A dishwasher is a helpful addition to a kitchen, but it may not suit your existing kitchen d cor. However, you can remove some of your base cabinets in your kitchen to make room for the dishwasher while keeping a cohesive look in your kitchen cabinets. You have several options when you wish to incorporate your dishwasher into your existing cabinet unit, whether you wish to hide the appliance or make it visible in the kitchen.
Visible Dishwasher
One option for your dishwasher is to place it under the countertop between cabinets so it is visible. This option is useful for your kitchen d cor if your stove, oven and refrigerator are of the same brand or make as the dishwasher. Remove the cabinet doors and shelves from the cabinet frame. In addition, use a saw to carefully remove the toe-kick base in the area where the dishwasher will be placed. Save some of the wood for the toe-kick on the surrounding cabinets if additional support is required. Do not push the dishwasher into the cabinet area if it doesn't fit. You must leave at least 2 inches of space between the appliance and all surrounding cabinets and walls for optimal function.
Built-In Dishwasher
Another option is similar to the first except the dishwasher is hidden. The process is similar as you have to remove the cabinet shelves and toe-kick to make room for the dishwasher. However, once the dishwasher is pushed into place, the cabinet door must be attached to one of the surrounding cabinet's side so the door can close and hide the dishwasher. This option is plausible for those with a smaller dishwasher as the appliance cannot stick out of the cabinet's frame. If it does, the cabinet door will not close.
Cabinet Door on Dishwasher
Modern dishwashers have all of the buttons located on the top of the dishwasher or on the top of the dishwasher door. If you have one of these dishwashers, you can mount the cabinet's door to the front of the dishwasher so it looks like a cabinet unit when the dishwasher door is closed. To do this, you need to remove the cabinet's shelves and frames as in the previous sections and use a strong wood glue to attach the cabinet door to the dishwasher door.
Warnings and Considerations
When you are installing a dishwasher as part of a cabinet unit, you must read through the user manual for the dishwasher before doing any installation. You need to locate all vents, fans and additional areas where the hot air is expelled during the washing and drying cycles. These vents and fans should not be covered by surround cabinets as the air and steam must leave the appliance for optimal function. Failure to do so may cause the dishwasher to overheat or break down.
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