The Step by Step Guide to Kitchen Fitting

Ok, the first thing to do is to place a level on the floor in a series of places around the area where the units will be fitted. find the lowest point of the room. This is the place where you will start your datum line. Next, measure the height of your units (not including the feet), measure the height of your plinth and add 5mm for clearance. You will now have the height to set your datum line at. Measure from the floor at the lowest point and put a mark on the wall, then draw a level line around the room.

You can now start to mark out your kitchen as per the plans. Remembering to Mark out all clad on end panels (if supplied). Measure 500mm off your datum line; this will give you the bottom line of your wall unit. Then simply measure the height of your wall units and continue. At this stage it is recommended to mark out where you are going to need electrical or plumbing supplies. Please note all integrated appliances will need these supplies inside the nearest unit as electrical plugs and pipe work behind the appliance will often prevent them pushing back into place.

You are now ready to start fitting your base units. If you have one, always fit the corner unit first and work off this unit as a point of reference. The neatest tool to use for cutting out holes in base units is the hole saw, select the correct size for the cut out in question whether it is for pipe work or electric cables. When leaving spaces between units for appliances, a small amount of clearance is required to enable ease of fitting. This is also helpful for future maintenance and servicing of the appliance. Once all your base units are fitted its time to fit the wall units. Please refer to your instructions manual to find the dimensions for fitting wall unit brackets.

Now all your kitchen units are fitted you are ready to start on the worktops. It is recommended to consult a professional when attempting a butt and scribe worktop joint. However if its worktop strips being used it can be quite an easy process. Measure the area requiring a work surface, add on a couple of inches (80mm) put the worktop in place and mark the underside using the end base unit as a guide. Its recommended using a router and a jig to ensure a straight and true line is achieved. Contact adhesive and a brush or spreader is required to stick on edging strips (if working with laminated worktops)

Once the work surfaces are fitted and screwed down you are ready to cut out your sink and hob appliances. Making sure you refer to the fitting instructions for each set of dimensions. Mark the cut outs and cut out using a jig saw. The pipe work should already be in place, making the connections to the sink and hob a straight forward procedure. Ensure a corgi registered gas fitted is on site to make the gas connection on both the hob and oven. (If required)

You are now ready to start fitting the cornice, lighting pelmet and plinth. This also is the time to fit any infill pieces using a colour coded panel. A Chop saw is required to complete this job professionally.

The last task is to fit the doors onto the units. The reason this job is left until the end is due to the potential damage caused by completing the previous tasks. Once all the doors are fitted its time to fit the handles. You should now have a fully working, perfectly fitted kitchen.

Martin Davis