Saved by the bin!
Our faith in manufacturers was hardly bolstered when we had to arrange for the fridge to be returned - we've already had two freezers. Is everything you order broken or supplied with mistakes? Well, no it isn't, as a little German bin ordered from Screwfix demonstrated. A £19.99 bin and it came with more comprehensive instructions than the whole kitchen.
First off, there's a two way template - one side for fitting it on a right-hand opening cupboard and the other for left-handed doors. This template marks the precise position of all the mounting screw holes on the carcass and the door.
Then, there's two sets of instructions, to save any complication or abiguity. Read this side if your cupboard opens this way and the other if it opens the other way. There's actually only one or two differences but, why should you have to think about it when they can make it so easy, and have?! And this on a cheap bin...makes you wonder if the kitchen people couldn't try a little harder, doesn't it?
Fitting the bin was a joy, as was filling and priming the huge casement windows. Already, you can see they are going to look fabulous - I can never see myself saying that about modern uPVC.
B&Q got the tile trim back in stock, so the last tiling of the splash back was finished. I actually used 6mm trim on 9mm tiles. Spaced it a match-head width from the tiles and wiped off the grout at an angle - it looks very effective.
Modern handles (dead cheap from IKEA) were fitted in place of those originally supplied and the cupboard doors fitted. After the doors came the pelmet, cut with a sharp handsaw and mitre block reasonably effectively. Mitre fix helped conceal the cuts.
The worktop to tiling seal was made with a silicone type gun sealant. I got the seal even and straight by putting a line of electrical insulating tape all the way along the worktop half a centimetre from the tiles. This way of sealing is cheap compared with a preformed one, looks professional and has done a marvellous job of hiding a slight fall on my worktop. Brilliant!
Our new kitchen emerging
Teutonic German engineering in a bin
