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One of our top selling product ranges on My Kitchen Store is glass splashbacks and many customers are surprised to find how easy they are to fit.

There are two main methods – and by far the most common and easiest, involves simply using an adhesive to glue it to the wall and then sealing it all the way round with a sanitary silicone sealant. And it’s as simple as it sounds. With some off-the- shelf panels, the adhesive is already there and it involves just taking off the peel off layer. For bespoke panels made to order, the adhesive you use is an extremely strong product called mirror glue. As with all glass products, you do need to handle with great care – these are the steps to take:

1. Mark the location of the panel on the wall – be sure you have a gap of 2mm all the way round (including 2mm above the work surface) to fill with the sealant

2. Make sure the wall surface is relatively flat, clean and free from dust

3. Use spacers where necessary to make sure the 2mm gap is maintained, for example, placing them on the worktop to keep the gap between the splashback and the work surface.

4. Stripe the mirror glue across the back of the glass panel, in bands a few centimetres apart (or remove the paper layer on the peel off options)

5. Present the splashback to the wall and push it firmly in place (NOTE the adhesive is VERY STRONG, make sure the positioning is correct)

6. Leave the glue to cure for 30 minutes.

7. Squeeze a bead of the silicone sealant all the way round the edge of the glass panel.

That’s it! And to make it even easier, we have a product called Fixall that performs both tasks – and it is transparent. Giving you a clean clear finish.

View our patterned glass splashbacks, which can be made to any size, here

View our plain glass splashbacks here

The second method fitting is a little more complex and will cost more. Very few customers opt for this and it is only possible with our bespoke manufactured panels. It involves fitting using screws and screw caps. To do this, you panel of glass must be formed with apertures a minimum of 7mm in diameter in each of the four corners (the actual aperture diameter you specify will be dictated by the type of fittings that you decide are appropriate for the wall type you are fitting to).

You will then need to take the following steps

1. Select an appropriate screw type and fittings for the wall you are fitting to. The length and diameter of the screw will be dependent on the material (for example, brick, plaster, stud wall etc)

2. Ensure the wall surface is relatively flat, clean and free of dust or dirt

3. Drill appropriate diameter holes in the correct position in the wall

4. Fit raw plugs or alternative housings as necessary

5. Present the panel to the wall and secure through the predrilled apertures using the screws you have selected

6. Use screw caps to cover the crew heads on the front of the panel once it is in place

7. Seal the panel all the way round using sanitary silicone sealant

Glass splashbacks are available on My Kitchen Store in both untoughened and toughened glass (sometimes called tempered) and we often get asked about the difference between the two.

Toughened glass is approximately 5 times stronger than untoughened and is the generally recommended option, but once glass has been toughened, it cannot be cut. We therefore offer our standard range of colours in untoughened glass splashbacks and upstands for instances where you need to have the panel cut to size to fit the space available behind your hob. Incidentally, the best way to do this, is to take the panel to a local glazier, who will cut the glass safely and polish the edges nicely – this is a quick and cheap way to meet your needs.

All of our bespoke glass splashbacks are manufactured to your exact size (and colour) requirements in toughened

 glass, as are our patterned glass splashbacks, which are also made to your bespoke size and with any photographic or patterned design you would like. We also have our standard range of colours in toughened glass panels.

Where you are not placing the panels behind the hob, where withstanding heat is not so important, then you can use untoughened glass and all our standard glass upstands that go above the work surfaces are made in untoughened glass so that they can be cut to size.

If you have any doubts at all about the differences, please do not hesitate to give us a call on 01608 679469 and we will make sure you have all the information you need to make an informed decision about your kitchen glass splashbacks.

Wooden worktops are a wonderful luxury in the kitchen, but you do need to make sure you look after them properly.

Aside from the wood treatments that will help to keep it in great condition, you also need to protect it from heat – and we have two great alternatives for you to do this.

First, there are the wonderfully attractive and nifty ‘hot rod’ pan stands.

They are solid stainless steel rods that fit into pre-drilled grooves in your worktop when you need to place a pan on the work surface – and you can pop them away in the drawer when they are not in use. They come in various sizes, from 100mm to 510mm in length. An elegant and smart solution.

We also stock the router jig you would need if you wanted to DIY the worktop grooves.

Pan Stand

Then there’s the altogether simpler plain pan stand - a polished chrome grid with

 rubber feet to protect the surface from scratches. It takes away the heat and also can be put way in the drawer after use.

Either way, a method of protecting your wooden work surfaces from pans and utensils is a must, so be sure to hot foot it to www.mykitchenstore.co.uk for your solution!

