Ikea kitchen advice please!

moneypanicker

Hi, we have decided to go for an ikea kitchen as was half price of a wickes one (that was with the sale offers) this will not be a forever home but we will probably be here for a couple more years.

The problem we have is with ikea worktops I just don't like them. I could live with their laminate but they don't do upstands we have looked at real wood instead but again no upstands instead a horrible beading thing like on laminate floor which I hate!!

I know that their worktops are deeper 620mm so where can I buy elsewhere. I've found a company called origins that do 620mm but the only colours I liked are now discontinued. It is putting a real dampner on the kitchen buying process and I'm getting really stressed about it ( I know over a stupid worktops!)

Does anyone please have any other suggestions. Please bear in mind I do not want to spend a fortune this is to see us through the next few years till we move. Also any other areas of your ikea kitchen that you would change?

Thanks in advance

keystone

Why do you want upstands?

Are they really necessary in this scenario?

Cheers

moneypanicker

What would I use instead?

keystone

Tile down to the worktop or fit a splashback.

Cheers

moneypanicker

Would that work with real wood? I have no idea about any of this and it is so complicated. I want to avoid using the horrible beading that ikea supply and don't really like tiles.

keystone

moneypanicker wrote: »

Would that work with real wood?

Yes

I have no idea about any of this and it is so complicated. I want to avoid using the horrible beading that ikea supply and don't really like tiles.

Don't make it complicated because it isn't You've said its a short term thing anyway and common sense says that you choose something that a) you can live with for two years and b) won't put off a buyer at the end of those two years. Use a glass splashback if you don't like tiles but I think you would be sensible to revisit the tiles question with a fully open mind.

Cheers

MrsE_2

I've got an Ikea kitchen with B&Q worktops.

moneypanicker

Just because it's not my forever home why shouldn't I have something I like? I WILL have tiles if there is no other option but can I have tiles with real wood so I don't have to have the beading that is what I'm asking!!! I'm not making things complicated I've never had a kitchen installed before and I'm completely clueless just because you know about these things don't assume everyone else does....that is why I'm asking!

I was told I needed an expansion gap with wood how will that work with tiles or a splash back??

Thanks for idea of b and q but they are only 600mm deep and I need 620mm for ikea units.

keystone

moneypanicker wrote: »

Just because it's not my forever home why shouldn't I have something I like?

I already said you should but it would be a good idea to consider the resale positoon.

I WILL have tiles if there is no other option but can I have tiles with real wood so I don't have to have the beading that is what I'm asking!!!

Yes and I already said you can.

I'm not making things complicated I've never had a kitchen installed before and I'm completely clueless just because you know about these things don't assume everyone else does....that is why I'm asking!

You said it was complicated. I said it isn't so don't make it so. No reason to get the hump. If you don't like the advice directly reacting to the words you have used I'll stop posting.

I was told I needed an expansion gap with wood how will that work with tiles or a splash back??

A solid wood worktop needs to be able to move relative to the units to cater for differentiual expansion. Thats doesn't mandate an expansion gap per se. Tiles and or splashback are over the back edge of the worktop. The silicone sealant between slashback/tiles and worktop provides sufficient flexibility to absorb any movement.

Cheers

gibson123

I have an Ikea kitchen with walnut laminate worktops, I decided against real wood because of the cost and hassle of the upkeep of these. I don't have tiles, I have stainless steel splashbacks and painted walls where there is no splashing. I paid extra for the custom worktop, so that I didn't have joins. If you really don't want the Ikea ones any other worktop will work with the units.

moneypanicker

Thanks for replies. I too am worried about upkeep of real wood and would prefer laminate. I cannot get any laminate though as it is not deep enough as ikea cupboards are not standard size. Wood is an option however if I don't have to have beading. There was a walnut laminate that I liked in ikea but that was custom made and assumed it would be too expensive - maybe I'll ask them to give me a quote.