The kitchen is often the heart of many a home, the engine room, the space where everyone can get together for a meal, or a cup of tea and a chat. It’s also the hardest working area of a home and often needs updating more frequently. But are DIY kitchens a good idea?
Fitted kitchens can be expensive, so is doing it yourself a realistic option? DIY is a great way to save money, and many big-box DIY chain store kitchens are well-made from good, quality materials.
Here are our top tips for buying and fitting a DIY kitchen.
DIY Kitchens; Flat Pack or Factory Assembled?
If your budget can stretch to it, a factory-assembled set of kitchen cabinets saves you time and head-scratching. Howden kitchen carcasses are delivered ready-built for you to put in position straightaway.
Some flat-pack kitchen cabinets can look like fantastic value, however, it’s not worth buying the cheapest product available. Some deals are too good to be true, so always buy from a strong brand name such as IKEA or B&Q.
DIY Kitchens; Doors and Drawers
While the quality of the cabinets is important the look and final finish of the kitchen will owe a lot to the doors and drawer fronts. If you can stretch to real wood or veneered plywood, your kitchen will keep its looks for longer.
One area that DIY kitchen fitters absolutely have to spend money on is hardware. Buy the best hinges you can afford. The fancier the better!
Kitchen cabinet doors swing open and shut many times a day while we search for that missing ingredient or try to find that favourite mug. Investing in decent hinges means the cabinet doors will remain properly aligned for longer.
DIY Kitchens; Fixtures and Fittings
The same is true for door and drawer handles. Fit the best you can. At the same time, go for good drawer runners, metal, not plastic. Don’t waste money on anything called either essential or basic.
Soft-close drawer and door technology is not expensive either and can give a DIY kitchen the feel of a luxury build.
DIY kitchens can be bought with integrated appliances too. You don’t have to have a fitting company install your oven, or fridge as often they simply rely on a domestic plug.
Gas appliances will require the correct connection from the main supply. You cannot alter the main supply yourself, so contact a registered engineer.
DIY Kitchens; Worktop Worries
DIY worktops are predominantly heavy chipboard and come in a multiplicity of finishes to suit every taste, from modern metallic, through classic marble, to solid farmhouse timber.
Whatever your favoured style, the thing to remember if you are buying a chipboard worktop is to get the thickest you can afford. Chipboard counters come in sizes from 22m to 38mm, and thicker is always better.
Chipboard is made up of compressed timber particles and can be vulnerable to moisture. Thinner worktops are more likely to bow.
You will need to properly finish and protect solid wood worktops from moisture. Acrylic worktops can crack or split if not fitted with care.