Replacing kitchen cabinet doors • advice gratefully received

[Doraemon72]

Many thanks for reading my post.

Basically, I am trying to replace a series of old kitchen cabinet doors and drawer fronts (replacing the doors/fronts only, I mean, as opposed to the whole cabinet "carcass"). Thinking that it might be as easy as going into B&Q -- which I did -- and giving measurements and then choosing a new door/front style, I was soon told by a customer assistant that the sizes of my current doors don't fit the standard sizing which B&Q can replace. I was then told that my kitchen cabinet door sizing was an Ikea sizing -- which I have now found to be untrue. (Most of my cabinet doors are: 55.7-55.8cm x 49.6-49.7cm.)

As a result, I'm really not sure what to do now. The original goal was simply to fit new but fairly modestly-priced kitchen cabinet doors/drawer fronts in my kitchen, but I seem -- because of these main DIY shops telling me the sizing is out of kilter with that they sell -- to be being forced down the "bespoke" route, something I imagine which would not be cheap.

Does anyone have a suggestions as to a way forward from here? As I say, I only really wish to spruce up my kitchen "on the cheap" with inexpensive new kitchen cabinet doors/drawer fronts, but thus far I seem to have drawn a blank.

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers.

 

[alan333]

Check b&q website for the door and drawer sizes and see if they're the same sizes as your existing. If they are then the problem will either be them trying to sell you a whole kitchen or, more likely, that the hinge centres/drawer fixing points will be different. Sometimes you can move hinges down and use what was the bottom screw hole as the top hole instead etc. Alternatively you could use a router or drill (carefully) and make new hinge fixing points on the insides of your doors to suit anywhere that fits what space you can fit the hinges to on your carcass (if you get my drift). Obviously doing it this way would end up with several unused big holes on the inside of your new doors if that would bother you, but you can buy blanks for these. I've modified doors in the past and although it's a bit of a faff it worked out fine.

Edit...you can also buy doors without the pre-drilled holes from other suppliers but I can't recommend any since I've not personally used any. Maybe even try ebay?

 

[Doraemon72]

Check b&q website for the door and drawer sizes and see if they're the same sizes as your existing. If they are then the problem will either be them trying to sell you a whole kitchen or, more likely, that the hinge centres/drawer fixing points will be different. Sometimes you can move hinges down and use what was the bottom screw hole as the top hole instead etc. Alternatively you could use a router or drill (carefully) and make new hinge fixing points on the insides of your doors to suit anywhere that fits what space you can fit the hinges to on your carcass (if you get my drift). Obviously doing it this way would end up with several unused big holes on the inside of your new doors if that would bother you, but you can buy blanks for these. I've modified doors in the past and although it's a bit of a faff it worked out fine.

Edit...you can also buy doors without the pre-drilled holes from other suppliers but I can't recommend any since I've not personally used any. Maybe even try ebay?

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS, ALAN -- THIS IS MASSIVELY USEFUL AND SO GREATLY APPRECIATED. SIMON

 

[DIYHomefit]

Many thanks for reading my post.

Basically, I am trying to replace a series of old kitchen cabinet doors and drawer fronts (replacing the doors/fronts only, I mean, as opposed to the whole cabinet "carcass"). Thinking that it might be as easy as going into B&Q -- which I did -- and giving measurements and then choosing a new door/front style, I was soon told by a customer assistant that the sizes of my current doors don't fit the standard sizing which B&Q can replace. I was then told that my kitchen cabinet door sizing was an Ikea sizing -- which I have now found to be untrue. (Most of my cabinet doors are: 55.7-55.8cm x 49.6-49.7cm.)

As a result, I'm really not sure what to do now. The original goal was simply to fit new but fairly modestly-priced kitchen cabinet doors/drawer fronts in my kitchen, but I seem -- because of these main DIY shops telling me the sizing is out of kilter with that they sell -- to be being forced down the "bespoke" route, something I imagine which would not be cheap.

