Kick Boards Plinths

[SteveF]

it is getting closer to a kitchen build
SWMBO does not want kickboards
will this be a massive mistake?
i am not talking about leaving the 3" gap open on legs
she wants the units to the floor

Steve

 

[finneyb]

That'll be just fine, just so long as she doesn't want the worktops level. The kickboards hide the adjustable legs.

Brian

 

[Lons]

Not something I would consider personally Steve as I think kickboards set back from the front make it more comfortable to stand at the worktops, unless you have tiny feet of course. :lol:

The other issue is that unless the floor is perfectly flat and level, which they rarely are then you'll have gaps after levelling the cabinets to contend with or will need to cover those with the flooring in front and scribed to the cabinets then you have the problem of covering that edge unless ceramic tiles cut very accurately and carefully grouted.

Another potential issue is future damage by feet and vac cleaners / floor mops where with kickboards you can at least change or repair easily.

Just my opinion of course.

Bob

 

[AJB Temple]

I have always thought that kick-boards look dreadful.

In my own kitchens I eliminate them totally and I leave a MUCH larger gap under my custom made units and leave it open. Enough to get a vacuum cleaner head easily right under, and see through on Islands. Nor do I use cheapy plastic adjustable legs. I make sturdy proper legs. It is no big deal getting everything level if you are custom building.

 

[Lons]

MUCH larger gap under my custom made units and leave it open

Presumably you don't have a labrador who sheds huge amounts of hair which then blows around like tumbleweed in the westerns. :lol: :lol:

My missus would have a fit if she had to vacuum under the kitchen units.

 

[sunnybob]

Never thought about this before, but now I have.

Reasons for kickboards;

Somewhere to put your feet so you can get close to the worksurface without kicking the doors.
Somewhere to put air heaters to help keep the kitchen warm because its rare to have a radiator in a small kitchen.
Something to hide the adjustable (or fixed) Plain (or decorative) legs.
Something to bring standard sized units up to working height.
Something to stop cupboard doors scraping the floor.
Something to cover the unsightly gap, especially if the bottom edge is sealed to the hard floor surface.

Reasons not to have kickboards;
you can hoover the gap that a kickboard would otherwise hide.

Hmmmmm, tough call. #-o :roll:

 

[sammy.se]

If the Mrs is concerned about storage/not wasting the space underneath the units, perhaps consider some subtle drawers in the kick-board. I'm seeing this more and more and you can make them push-to-open so virtually unnoticeable.

That way you get the kick-board and use (most of) the space.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

[Doug71]

My kitchens normally have inset doors so sometimes I run the vertical face frames down to the floor and paint the plinths black. I then add a small decorative bracket to side of bottom of vertical frame, this makes the units look like they are freestanding on legs, copied it from Chalon kitchens.

 

[SteveF]

My kitchens normally have inset doors so sometimes I run the vertical face frames down to the floor and paint the plinths black. I then add a small decorative bracket to side of bottom of vertical frame, this makes the units look like they are freestanding on legs, copied it from Chalon kitchens.

That looks neat and tidy
I thought about bringing the worktop out a bit further to compensate for the lack of toe space
I can get 900 instead of 600 tops at minimal extra cost

Steve

 

[Lons]

I thought about bringing the worktop out a bit further to compensate for the lack of toe space
I can get 900 instead of 600 tops at minimal extra cost

Steve

That would add another issue of restricting access to any drawers under the worktop Steve.

 

[SteveF]

I thought about bringing the worktop out a bit further to compensate for the lack of toe space
I can get 900 instead of 600 tops at minimal extra cost

Steve

That would add another issue of restricting access to any drawers under the worktop Steve.

back to the drawing board

Steve

 

[AJB Temple]

My point in eliminating plinths was purely about aesthetics. Go and have a look at some modern, high end kitchen showrooms. Design is a lot less formulaic now.

 

[sunnybob]

Fashions come and fashions go.
See what would happen if you told my wife she was going to have to get down on her hands and knees to vacuum under the kitchen cupboards every week.
I wouldnt want to be in the street, let alone the room =D> =D> =D>

 

[Nelsun]

We [she said and I did] went for freestanding units with no kick boards. All the kick boards I've come across invariably end up tatty or damaged, plus we're both into the rustic country kitchen thing so it made sense to us. With enough room to get the hoover in under it's no problem and then there's the added "where can I shove this thing for a bit" storage space. The only down side we've come across are the cats using the space to store bits of birds and rabbits they've been playing with \/

 

[Noel]

We [she said and I did] went for freestanding units with no kick boards. All the kick boards I've come across invariably end up tatty or damaged, plus we're both into the rustic country kitchen thing so it made sense to us. With enough room to get the hoover in under it's no problem and then there's the added "where can I shove this thing for a bit" storage space. The only down side we've come across are the cats using the space to store bits of birds and rabbits they've been playing with \/

Hi Nelsun, would you have a wee picture of your kitchen? No need to show the birds and rabbits : )

 

[Nelsun]

^I have one photo (taken when the last piece went in) that went on the book of faces. It's the last time the kitchen was ever tidy

Not to everyones taste I'm sure, but it was a lot of fun and many lessons were learned along the way.

The sink was free from a friend but I wouldn't recommend that style to my worst enemy. No draining board means you're [read: I'm] constantly wiping up water spills =D>

 

[Noel]

Thanks, appreciate that. Looks well but agree with you about the Belfast sink, never again in a kitchen.

 

[Lons]

agree with you about the Belfast sink, never again in a kitchen.

I've fitted loads for other people and they're horrible imo, should be relegated back to the sculleries where they originated.
OK in a utility or boot room though.