Helpful Kitchen Tips

Cooktops

The width of a work aisle should be at least 42 inches for one cook and at least 48 inches for multiple cooks.

The cooktop should be placed at least 12″ from a window for safety

The minimum landing space either side of a cooktop is 12″.

Cooking Surface Ventilation: Provide a correctly sized, ducted ventilation system for all cooking surface appliances; the recommended minimum is 150 CFM.

Microwave Oven Placement: The ideal location for the bottom of the microwave is 3 inches below the principle user’s shoulder but no more than 54 inches above the floor. If the microwave is below the countertop the bottom must be at least 15 inches off the finished floor.

A minimum 16″ setdown space is required beside an oven. If this is not possible then a benchtop within 47″ of the oven is OK. (except where this crosses a major walkway)

The same goes for microwaves, 16″ setdown space beside the microwave.

The preparation area should be a minimum of 36″ in width same for a serving area

A minimum of 1100mm (43″) in depth provides walking space behind a seated diner.

The minimum chair pullout distance from the table to the wall is 600mm

Door Types

Inset doors sit within the rails and stiles and lay flush with the front edges of the cabinet box. Truly inset doors are only available with framed construction Note: wood may expand and contract because of humidity, causing rubbing between the door and stiles.

Full overlay doors have less than 1/8" between them—in effect, they fully lay over the cabinet face frame. All frameless cabinets have full overlay doors. You can tell for sure whether a cabinet is framed or frameless by opening a door and checking for rails and stiles.

Partial overlay doors conceal just some of the face frame—there is usually a ½" to 1" space between closed doors, allowing you to see much of the face frame. Because partial overlay doors are smaller than full overlay doors, they require less material, so this choice could slightly reduce your cabinetry’s total cost.

Countertops

Granite is a porous surface that needs to be sealed at least 1 a yr

Quartz-is non porous surface which has no maintence. Quartz is an Engineered Stone usually with a 10-15yr product warranty

Note May crack as it cools down after a hot item has been on it so it’s a good idea to use a trivet

Wood tops

Wood tops are beautiful accent in the kitchen. There are so many types of wood that can be used as well as the thickness of the top. It’s a chef’s dream!  Wood tops require sealants and should be periodically oiled otherwise there can be water damage. If it’s used by the sink it will need several coats of sealant.

Concrete

It’s a hardened mixture of water, cement, sand, stone and pigment. The counters can be pre-cast to fit a mold or cast on site. It’s much stronger than any other natural surface. The only con is it must be sealed to resist stain. If you cut on it…it will leave marks. Concrete must be sealed properly to resist stains and water damage It’s recommended to apply wax to protect the sealer usually every month to every 3 months

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is nonporous it doesn't chip and requires minimal maintenance. It won’t stain and it’s easy to wipe clean

Stainless steel shows scratches which some people don’t mind because that’s the look and it also will show fingerprints.