm, so I need to find 22cm.
Doors either side of oven would need to be cut too. (11cm each) they’re plain handleless doors so I haven’t got to worry about centring a shaker style inlay.
I know the edges wouldn’t look great, but with the corner piece between the units I can at least hide the bulk of it.
Cutting the backs off would get me part way there, but I’d need to do the whole run both sides and would then need to run service pipes inside cabinets - time and money!
A bit more info..
The kitchen is long and narrow, at 225cm. I need to run units down both sides as the left has windows and the right will carry wall cabinets.
Offsetting the oven isn’t my favourite idea, as it’ll look unbalanced and I’ve then got the door right against units.
Gap between unit fronts at opposite sides is 104cm.
Current gap for oven is 38cm, so I need to find 22cm.
Doors either side of oven would need to be cut too. (11cm each) they’re plain handleless doors so I haven’t got to worry about centring a shaker style inlay.
I know the edges wouldn’t look great, but with the corner piece between the units I can at least hide the bulk of it.
Cutting the backs off would get me part way there, but I’d need to do the whole run both sides and would then need to run service pipes inside cabinets - time and money!
Edited by bristolbaron on Sunday 19th November 18:37
anonymous said:
[redacted]
i would make all the units the same depth.also depends whether the reduced depth of the unit might cause problems with mounting a sink. all good fun. if you want to go down the route of cutting down the doors, you might want to look at painting the units in a contemporary colour.i have used a specialist paint for this and the results were stunning.quite ill at the moment , but when i get the chance i will post photos of a £250 kitchen refurb.
which i did on a rental property for my sister. which included neff appliances , solid wood worktops , and a lot of elbow grease.
i am not a powerfully built company director obviously.
It could well be a current range, The units are about 6 years old, but could be from anywhere. I’d imagine the colour would be discontinued though!
I was thinking about colour matching some smaller fronts, but would run into issues unless I did the lot.
A jig could be handy, I’m guessing I’d also need a router? Would also work for the worktops and no one needs an excuse to buy tools! If I bought a router could I use this to cut the sides down? I'm guessing i'd give a neater finish than a jig saw..
I was thinking about colour matching some smaller fronts, but would run into issues unless I did the lot.
A jig could be handy, I’m guessing I’d also need a router? Would also work for the worktops and no one needs an excuse to buy tools! If I bought a router could I use this to cut the sides down? I'm guessing i'd give a neater finish than a jig saw..
Edited by bristolbaron on Sunday 19th November 20:32
[quote=bristolbaron]It could well be a current range, The units are about 6 years old, but could be from anywhere. I’d imagine the colour would be discontinued though!
I was thinking about colour matching some smaller fronts, but would run into issues unless I did the lot.
A jig could be handy, I’m guessing I’d also need a router? Would also work for the worktops and no one needs an excuse to buy tools! If I bought a router could I use this to cut the sides down? I'm guessing i'd give a neater finish than a jig saw..
A router would actually be the best tool for cutting both the doors the shelves and back panels as it will give the neatest and most accurate cut.
you don't need to spend a fortune but I would recommend one with a half inch chuck + get yourself a decent straight cutter,
you'll also need a straight edge you can clamp to the panels/doors to get a neat cut
once you've dismantled the units and cut the parts to size you can just fasten the sides and back to the shelves with screws rather than messing about with dowels as where the cabinets are situated the screws won't be on show anyway.
I was thinking about colour matching some smaller fronts, but would run into issues unless I did the lot.
A jig could be handy, I’m guessing I’d also need a router? Would also work for the worktops and no one needs an excuse to buy tools! If I bought a router could I use this to cut the sides down? I'm guessing i'd give a neater finish than a jig saw..
A router would actually be the best tool for cutting both the doors the shelves and back panels as it will give the neatest and most accurate cut.
you don't need to spend a fortune but I would recommend one with a half inch chuck + get yourself a decent straight cutter,
you'll also need a straight edge you can clamp to the panels/doors to get a neat cut
once you've dismantled the units and cut the parts to size you can just fasten the sides and back to the shelves with screws rather than messing about with dowels as where the cabinets are situated the screws won't be on show anyway.
should also say, you should reduce it on both sides where they meet the cooker and not as has been suggested on the wall side,
taking 110mm from the wall side will step the unit in and create issues with the worktop,
it may also mean the doors will catch on the side units when trying to open them.
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