Kitchen designs

[Mark A]

Hi chaps,

We're at the stage of our renovation project when it's time to make kitchen discissions. When we bought the house it had a lot of damp, but a combination of lime render, lowering external ground levels and new drainage has completely eradicated any problems.

The walls of the kitchen/dining room are all lime-rendered, and I'm concerned that a fully built-in​ kitchen will prevent the walls from breathing effectively, and possibly trapping moisture behind the unit's back panels.

How can we get round this issue? Free-standing kitchen cabinets? Ventilation?

Any pointers would be great.

Cheers,
Mark

 

[RobinBHM]

Weve made kitchen cupboard units for a church and the back of the carcase was fitted with silver backed foam insulation about 3-4mm thick.

The carcases were made with a void at the back and a bottom and a few ventilation grills in the plinth so the air can circulate

 

[Fitzroy]

I put in a 700mm deep worktop with regular depth units, gives lots of space behind for services, deep
worktops so room to prep even with a kettle/toaster at the back, in your case would give a ventilation gap. Down side was more expensive worktops. I expect it's only an issue for the base units as damp shouldn't rise too high up the walls.

F.

 

[AJB Temple]

Just a thought. One of the issues with modern kitchen designs is an obsession with boxing everything in. This includes plinths that prevent air circulation beneath the cupboards.

I am just designing a kitchen (for me) currently that I will build sometime over the next year. It will all units will be raised sufficiently far off the floor so that a vacuum cleaner can reach right underneath. This will include a floating island design.

 

[slate1234]

are all your external walls lime rendered on the outside, if so the the stone can breath so no problems if pointed stone work same as above just been through all this on a 18th century cottage we are working on.
Paul

 

[Mark A]

Thanks for the replies.

Slate1234 - the lime render is currently only on the internal walls. I plan to hack off and re-render the exterior the exterior in a couple of months time.

AJB - I'm thinking along the same lines: free-standing kitchen on legs with no plinth. I could also fit vents behind the units on the external wall to help air circulate.

 

[slate1234]

Are you doing the outside walls in lime, if so the stone can breath regardless of what you do, but if you could add vent's all the better,
Paul