Kitchen storage has come a long way in recent years with some excellent solutions that help to maximise your space and improve access to your kitchen utensils and groceries.

Two of the best tricks for improving use of space have been the Magic Corner and Kitchen Carousel. They makes access and usage of those awkward corner cabinets a complete doddle. How do they work? By providing wire or sturdy plastic trays around an interior spindle or rail mechanism, the magic corner or carousel folds or turn your storage into the furthest corner of the cupboard – and make it easily accessible by automatically drawing out either when you open the kitchen door or when you gently pull on the front of the unit to draw it fully into the open – no more kneeling down to scrabble into those dark, dingy and dirty corners!!

BEST VALUE: this pull out half kitchen carousel on the left is just available from just £87, suitable for 400 and 450mm standard cupboard sizes.

MAXIMISE SPACE USAGE: the magic corner shown on the right attaches to the door and employs two double-shelf units on runners that pretty much fill the entire corner section and pull out easily and quickly for complete access.

This kitchen corner unit fits a standard 500mm door from £186 and can be adapted using simple fittings for both 450mm and 600mm doors. The picture shows the Right Hand version, but it is also available for Left Hand, so either side of the kitchen.

20% OFF: And for a super saving on the super smooth unit shown below, take advantange of our (as at time of writing) 20% discount on this elegant shaped double shelf unit.

Available for left and right hand units (Right Hand shown) and for doors sizes 450mm, 500mm and 600mm, this magic corner has a lovely gliding mechanism that folds the elegant shaped trays into the far corner and automatically starts the pivot motion for the trays to emerge when the unit is pulled.

Apart from being really stylish, this unit also makes very light work of accessing our storage and so is particulary good for those for whom bending and stretching is a difficulty.

And if you have the luxury of a 900mm x 900mm coner space, why not opt for a full carousel unit, with two circular trays and a convex push-in door that sleekly tucks away when you need access: the Mondo 2k kitchen carousel unit also currently 20% off.

For more options and more information about what’s available, visit the main site at www.mykitchenstore.co.ukand explore the Kitchen Storage department – we’re sure we can help you save space and make access far easier – magic!

New Kitchen door knobs are one of the simplest ways to give your kitchen a bit of a makeover and a fresh look – and the choice available is quite staggering.

Far from the basic wood and chrome door knobs you will typically find in your B&Q, there are a mass of beautifully designed ceramic, metal and chic moulded materials that offer a touch of real class to your doors and drawers.

Ranging in size from a mini door pull at just 12mm square to the bold colourful statement of an 80mm Red square door knob, shown here, there are options at every level of budget and to suit all tastes. Contemporary designs include hammered pewter knobs, patterned ceramic knobs and moulded knobs in designer finishes like Wenge wood.

You’ll find our prices are exceptionally competitive – and we don’t package to force you to buy more than you need – you can purchase to your exact requirements matching the number of kitchen doors and drawers you have.

So get a handle on a new look for your kitchen by taking a look though our great range of contemporary, traditional and classic kitchen door knobs – you can freshen you kitchen look without forking out a fortune.

When a Dragon from the den recommends a new product, you can make a safe bet that it is both likely to be popular – and good value. And that’s certainly the case with our newly launched range of replacement kitchen doors from German Manufacturer Uber. Highly recommended by Dragon’s Den’s Peter Jones, who points to Uber as a way of gaining a £20,000 kitchen at a fraction of the cost, Uber doors are sleek, stylish, chic – and very competitively priced.

From classic shaker style maple, to ultra contemporary high gloss bordeaux, the Uber range has been developed to suit today’s modern kitchen living with clean simple lines and high quality finishes. All of the styles come in a wide range of standard sizes for both door and drawer front and are complimented by a beautiful range of kitchen door handles.

Traditional oak, maple, walnut and wenge veneers are treated with the Chic Uber finish and for the clean look, white gloss, country cream and graphite deliver timeless simplicity.

To take a closer look at the options, you can order a sample and the cost will be refunded against your full order.

So, for a kitchen makeover that looks a million dollars, take a look at our Uber range – uber quick.

 

… crumbs yes! And therein lies one of the reasons why! If your cutlery drawer is anything like mine, then the cutlery tray would be enough to make Kim and Aggy recoil and reach for the marigolds! Crumbs are only the start of it when it comes to kitchen dirt finding its way into my drawers!

Buying a new, fresh and clean cutlery tray is probably much easier than you think – we have a wide range of white, cream and frosted green inserts that can be fitted quickly and easily into your kitchen drawer – and you won’t have to fork out a fortune to do it with prices starting as low as £5.58.

