fitted kitchen units - made of real wood?

looby-loo_2

Agreed, two different things entirely, however, the chipboard does vary a great deal from one cmpany to another. eg, in my 20 year old carcasses the shelves come right flush to the front of the cupboard and fit tightly, whereas, those I have looked at in the last cuple of week, ranging from cheap chainstore to 'posh' indepenent have a piece of board for a shelf finishing 2-3cm back from the front and 1/2cm narrower than the inside of the cupboard IYSWIM.

I'm anoyed that even the posh semi bespoke shop said that new doors couldn't be fitted to old carcasses because they 'would be all wonkey'. They just want to sell more I know but I was conserned for the environment too so couldn't see why the perfectly straight carcasses shouldn't be reused.

Beckipeg

We're having this debate too - but have decided to go with Kitchens 2 Go -
http://www.k2go.co.uk - they're a local firm to us, but do a range from budget to bespoke and charge factory prices (you can actually visit the factory to see your kitchen being made!). Might be worth a look.

dawnybabes

We've just had a Howden one fitted, MDF carcasses but real oak doors.

I thought it was excellent quality for the money

br1anstorm

ozskin wrote: »

just a start solid wood carcases are possible we could have them made but this is not the best material for the carcase. esp with modern technical drawer box systems that are manfactured to v precise tolerances that real wood would be hopeless at achieving. that being said we do many solid wood doors and veneered end panels. I am sorry but you are sadly mistaken in your assumptions. However i would agree that many esp big high street stores manufacture very mediocre quality kitchens. we now take the benefit of the most modern computer controlled machinery for the carcases with handmade and finished doors. the idea that solid wood even compares is mistaken

I seem to have provoked some vigorous discussion - and it's really useful to have one's own assumptions challenged! There's obviously a lot of expertise out there - and some strongly held views.

Lots of food for thought in this and other posts about the drawbacks of real wood in terms of manufacturing tolerances, hygiene, ability to cope with temp and humidity etc. Looks as if one of the real difficulties for the consumer/client is in how to distinguish between a good quality system and a mediocre or poor one. Thickness of panels? Type of joints? Shelving arrangements? Or just name and reputation of supplier?

The search continues....

br1anstorm

ozskin

dear brainstorm all and none are true. most hi quality german kitchens use a 16mm board whereas most quality british kitchens use 18mm board. however we do a bespoke british at 18mm rigid and superb construction and a pre assembles flat pack which is also 18mm and no where near the quality, or the price for that matter. I understand how difficult it is as there are many kitchens sold as rigid that are just per assembled flat packs like howdens etc (and i think you will find their carcases are not mdf). how are you to know. as ever take all of this into account and if you need any help shout.

viticella

In our last house we were skint and we scratch-built a kitchen to fit old, imperial sized timber doors from my parents. I'm an engineer and designed it, my long suffering DH built it, so this is a subject dear to my heart!

The carcases were 18mm MDF (Medium density Fibreboard, NOT chipboard) with 15mm solid backs. All the pieces were cut to plan by local timberyard. They were glued, dowelled and screwed together. The drawers were the "Metabox" metal sided system. Used ordinary Blum hinges, other components from Screwfix. The interiors were painted with Osmo Wood Wax in white, and the doors/ends/shelves with Farrow & Ball Oil Eggshell. This meant we could paint all the unit exteriors to match the doors without having to stick silly extra end panels on.

You could have dropped a bomb on it, really and it would have survived. [Buyer of the house ripped it out after a year but that's another story ]

If I come into my fortune I'd go for a Border County Kitchen (https://www.bordercounty.co.uk) as that's the nearest thing to our labour of love. Also Needs of Nottingham used to do very nice solid pine unit kitchens at a sort of half-affordable price.

I think the sagging doors, damp units etc are to do with how well the units are fitted and sealed - the ones with hardboard backs don't really have any stability so they will come apart really easily. Also older cheap units tend to have cheap plasticky drawers and hinges that weren't up to the weight of the door, and long shelves without enough support.

Our present kitchen's about 9 years old from MFI/Schreiber, it's nothing special but it really is showing no wear and tear at all. I think most rigid unit kitchens, if well fitted, should stand up to the job.

I can't bear vinyl doors made to look like wood though. Even Ikea's wood doors are real wood!

ozskin

dear viticella interesting we only do an mdf carcase 18mm with 8 mm solid backs with full cam locks glued and dowelled when we are doing a painted kitchen inside and out, i dont know of many companies that offer a painted internal carcase and doors finished and delivered perfectly. oh and the mfi stuff is not really rigid

GiveItBack

I think that Smallbones don't use MDF, but I'll try to find out for you. If you don't get a reply soon, PM me.

In NE England there used to be a company called Academy Craft, and they used to make really good qualiy stuff. But I don't go there any more (NE England), so they might not do so any more. If they even exist.

jennifernil

I would agree that a well made carcase in 18mm chipboard will stand the test of time.

Ours is now 22 years old and still as good as the day it was installed. We have solid oak doors and they are still good too. Drawers are still solid, everything still works as it should.

The only things we have had to replace are a few of the Blum hinges, the springs that hold them closed have broken.

downshifted

What a lot of helpful posts - lots of food for thought here - thanks to all