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Before
The Makeover Plan
Step 1: Attach the End Panels
Step 2: Replace the Doors
Step 3: Straighten Up Cabinet Doors
Step 4: Add the Drawer Fronts
Step 5: Replace Old Drawer Runners
Step 6: Change Hardware
Step 7: Secure New Handles
Step 8: Fix the Kickboards
Step 9: After
Total Cost
Written by Frank Gardner
When Kate Griffith bought her first home with hubby Chad in 2006 the first thing they did was demolish the tiny 1970s kitchen, replacing it with Flatpax modular vinyl-wrapped white gloss cabinetry and white kickboards, costing just under $6,000.
Several years later the kitchen still looked relatively bright and clean but the wear and tear caused by toddler triplets inspired a revamp.
Kate's aim was to give the existing kitchen a fresh new look and feel by introducing a warm, vibrant color.
"I chose the Seduction Red range to tie in with our existing stainless steel backsplash and white countertop, giving the kitchen character without a complete makeover," says Kate.
"Plus we needed a practical color to cope with the grubby hands of our three busy toddlers."
The cabinets were emptied and the end panels removed by undoing the screws from the inside using a cordless drill with a Phillips head drive bit.
"New end panels were secured on the stand-alone cabinet, drawer cabinet and both sides of the pantry cabinet," says Handyman Australia editor Frank Gardner.
"The base cabinets were easy fits but on one side of the pantry the panel had to be squeezed in after the old countertop silicone had been scraped away."
The panels were positioned forward of the cabinet by the thickness of the door plus 1/16" and clamped.
"I wrapped tape around a 1/20" drill bit 1 1/10" from the tip to regulate the depth of the pilot holes drilled into the end panel through the four existing screw holes.
"They're secured with 1 1/10" x 1/4 ounce particleboard screws."
The doors were removed one at a time by separating the hinges from the mounting plates inside the cabinets.
"This can be done by pressing the release button at the back or loosening the screw that holds the hinge to the mounting plate," says Frank.
The hinges were removed, positioned on the new doors and secured. Each door was lifted into position and the hinges attached to the mounting plates.
Says Frank, "Door levels and the gaps between are adjusted by moving the mounting plates up or down and turning the screws on the hinges."
Full overlay concealed hinges let the back face of the door cover the sides of the cabinet. If a door drops or becomes misaligned, reset the position using the adjustment screws on the hinge.
1. Adjust the height of the doors by loosening the two screws holding the mounting plate, change the height then tighten the screws.
2. Fine tune the angle if the gaps at the side are uneven by turning the center screw slightly.
3. Correct the alignment if the door isn't flush with the one next to it by loosening the back screw and moving the hinge in or out.
"We took out the drawers to unscrew the fronts from the inside,"says Frank.
"While they were accessible we tightened all the runners and lubricated the wheels with WD-40 to keep them working smoothly."
The base drawer was put back in so the front could be aligned and clamped then secured with 1 1/10" x 1/4 ounce screws.
Working from the base each front was positioned on the drawer and leveled with a spirit level, aligned with the side of the cabinets and clamped.
Frank drilled 1/20" pilot holes from inside through the existing holes then secured the fronts with 1 1/10" x 1/4 screws.
A drawer runner has two parts, with one secured to the drawer and the other to the cabinet with the last 1 1/2" sloping down so the drawer rolls closed by itself. Replace them if the rollers break or if the sliding action is rough.
1. Remove the drawer from the cabinet and unscrew the runners. Measure and buy new runners that reach the full length of the drawer.
2. Position the new runners along the drawer base, butted against the front with the wheel at the back then secure to the drawer with screws.
3. Attach the cabinet runners positioning them with the wheel at the front and set 1/16" back so the drawer closes flush.
To keep costs down Kate found 21 new square-set satin chrome handles on eBay for just $64.
"I bought 5 1/3" handles for the cupboard doors and drawer fronts and a single 12" handle for the pantry," she says.
The handles were positioned 1 1/2" from the edges of the doors or drawers using a mounting template to drill the 1/6" clearance holes 5" apart for the machine screws that were secured from the inside.
Attach handles vertically or horizontally, keeping them 1 1/6" from the edge of the door and use a handle template to ensure holes are drilled accurately. Screws should be the thickness of the door plus 1/10" in length.
1. Apply masking tape on the back of the door where the holes are drilled to prevent the melamine from breaking out.
2. Position the template to drill 1/16" pilot holes first then 1/6" clearance holes for the machine-thread screws.
3. Attach the handles by pushing or winding the screw through the door then engage the handle thread and tighten.
"While we were working I realized how grubby the old kickboards were so we replaced them with aluminum ones from Flatpax to match the stainless steel backsplash," says Kate.
The old boards were removed one at a time and used as templates to mark and cut new kickboards with a sliding compound mitresaw.
Each board was pushed up against the adjustable legs, 2" in from the front of the cabinets and 2 3/4" in for the pantry, with 1/20" pilot holes drilled before securing with screws.
The new kitchen is vibrant and modern. "I'm glad we were brave enough to add personality to our home," says Kate. "It's amazing how color can give you a lift." Kate continues the bright new theme with accessories such as red glassware and a pepper grinder. "It works because it's simple and streamlined with white countertops and stainless steel. For such a big change it was so easy and we love it."
The entire kitchen project took a weekend, with one DIYer working over two days. The first day was spent removing and replacing the end panels and doors.
It took six hours on the second day to fit new kickboards and handles and to fine-tune the doors so they were level with even gaps.
TOTAL: $2,122
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