Getting started
Knowing where to start with your new project can be tricky. After you have loaded the planner and input your measurements, we suggest starting with the main points such as the sink cabinet, appliances and corners. You may have plumbing or electrical restrictions on where these can be positioned which gives you something to work from.
Finishing panels
When you’re planning a new kitchen, our planning tool will prompt you to add in end panels.
End panels are fitted to the exposed end of a unit, both at the end of a running line of cabinets and in between appliances such as dishwashers and freestanding ovens. The standard depth for our cabinetry is 585mm and the standard height is 870mm for base cabinets and 2086mm for tall cabinets. Base end panels are 870mm high and can be either 585mm or 700mm wide. Tall end panels are 2086mm high and can be either 585mm or 700mm wide. Wall end panels are 720mm high and can be either 318mm or 432mm wide.
Base end panels are often used as something for the toe-kick to butt in to, they are also used to support an overhanging benchtop or installed underneath the benchtop on either side of appliances.
Tall end panels have a similar purpose, however, they are most often used to finish the side of an exposed tall cabinet or to create a fridge cavity when married up with one of our wall cabinets.
Filler panels are used to fill in any gaps in-between or around cabinets. For example, if your wall to wall space is 2800mm but your cabinets and end panels are only coming to 2764mm, you would use a filler panel to fill the empty space, giving your space a clean and finished look. Our base filler panels are 870mm high and 100mm wide. Our tall filler panels are 2086mm high and 100mm wide. These panels are usually cut down on site to fit whatever space necessary. Filler panels are also used to offset blind corner cabinets away from other cabinetry or appliance doors. Using a filler panel will bring the returning cabinets away from the handle of the corner cabinet so they do not interfere with one another.
Barback panels are used on the breakfast bar or island section of a kitchen. If the back of the cabinets is going to be exposed, a barback will need to be fitted behind them to conceal this. Barback panels are 870mnm high and come in 1214mm, 1824mm or 2424mm wide.
When you arrive at step 4 of the planner, you will be asked about any upgrades you require, i.e. handles, hinges and soft close drawers. You will also be asked about the toe kick length you require, this is something you will have to calculate based on the width of cabinetry you need to cover. Our toe kicks come in 1820mm or 2420mm lengths, these need to be cut down and fitted to suit the space.
Corner Units
We have 2 types of corner units available in our range. Our corner base unit and our blind corner unit.
Our corner base cabinet is advertised in 2 different sizes, ‘786mm x 786mm’ and ‘886mm x 886mm,’ however, these cabinets are the same size no matter which option you select. The cabinet itself is 485mm deep but by bringing this off the wall by 100mm, it can line up with our 585mm deep base units. This creates a void behind the cabinet and brings the overall size to 886mm x 886mm. This assists with installation against out of square walls and once the benchtop is in place, the void is unnoticeable.
The blind corner base unit is a good choice for people who are running tight on space down one wall or have items that do not need to be accessed regularly. These cabinets are more flexible when it comes to sizing as we have a few different widths and depths available to chose from. Blind corner cabinets may need to be installed with a filler panel on the return to ensure the space works.
Benchtops
Once you have finalized your cabinetry plan, you can get started with our benchtop planner. This tool allows you to create custom straight, L-shaped and U-shaped benchtops.
You will need to calculate the size of your top based on the sizes of cabinets, voids and panels you have included in your plan. We usually recommend that an extra 5-10mm is allowed on top of the appliance width to ensure there is room to get it in and out if need be. If your benchtop does not butt up against a wall, we recommend adding an overhang of 10-15mm on to the open ends of your top. You will also need to ensure that you select ‘finished’ on any of the edges that are going to be exposed once you get to step 4 in the planner. There is a standard overhang of 15mm on the front of the benchtop, for example, standard benchtop depth is 600mm as standard cabinet depth is 585mm.
Remember, measure twice so we only cut once!
Upgrades and Extras
We offer several options when it comes to personalizing your Cabjaks kitchen. You will be asked at step 4 of the planner about handle style and soft close drawer or hinge upgrades. We also have efficiency upgrades such as cutlery tray inserts and a corner cabinet lazy susan.
We also offer a special requirements list at checkout where you can select ‘no handle holes’ or ‘no doors’ for your cabinets.
Getting help
Once you have an idea of the cabinetry and layout that you require, make sure to save your plan and create an account. You can then email us at info@cabjaks.co.nz with your log in details and we can have a look over your plan and offer answers to your questions. Please note, we do not offer a design service, however, we do try to help out our customers wherever possible.