Though when it comes to cutlery trays, you should know that silver is the new white and we have a fabulous range including the new ‘wave’ cutlery inserts that come with spacers so that you can set the widths of the sections to suit your needs. All our trays are designed to fit standard kitchen drawer widths – the majority are suitable for 500 and 600mm widths, but we have some designs as wide as 1000mm to suit today’s trend for wide drawer designs.

And if you want to push the boat out and treat yourself to something really special, then you could consider our beautifully crafted Beech cutlery trays, formed in steamed and oiled beech wood especially for this purpose.

 So now that we’ve spoon fed you all the choices, there’s no excuse for not replacing your old and tired cutlery tray – get to it, sharpish!

 

Whether you are buying just a simple plain splashback to go behind your hob or opting for a spectacular wall of glass to fit around you entire work area, you will want to be sure you measure and fit to the best level possible.

 

The process is relatively straightforward, but there are a few tips and tricks you should be aware of.

 

Measuring

 

Maximum Lengths: Large areas of wall can be covered by single panels of glass, but for ease of handling and to reduce the risk of breakages, we recommend that no glass panel is any longer than 2 metres. So if you have a run of wall that is longer, then the panels should be separated into multiple lengths to make up the total. The distance between pieces need only be 2mm (see info below for further information re expansions gaps), which means the wall will still appear smooth and virtually seamless.

 

Socket Holes and other Apertures: where you have plug sockets or other wall mounted items requiring an aperture to be formed within the splashback panels, you will need to provide measurements. The way to do this is to measure from the edges of the panel to identify the location of the centre of the aperture and then provide the dimensions of the aperture itself (see the diagram below for reference), as well as details of the item you need the aperture for. So, for example for the aperture shown on the diagram below, measure to the centre of where the aperture needs to be from the nearest vertical edge of the splashback, (dimension a), the nearest horizontal edge of the splashback (dimension b), the dimension of the aperture itself (dimensions c and d) and then a description of the item the hole is required for (e,g double socket, pipe, single switch and so on). Apertures should be a minimum of 40mm from the edge.

 

Cut Outs: Where you need to have a panel shaped, for example to accommodate a cabinet corner, or to extend a splashback from the hob, you will need to provide details of the cu-out shape. There are a few rules to remember, first being that you can’t have a square cut from the corner of the splashback (it will cause the glass to fracture), but you can cut an oblong. Also, the depth of the cut out is important, if the cut-out is too deep, the glass is likely to fracture. The diagram below is an indicator, best to ask if in doubt.

 Cooker Hoods: Splashbacks can be shaped to fit snugly up to your cooker hood, even if it is curved. To get the curve shaped correctly, you will need to provide the radius information from the manufacturers spec.

 

Expansion Gaps: Where a splashback is fitted up against another splashback panel, or any other item, you need to leave a 2mm expansion gap. This will then be filled with sealant (see fitting details below). Again, the diagram below shows a number of instances where the gaps need to accounted for in the measuring process.

 

And as a final comment with regard to measuring, make sure you measure it at least twice! This will reduce any errors made by simple things like not holding the tape in the right place.

 

Fitting

 

Bespoke splashbacks are fitted using mirror glue and sealant. Generally available, these are solvent free and most commonly come in clear and white. We have a dual glue and sealant option on our website.

 

To adhere the splashback panels to the wall, first line up the panels carefully, then apply the glue in lines down the back of the panel following the instructions on the adhesive/sealant you have chosen. You will find there is enough ‘give’ in the adhesive to make minor positional adjustments after placing the panel in position. When you are fitting adjacent panels or butting against another item, be sure to leave the 2mm expansion gap between the. You can use tile spacers or matchsticks if you wish.

 

Once the panels are firmly in place, carefully seal all edges with the sealant.

 

Once complete, to clean and polish the surfaces and get ride of any marks, use fine wire wool (we supply this for you when you order bespoke splashbacks).

 

Maintenance

 

Maintaining you splashbacks really couldn’t be easier. They are easy to wipe clean and when you need to get off any stubborn marks, use fine wire wool as mentioned above.

This information is provided as a guideline only – and if you are in any doubt at all, then please consult with a professional or get in touch for further help and guidance.

 

 

 

 

I thought I would just clarify a few little details about the wonder that is the cabinet hinge.

If you’re a kitchen fitter or carpenter/joiner, you can switch off now, but if you are a mere mortal, listen up because you might learn a thing or two about a fascinating subject.

If you’re still reading, I just lied. It probably won’t be fascinating – but at least it might be useful!

