Couple of questions for the experts

[PokerG]

Firstly, a confession, I have a fetish for solid wood kitchens. It's not something I am proud of, but I, and my girlfriend, have accepted it. Due to a serious mould and damp problem in our current kitchen we are scrapping and building from scratch. I will be doing it myself and in a less than traditional manner. With my strange perversion out in the open, on to my questions:

1> If I build a cupboard door of dimensions 50cm x 200cm out of three/two planks of 1.5cm oak will it have movement that will be noticeable over the years? (I don't want to use traditional panel door design and intend to just tongue and groove them together to make a solid block as this meets the aesthetic design I have in mind for that part of the kitchen)

2> Are there any obvious problems with using a solid wooden splashback at the back of the granite worksurfaces? (Can't find tiles that I like and that match the worksurface and oak)

3> How strong do the supporting walls for wall mounted cupboards have to be? (Part of the kitchen refit includes the addition of a newton system waterproofing layer as the kitchen is half underground and the wall afterwards will probably not be able to cope with the weight)

4> Anyone seen any interesting floors that go well with an oak kitchen and black granite worksurface with golf flecks (Galaxy is its popular name) ? (Still having trouble finding something and at the moment I am really worried about how dark the kitchen can get, eco friendly would be great, like cork or bamboo)

Thanks for all your time, and try to keep the fetish to yourselves.

Gary.

 

[Scrit]

Hi Gary

1> If I build a cupboard door of dimensions 50cm x 200cm out of three/two planks of 1.5cm oak will it have movement that will be noticeable over the years? (I don't want to use traditional panel door design and intend to just tongue and groove them together to make a solid block as this meets the aesthetic design I have in mind for that part of the kitchen)

They will move, but if they've been acclimatised to the house/room before you make them the movement won't be so great. Remember than lay-on kitchen doors are normally made with a 2 to 3mm reveal all round and the reveal should accommodate any movement. As to structure you will most certainly need to brace those doors at the back to contain any tendency to cup across the door. This is a traditional approach to making T & G doors. I've seen a few older pine kitchens with flat strip laminated pine doors without braces where one or two doors are warped, presumably because they aren't braced.

2> Are there any obvious problems with using a solid wooden splashback at the back of the granite worksurfaces? (Can't find tiles that I like and that match the worksurface and oak)

I'd say mainly sealing it where the timber meets the granite. Oak is rich in tannin and will develop indellible black stains if allowed to come into contact with water and iron so thorough sealing is an absolute necessity

3> How strong do the supporting walls for wall mounted cupboards have to be? (Part of the kitchen refit includes the addition of a newton system waterproofing layer as the kitchen is half underground and the wall afterwards will probably not be able to cope with the weight)

In good quality masonry a couple of #8 or #10 x 2-1/2 screws in a decent quality plug such as a Fischer S8 will hold upwards of 100kg with ease, but that means drilling 3in or so into the wall. If that is going to breach your tanking then you'll need to either find a way to seal the breaches or you'll have to ensure that the holes are above the DPC level - possible as the upper cabinets are suspended from brackets screwed into the wall at the 6-1/2 to 7 ft level. If there is no way to overcome this then the only suggestion I can make is to build a false stud wall in front of the tanked wall fixed only to the floor and the ceiling and with additional noggins at the appropriate levels to take and fixing or mounting brackets.

Scrit

 

[NickWelford]

3> How strong do the supporting walls for wall mounted cupboards have to be? (Part of the kitchen refit includes the addition of a newton system waterproofing layer as the kitchen is half underground and the wall afterwards will probably not be able to cope with the weight)

Gary.

I didn't want to drill the walls in my kitchen, so I drilled holes in the ceiling rafters (which are covered with plasterboard) and just screwed threaded studding direct into the holes. These will take a lot of weight and you could either build your cupboards round them or devise some way of suspending your cupboards from them at the top surface. I actually use them for heavy shelves with cast iron pots etc on and covered the exposed studding with radiator pipe covers in pseudo-chrome (plastic). For shelves such as mine, it means there are no wall supports above or below.
This actually works very well - I think I invented the idea as I haven't seen it anywhere else. I can post a pic if anyone wants one.

 

[spadge]

Hi Gary

They will move, but if they've been acclimatised to the house/room before you make them the movement won't be so great. Remember than lay-on kitchen doors are normally made with a 2 to 3mm reveal all round and the reveal should accommodate any movement. As to structure you will most certainly need to brace those doors at the back to contain any tendency to cup across the door. This is a traditional approach to making T & G doors. I've seen a few older pine kitchens with flat strip laminated pine doors without braces where one or two doors are warped, presumably because they aren't braced.

Scrit

That's true but make sure the braces allow the doors to move accross their width e.g. screw them in place.
If you glue the braces accross the full width of a solid door then it will warp.

Cheers

Grahame

 

[DomValente]

And make sure you stain/colour the tongue and groove before you put them together so any shrinkage will not be so obvious, mother suck eggs, but it's often forgotten.
As to the darkness of the kitchen, the judicious use of lighting can reflect well of granite and timber. under cupboard and even at floor level is effective, failing that a mixture of flood and spot from the ceiling works well.
The best way is to hold the lights at different points on the ceiling or even tape them there to see what the final effect will be before permanently plumbing them in.

Dom

 

[Sailor]

Evening,
I have fitted a bamboo floor for a kitchen, about 6 months ago. It was sealed with a flooring grade sealant and it looks very good.
The owner is very pleased and says it lightens up the kitchen no end. (It has dark walls and cabinets.

HTH,

Colin

 

[PokerG]

Thanks for your help all, plenty of stuff for me to think about. I did think about suspending it from the ceiling as I am taking the ceiling down for doing the lights and to get rid of some flood damage. (Another story)

G