Does anyone have a suggestions as to a way forward from here? As I say, I only really wish to spruce up my kitchen "on the cheap" with inexpensive new kitchen cabinet doors/drawer fronts, but thus far I seem to have drawn a blank.

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers.

Hi Simon,

That is the problem with the big sheds, they can pretty much say whatever sizes they like and most people will go with their advice and change the carcasses to match.

There are companies online that can offer a custom made selection of both doors and drawer fronts.
Search 'made to measure kitchen doors' on Google and you'll be surprised at how many come up and they aren't that expensive!

Its also worth noting that your door sizes dont appear to be that far out. There is always a small tolerance for sizing doors to carcasses. This is usually between 3-5mm smaller but depends where you source your doors from!
For example, a 496 wide door is designed to fit a 500 wide carcass. And if i remember correctly, B&Q also have a tolerance but they sell it as a 500 or 600 wide door (even though it doesn't actually measure that!)

Edit - Extra Info

 

[Doraemon72]

Many thanks for reading my post.

Basically, I am trying to replace a series of old kitchen cabinet doors and drawer fronts (replacing the doors/fronts only, I mean, as opposed to the whole cabinet "carcass"). Thinking that it might be as easy as going into B&Q -- which I did -- and giving measurements and then choosing a new door/front style, I was soon told by a customer assistant that the sizes of my current doors don't fit the standard sizing which B&Q can replace. I was then told that my kitchen cabinet door sizing was an Ikea sizing -- which I have now found to be untrue. (Most of my cabinet doors are: 55.7-55.8cm x 49.6-49.7cm.)

As a result, I'm really not sure what to do now. The original goal was simply to fit new but fairly modestly-priced kitchen cabinet doors/drawer fronts in my kitchen, but I seem -- because of these main DIY shops telling me the sizing is out of kilter with that they sell -- to be being forced down the "bespoke" route, something I imagine which would not be cheap.

Does anyone have a suggestions as to a way forward from here? As I say, I only really wish to spruce up my kitchen "on the cheap" with inexpensive new kitchen cabinet doors/drawer fronts, but thus far I seem to have drawn a blank.

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers.

Hi Simon,

That is the problem with the big sheds, they can pretty much say whatever sizes they like and most people will go with their advice and change the carcasses to match.

There are companies online that can offer a custom made selection of both doors and drawer fronts.
Search 'made to measure kitchen doors' on Google and you'll be surprised at how many come up and they aren't that expensive!

Its also worth noting that your door sizes dont appear to be that far out. There is always a small tolerance for sizing doors to carcasses. This is usually between 3-5mm smaller but depends where you source your doors from!
For example, a 496 wide door is designed to fit a 500 wide carcass. And if i remember correctly, B&Q also have a tolerance but they sell it as a 500 or 600 wide door (even though it doesn't actually measure that!)

Edit - Extra Info

Thanks so much for this, DIYHomefit! What you've written certainly provides a lot of food for thought and information I'd not been aware of. It's very interesting, too, what you say about tolerances, something I was completely oblivious about. Many thanks again. Simon

 

[Burnerman]

A plug (legally or otherwise) for DIYhomefit......I have no connection with this firm, but with their website and help you can't go wrong.
Accurately measure the doors / fronts you need. (In mm). Take your time with the hinge centres! Go to the website, type in your sizes and hinge positions - you can see exactly what you are getting. Check your hinge types as they may not be the 'euro screw' fixing so may need bolting through or using ordinary screws.
Choose your handles.
Phone help from Wendy if you need it is friendly and knowledgeable.
John

 

[DIYHomefit]

A plug (legally or otherwise) for DIYhomefit......I have no connection with this firm, but with their website and help you can't go wrong.
Accurately measure the doors / fronts you need. (In mm). Take your time with the hinge centres! Go to the website, type in your sizes and hinge positions - you can see exactly what you are getting. Check your hinge types as they may not be the 'euro screw' fixing so may need bolting through or using ordinary screws.
Choose your handles.
Phone help from Wendy if you need it is friendly and knowledgeable.
John

Wendy is a fountain of knowledge - scary stuff!