Anyway, here we go. You may recognise this picture as being the same (or similar) to the hinges that are inside your kitchen cabinets. For many they are a mystery – and seem like they might be the most difficult DIY thingy to fix or replace. So here a a few things that might help to demystify them.

First. What are they called? Well apart from cabinet hinge, they might be referred to as a concealed hinge, or more commonly, a Blum Hinge. Blum is actually a reference to the most famous brand of cabinet hinges (rather like a cleaner being referred to as a Hoover). They are all the same thing.

Next. The component parts. They come in two pieces. The hinge itself and the backplate. There are different types of backplate to match the hinge you are buying – if you know your stuff, you will recognise which backplate goes with which hinge, but on mykitchenstore, we have grouped the most commonly used to create a full hinge and backplate set in either a slide on cabinet hinge, or a clip on cabinet hinge. More of which later. The hinge part consists of a round ‘cup’ (item 2 in the diagram above) and a hinge arm (item 1). The cup will generally be a standard 35mm diameter and is the part that is fixed to the kitchen door. A corresponding 35mm hole is drilled into the door to accommodate the cup, which is then screwed into place with two tiny screws supplied with the hinges. If you are wondering how to do this yourself, the best way would be to use a 35mm hole boring bit (often refered to as a forstner bit, shown here to the right). These fit onto any standard drill. You will find a precision drill bit at this link on our site

The backplate is the other separate component (item 3 in the diagram). This is attached to the inside of the kitchen unit using the screws provided. Then, if you have a slide on hinge, the hinge ’slides’ (funnily enough) onto the backplate and is secured with screws. If you have a clip-on hinge then you can simply ’snap’ the arm onto the back plate. Simple as that.

If you are replacing existing hinges, fitting them really is a very simple process as all the positions are marked and the holes already pre-drilled. If you are replacing a kitchen door, if the door has not been pre-drilled by the manufacturer, then simply use the old door as a template to mark where the hole needs to be drilled and then use the hole boring bit. Take care not to drill down too far!

So that’s all relatively straight forward, what else do you need to know? Well the hinges come in a variety of types, which are differentiated by the angle and crank level of the hinge. Want that explained? read on….

Angles. You will see reference to angles attached to these hinges – and what that refers to is the maximum angle that the door will open to when the hinge is fully extended. In the vast majority of instances, you will not be concerned about opening the door much beyond 95 to 110 degrees, but you can purchase them at up to 170 degree angle.

Then there’s Crank. You can buy the hinges at certain Crank amounts. What this refers to is the level to which the door will overlap the edge of the cupboard when it is closed. For example, if you purchase a hinge with 0 (zero) crank, the edge of the door will completely overlap the edge of the cabinet when it is closed (and this is how the majority of kitchen units are designed, so that the door fully overlaps the frame of the kitchen cupboard). If you buy a hinge with 7 or 8 crank, when the cupboard door is closed, you will be able to see part of the edge of the cabinet. In other words, it only partly overlaps the edge of the cabinet. Then if you want what is called an ‘inset’ door, that is that the door sits just inside the edge of the cupbard when the door is closed, then dependant on the thickness of the edging of the cupboard, you will need to buy a hinge with 15 (for cabinets with wall thickness of 16mm) or 17 (for cabinets with wall thickness of 18mm) crank. Has that helped? Or just made you cranky? Hope not! Image below to help if it has though:

As mentioned before, we have made the process relatively simple for purchasing what is by far the most used variation of the cabinet hinge (or blum hinge). For most situations you would be looking for a 95 or 110 degree hinge with 0 crank. We have an easy-to-buy set of these in both economy (suitable for light doors) and premium options (more robust and suitable for heavier doors). We have them in both Clip On and Slide On variation and the links are below for you to get straight through to them:

1. Slide On Cabinet Hinge and Backplate set, economy

2. Slide On Cabinet Hinge and Backplate set, premium

3. Clip On Cabinet Hinge and Backplate set, economy

4. Clip On Cabinet Hinge and Backplate set, premium

And what if you don’t fit them absolutely accurately? Well you will be pleased to know there is a little margin for error. The hinges are designed to allow for adjustment both vertically and horizontally. A minor adjustment with your screwdriver and a little repositioning should resolve most minor door hanging issues.

So I hope this helps to clarify a little further for you the intracacies of kitchen unit hinges – I’m sure it’s not comprehensive, but it covers most of the bases. If you need further information, then you can always email us at enquiries@mykitchenstore.co.uk to see if we can answer your specific questions. Don’t become unhinged – just ask!