advice on decorative end panels?? height issue

[bgatty68]

I am fitting my kitchen base units and I have about 7 decorative end panels to fit as well for cupboards for a middle island I am fitting. My issue is, the end dec panels are 870mm high, the instructions for the height of the cupboards says legs to be at 135mm high for the kick boards to fit, but then the overall height of my cupboard is approx 855mm-860mm which is obviously too short for the decorative end panel??? please advise me on what I need to do or am i doing something wrong. I know I could cut 10mm off the decorative end panel but I haven't done so incase i am doing something wrong and also why would they make and end decorative panel 10-15mm bigger than the overall recommended height of their cupboards so their kickboards fit??
any help much appreciated

[joinerjohn]

Either set the legs at 150mm (bringing the height of the units up to 870mm) (which is the usual height to set base units at).
Or ,, if your happy with the height of the base units at 855mm then you could cut the clad on end panels down.

Personally, I'd raise the height of the legs to bring the units up to 870mm.
BTW some manufacturers make the clad on end panels oversize so they have to be cut down. B&Q for instance supply their clad on end panels at 591mm in length.

PS,,, 870mm is the usual height of base units ,so that washing machines, fridges, freezers etc will fit under the worktop.

[bgatty68]

Thanks for the advice joinerjohn the problem i have is the kickboards are only 135mm, so if i raise the legs to 150mm there will be a gap

[joinerjohn]

Could you not perhaps buy some plinths at 150mm width? If not then you'll have to cut down the clad on end panels.
I'd scribe them to the floor, then mark the top and cut of with either a circular saw or hand saw.

[Colour Republic]

The kicker boards are set back so in most cases you would never see the gap unless it is a very large room where you have a view point of the kicthen from far away.

Before you go any further, have you taken the finished floor height in to account? i.e what type of flooring are you having, tiles, timber, lino? So unless you already have a finished floor on which you are building the kitchen off then you need to take this in to account. If you don't you may well find as JoinerJohn has pointed out your appliance won't fit

Most decorative end panels are over sized and need to be scribed but some have designs which are not ment to be cut, these require a little more planning

[bgatty68]

Colour Republic I alreday have my floor laid down and am building the units on this at the moment. I think i will try the option of cutting down the end panels. I also got the measurements wrong Joinerjohn my units are set at 870mm and the end panels are 890mm. So by having the units at 870mm all my appliances will fit underneath,is this correct guys thanks to both of you for advice so far

[joinerjohn]

The height (870mm ) is correct. Probably just a case now of cutting down the end panels to the correct height. I'd scribe the bottom edge to the floor. Surprising to find floors that are actually level. You want to make sure the end panels are plumb before you cut anything off the height. If you do scribe them to the floor, don't forget to seal the bare edges before you fix them to the units.

[bgatty68]

Thanks for that Joinerjohn

[Colour Republic]

As joinerjohn says above really but I set the height between 880mm and 900mm depending on a few factors in the room and how i'm feeling that day