Kitchen cabinet kickboards, also commonly known as kick plates, keep your cabinets off the floor, protected, and safe. The right colour and material selection of kickboards can alter your kitchen’s appearance and ambience.
Cabinet kickboards come in different colours and materials. As a matter of fact, the choices are extensive. The most popular materials are stainless steel and brushed aluminium. The brushed stainless steel kitchen kickboards and brushed aluminium kickboards are very trendy and are sold in numerous heights and at set 3.6-metre lengths. However, if you just want a short-lengthed kickboard, then you can also get “panels” of which you can select the width and length. These are often less than 2400mm long.
Both the stainless steel and brushed aluminium kick plates are pressed onto some sort of waterproof board, which is more advantageous than other materials should you have a spill or flooding situation in the kitchen.
What is a stainless kickboard?
A kickboard or a toe kick is the front part across the recess at the bottom of a floor-mounted base cabinet which hides the bases. Basically, it supports the cabinet leg systems. Kickboards shouldn't endure any load, but should be fixed to load-bearing platforms or legs of the floor cabinets.
Kickboards are there for hygienic and aesthetic reasons, mainly to surround the areas below the cabinet. It is common for some people to utilise a different material to tell apart the kickboards from the rest of the cabinetry, especially when you have a stainless steel kickboard.
The absence of kickboards in the cabinetry may make your kitchen look lifeless, though at the same time it can make your kitchen look more spacious. Kitchens without kickboards can look eccentric if they are intended to be designed with that thought in mind.
If you do not like the idea of having kickboards in your kitchen cabinetry, you might need specially-done legs instead of the basic plastic supports that are typically used today. You also have to carefully consider what type of floor you are planning to install in your kitchen. It needs to be fully finished and should preferably be a durable, long-lasting and robust choice like floorboards. If you want to have a floating floor or vinyl, there is a possibility that your kitchen cabinets will need to be relocated to reinstall the floor further down the trail.
What is a cabinet leg and plinth?
Legs and toe kicks are separately sold. Legs are vital to keeping the cabinet boxes off of the floor while the toe kicks are optional.
Basic cabinet legs are made of plastic and can be adjusted to help level the cabinets especially on uneven floor surfaces; these are hidden by the plinth strips. There are also metal legs with screw-type adjustment and sturdy bases; these are more like furniture legs that you don't cover.
Toe kicks or plinths by IKEA are thin strips of plastic that cover up the legs which serve the same purpose as toe kickboards that are found on conventional cabinets.
How are stainless kickboards constructed?
Kickboards range between 100mm to 200mm high. The usual height tends to split the difference at 150mm. The small area that is formed by one part of the wall being set back further than other cabinet parts is 50mm from the front edge of the floor cabinet, or 70mm to the surface of the door or drawer.
You can get rid of the exposed edges in your kickboards by using a waterproofing agent to avoid moisture from getting in or by constructing it using a moisture-resistant board.
Brushed Steel Effect Kick Board and Plain Plinth
Not all people really use real stainless steel. Brushed Steel Effect Kick Board is also a popular type of kicker board or plinth which can be availed online. The Brushed Steel Effect Kick Board is made from MDF and glazed with a brushed steel effect laminate for an elegant look.
Plain Plinths are commonly known as Kicker Boards. They are the small skirting fragments that you see at the bottom of your base kitchen cabinets which give them a neat finish. These accessories and decorations come in different colours, textures and appearances. Plain plinths usually compliment the colour of the kitchen cabinet or kitchen door. Some people also like to have colour contrast and they pick a blended colour to go with their kitchen.
Other Kitchen Accessories
Other kitchen accessories include extractor fans, door handles, kitchen taps and kitchen sinks. You can choose from a lot of options online or in your nearest showrooms and hardware stores. Take the time to browse and look for the best designs available. Hiring a professional kitchen organizer and planner won't hurt too.
If you are also planning to do any electrical work as part of your newly constructed or renovated kitchen, you must ensure that the electrician you hire is fully registered and insured. It also helps when they can issue you with a Certificate of Competence after their work is done. This is pretty vital because when something goes wrong, it could cost you your beloved kitchen and your family's safety.
How do I fit a Kitchen Plinth?
First, you need to measure the space under the units from where the end panel starts. You can start on the side where there is no cut edge visible. It is best to get the idea of where your eyes look at initially when you enter the kitchen.
Put masking tapes roughly on the portion which you are going to cut. This will help your marks become more visible to prevent chipping and for convenience. You can use roofer’s square to draw a straight line that would serve as your hand saw guide.
You can use a hand saw, circular saw or jigsaw for cutting melamine, depending on your preference. It is necessary that you are comfortable with your tool to avoid losing control and chipping.