DIY KITCHENS - END PANELS AND PELMETS - HELP PLEASE???

I have recently purchased a new kitchen units from Homebase and have sucessfully put up the base and wall cabinets. As I'm a girl and the first time I've done this, I'm a bit chuffed.

However, how do you put on/up the end panels? ie I have put together a tall broom cupboard (using the laminate sides provided) but how on earth do you put the end panel on at the side? I presume the purpose of it is to make it look nice as it's a standing at the edge of a door...... should I have made the unit with the end panel and not the laminate white bit?

Also - how do you attach the pelmet strip to the bottom of the units to make them look nice?

Thanks for any advice

Reply to
Dreddypuss
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Not quite sure how your sex comes into it, lots of blokes don't know the right end of screw driver. You've had a go, well done.

I assume you bought the decorative end panels as a seperate item.

Yes, the units come with (cheap) white panels as you only need (less cheap) decorative panels at the ends if you can see them.

Wall units? I drill counter sunk holes in the pelmet and screw it the underside of the units, mitreing any corners. Make sure the screws are short enough not to break through into the units.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

Yes

I use modesty blocks (aka assembly blocks and various other names - they're white or coloured, about 2" long by 1/2" by 1/2 inch with a pair of screwholes on one long face and one on the other long face). Screw onto the pelmet at regular intervals first then offer the whole lot up to the wall units and screw in keeping the pelmet flush with the front of the units.

Reply to
G&M

Well done!

On our MFI "Schreiber" kitchen we fixed on the decorative end panels onto the outside of the sides of the units. This was done by just whacking a suitable number of countersunk screws out from the inside of the units in various places. In our case the decorative panels have a "curved" front edge and this is supposed to be placed a few mm forward from the bit that the door rests against. The door then closes and part of the edge of the door is hidden by the decorative panel. It probably varies according to the design of the kitchen. Maybe some ranges, as others have suggested, have to be built using alternative "decorative" ends. But then these would have to be supplied with all the same holes and slots drilled I guess. Maybe that would be a clue about how yours are meant to go - plain panels = added on the outside, panels with "assembly" holes = replace standard crummy side.

Regards, Simon.

Reply to
Simon Stroud

Depends a bit on the way they units were designed. Often you should do as you suspected, and use the decor panel in place of the supplied plain one for the ends that will be visible.

Some units however, are designed such that you screw through the supplied panel (from the inside of the unit) into the decor panel such that you clad the visible side rather than replace it.

If you hold the decore panel against the end of your unit and it looks silly - you probably have your answer as to which way to go ;-)

Those small plastic blocks with screw holes through both sides are one way. Screw them onto the back of the pelmet strip at the adjoining edge, and then screw the whole lot to the cabinet. Make sure you have some self tapping screws that ar not too long!

Reply to
John Rumm

Put on a short dress and stilletoes and go to a building site and beg a box of plasterboard screws. The black double helix type are ideal for fitting chipboard end panels to cabinets.

The panels are 2 x 5/8 inches thick usually. The screws are about that long so sink them just flush. Check the plastic screw covers that came with your kitchen will fit into the screw heads.

If you are considering bying a battery screwdriver for such jobs make sure you get one small enough to use in confined spaces. (Get the biggest of what choices you have.)

The mitres you may encounter will be 22 1/2 degrees. Again I find that the judicial use of miniskirt and high heels works its magic on building sites.

Pelmets need to be set in about a half inch from the front edge, covings jut out about as much the other way. Hold them in place with supports or superglue -even no nails mastic, until you screw them. Joints are put together with superglue before fixing.

Superglue is a contact adhesive. Apply liberally and allow to dry before putting the parts together. Have a practice with a few scraps of wood first. Don't let this long list of advice put you off. It is pretty straight-forward once you have a go.

Reply to
Michael Mcneil

"Michael Mcneil" wrote | Again I find that the judicial use of miniskirt and high heels | works its magic on building sites.

It's never done me any good. Perhaps you've got better legs Michael?

Owain

Reply to
Owain

It's a real bugger when those high heels get stuck in the mud. Can you get them with toe protectors?

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

Well that's what comes of wearing miniskirts on building sites...

Reply to
Lobster

News too me, have you EVER used superglue

You are mixing it up with stuff like evostick which is a contact adhesive

Superglue is the stuff for sticking your fingers together, but does a great job on cornice or light rails/pelmets

Reply to
kitchenman

J.B.

Reply to
Jerry Built

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