Dishwasher under kitchen sink unit?

[Gardener]

has anyone with an Ikea kitchen got a dishwasher fitted into the sink unit cupboard?

Trying to plan new kitchen and make best use of space, but having looked on the website, I don't know if this can be done.

[andyh4]

If you have a sink with drainer it will fit under the drainer but even set at minimum height the DW will be too high to fit under the sink itself - well our is anyway.

[Gardener]

Back to the drawing board then. Putting it under the drainer side of the unit, just seemed so sensible. We haven't had a dishwasher before so don't know how much variance there is in size.

[NickP]

The problem is Gardener,  sink unit cupboards  have a bottom shelf and a kick board, which if you remove may jeopardise the rigidity of the whole unit, as when the sink is full of water and whatever, it's quite heavy. You need an open fronted unit specially made for integrated appliances. Having said that there used to be a work top (very small) dishwasher that could possibly fit under the drainer side of your unit, I'm not sure if they are still made?

[Quillan]

What I did was to use a 60cm unit instead of a 120cm unit, let the bowl of the sink sit in the 60cm unit and the draining board sit over the hole where the other 60cm of space is then put the dishwasher in that space. You do need the worktop to span across the whole lot and on to the next unit. You also need to choose your sink carefully so the drainer is not as deep as the worktop if you catch my drift. If your buying an integral dishwasher I guess you have to buy a carcass and adapt it somehow.

[idun]

We put a 60cm unit in too and had the dishwasher next to it under the draining board which is built into the worksurface.

You can narrower diswashers and built in ones too. All my actual white good are free standing these days.

[Patf]

You need to measure the depth of the dishwasher too, allowing for the plumbing at the back

A friend fitted one for someone and had to dig out the wall about 2ins to make the front of the dw. flush with the other units.

[ericd]

We had our old kitchen flooring replaced with Travertine which took a bit more height and made the fitting of our dishwasher, under bench fridge and freezer tight. We just removed the top of each appliance (AEG and Bosch and tops are meant to be removed if space is tight) and they now fit perfectly flush and you can't tell.

[idun]

And how has the travertine been in a kitchen. It got too expensive for our recent renovation, but something I would think about to replace our current flooring but only in the future, when we have saved our pennies up. It is quite beautiful, it would be that or slate tiles.

[AnOther]

Make your own base units, it's not hard [;-)]

 

[ericd]

[quote user="idun"]And how has the travertine been in a kitchen. [/quote]

Behhh....[8-|]....on the floor...where else?

[idun]

Naughty, is it easy to clean, maintain, does it crack if you drop say, cutlery on it. I can be clumsy. Would you have it again?

[Quillan]

I looked travertine up on the web for prices, it's not that expensive these days, one company quotes £11.65 per m2.

You could make your own unit's and buy the doors, as said it's not that hard IF you have the rights tools (table saw, router, iron etc).

[ericd]

[quote user="idun"]Naughty, is it easy to clean, maintain, does it crack if you drop say, cutlery on it. I can be clumsy. Would you have it again?[/quote]

 

[;-)]...sorry it's the start of the weekend I felt naughty...... We are very happy with it. A "stain protector" was applied liberally before we stepped on it and any spills are easily wipped off......We have dropped the odd piece of cuttlery on it and all is fine but we have not had the heavy pressure cooker test yet......although I cannot remember when was the last time it was dropped on the floor over the past 27 years......

 

Would we do it again......yes and that is the covering of choice we are thinking to install in our lounge/dinner room in France.

[Gardener]

I think a single sink unit for a small sink and dishwasher adjacent will have to the answer. As for making my own, I just suggested that and was told April fool's finished at noon!

[idun]

I saw cheaper travertine tiles, but the ones I liked were far more expensive than that. Like the slate ones, the quality varies enormously as do the prices.

[Charly]

[quote user="Gardener"]Back to the drawing board then. Putting it under the drainer side of the unit, just seemed so sensible. We haven't had a dishwasher before so don't know how much variance there is in size.[/quote]

Even if you should feel pushed for space in your plans, do think hard before you buy a small dishwasher.  Maybe there's just the 2 of you, but I know people who have immediately regretted not having the extra capacity of a full size one: it seems those dirty dishes and pans multiply when you're not paying attention!  In France I don't feel that the smaller models (dishwashers, washing machines etc.,) represent very good value either, and it would be a shame if you spent the money and then regretted it.  Just a thought from a fan (of dishwashers, that is). 

[Gardener]

Unfortunately we will have to go with what we can get it in as most of the electrics and all the plumbing is on the one wall. I had come round to the idea of having one but looking at some ones sold in the UK, where the average cycle was around 140 minutes, it might not happen!

[Quillan]

I think they must be talking about the 'Mega Wash' cycle. We always use the 'Normal (or P setting)' setting on our Indesit's (we have two because of the B&B) and they take just under an hour each. The 'Mega Wash' which is a prewash then mainwash takes about the time you stated and we have only had to use that a couple of times. The normal wash heats the water to 70 deg which is enough to kill most bacteria (about 99%) which apart from the stuff coming out clean is all thats needed.