www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

I was not sure how to state the title, but here goes with my question.
I am thinking of fitting a new kitchen, or having one built. My wife and I like a clutter free kitchen. In the past we adapted tall wall units to fit on the base worktop so that toasters and kettles etc can just be slid in and out. A new idea we have come up with, is to virtually do away with the large black adjustable legs, so the waste of space can be utilised.
Our kitchen floor is virtually flat with just the odd millimeter, maybe, due to the tiling. I would like something similar to the small feet used on cookers/washing machines, then fill the space where the large black legs were, with a drawer. I have seen plinth drawers, but the drawer ends up very small as it has to fit between the legs. As the floor is virtually level, I do not need all the adjustment on the legs. Has anybody on here fitted anything like this and if so, what adjustable feet did you use? The unit sides would be longer than the usual base cabinet to allow for the drawer to fit flush. They would be a bit like an upside down drawer pack, only longer.

If I understand you correctly I would suggest making a simple box frame, the same depth as the cabinet, out of white melamine faced chipboard to replace the legs entirely. The weight of the cabinets above can be supported by the box and you can construct drawers to slide conveniently to take your stuff. See these kits which are ideal https://www.screwfix.com/p/drawer-syste ... pack/16338 It would need a degree of precision for making the box to get the height right.

DWD

The plinths on kitchen units are there for a reason, it's not called a kick-space for nothing.

ayjay wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 6:09 pm The plinths on kitchen units are there for a reason, it's not called a kick-space for nothing.

Well, yes, the space is for your toes to go in.

A subject close to my heart as having just done this, so here goes - I bought three "plinth drawers" off fleabat two years before I got round to doing the kitchen, and didn't really think about it much - until it came to installation. The drawers I had bought were 600mm wide by 570mm deep.

Without thought to this I planned and ordered the units (from DIYK).

The first issue was that DIYK units work on 150mm legs & 720mm carcases to make a 40mm worktop standard height of 910mm (obviously I worked on 155mm legs so I wouldn't have to cut the plinth) - but the drawers were solid carcase at 165mm high. So as not to leave a gap between 150mm plinth & 165mm off-the-floor units, I cut the drawer carcases down by 10mm to 155mm. The plinth drawer runners (Blum Tandembox) allowed this clearance as was, though it would have been possible to redrill & remount them.

Secondly, it was a nightmare to level the run of units, I had to start at the plinth drawers (fixed height), use spacer shims to get true then adjust the legs on adjoining units accordingly. So it wasn't a case of starting one end then working along, had to start in the centre then work outwards.

Thirdly, the idea of plinth drawers is to make drawer fronts out of "plinth", but this would have left square cut ends to be edged, also the long edges of plinth material is not 'finished'. I ordered additional drawer fronts (597mm wide) in matching material*, in the nearest size and cut the bottom off them.

Fourthly, it transpired that the plinth drawers were designed for 40mm set-back plinth (as was the previous installation) but DIYK legs are 65mm set-back. Could have doubled up the fixed plinth but chose to cut the back off the plinth drawer carcases.

Lastly I opted for 20mm quartz worktop to bring the height back down, as SWMBO only got short legs.....

A great deal of work & heartache, but very pleased with the result, drawers run smooth without scraping the floor.


* This meant purchasing plinth in drawer material, four times the price of cheapo plinth. Not all suppliers offer this.

I went a slightly different track to use the space. I've kept the standard plinth and legs and just made boxes that fit inbetween the legs. I did consider fitting casters but the boxes slide easily enough on the quarry tile floor. Principally i wanted it to look like a bog standard kitchen where people don't utilise the space , a sort of secret hiding place.
To create more space it shouldn't be a huge problem to sit the units on 2" thick timber blocks so that two adjacent units sit on each block.