The kitchens tag has no wiki summary.
19
votes
4answers
22k views
How long should I wait before plugging in a new refrigerator?
Today I received my new refrigerator, and I've been told not to plug it in until a couple of hours have gone by. Some people told me a couple of hours was enough, but others have told me up to 12 ...
12
votes
2answers
7k views
Which Kitchen outlets do NOT need GFCI?
I have the 2 circuits in the kitchen with GFCI outlets, but I'm not quite sure which other ones do NOT need GFCI. Other circuits in the kitchen include Microwave, Fridge, and Dishwasher. It makes ...
11
votes
4answers
9k views
How do I properly wire GFCI outlets in parallel?
I have two countertop outlets in my kitchen that I am in the process of replacing with new, GFCI-protected outlets. These two outlets are on a circuit together, and they are the only loads on that ...
10
votes
6answers
2k views
What is a good way to cat-proof (or child-proof) kitchen cabinets?
Our 6-month-old kitten has figured out how to reliably open kitchen cabinets at floor-level, by standing on his hind legs and grabbing the knob.
What are some good ways to make it harder for him to ...
8
votes
3answers
2k views
Downsides of Linoleum (in kitchen specifically)
I am thinking of replacing tiled floor in my kitchen with linoleum (in Canada). I see a few benefits to it, 1) easy to wash 2) fallen glassware doesn't always break. However, there seems to be ...
8
votes
3answers
1k views
Dowel joints in plywood
I plan on replacing my kitchen cabinets later this summer. The old ones were home made by the previous owner and are oddly sized so I need to make my own out of plywood. Is it possible to put dowel ...
8
votes
6answers
3k views
How much clearance is required around a kitchen island?
How much space should at least be around a kitchen island?
8
votes
1answer
1k views
What is the best way to improve counter tops without completely replacing them?
I would like to re-do our counter tops in the kitchen. We currently have the laminate on particle board type. What is the best way to refinish this type of counter top to make it look higher ...
7
votes
3answers
517 views
Can a stove be beneath a window
I'm upgrading my kitchen and after endless deliberating, feel that the kitchen is best laid out having the stove directly beneath a window (the window is about 8" above the stove).
I was wondering ...
7
votes
2answers
3k views
Tips to Remove Kitchen Cabinets and Countertops without Damage for Donation?
We're taking on a project to upgrade our kitchen cabinets and countertops, but we think that the current cabinets are quite new and usable (just not our style). We'd like to remove them while ...
7
votes
2answers
3k views
How do I repair a nick in vinyl floor?
We had some recent work done on our house and it appears that one of the workers nicked the vinyl flooring in the kitchen -- resulting in a circular gash about 3/4 inch wide. Here's a picture:
...
7
votes
1answer
8k views
How many CFM for a range hood do I REALLY need?
I like to cook. I would like to put in a fairly powerful range (nothing huge, though; I don't need six burners and a griddle), and will need a hood that can carry smoke, heat, steam, grease, etc. from ...
7
votes
4answers
1k views
How can I open an overfilled drawer?
Does anyone have any bright ideas for how to open a drawer that has become jammed shut because it has been filled up too much? I've had a look at the underside and can get at the bottom of the drawers ...
7
votes
2answers
200 views
Should switches in a kitchen area have GFCI protection?
Do the switches on the wall and over the counter areas have to be on a GFCI protected circuit? As there is live power at the switch all the time, I would think this to be true, but I'm not sure.
7
votes
1answer
490 views
How do you refinish a Corian countertop?
The title says it all. We have a Corian countertop. One of the selling points of this type of counter is that it is supposedly easy to fix minor flaws in it, but there seems to be little information ...
6
votes
1answer
2k views
If polyurethane is not food safe, why is it used on dining tables?
Why do online sites say that polyurethane isn't food safe, and is there some way I can use it on my kitchen worktop and still be safe?
I don't prepare or store food directly on it or use it as a ...
6
votes
3answers
9k views
How do we convert our drop-in sink to an undermount one?
We are in the process of remodeling our kitchen and are trying to narrow in on our sink for our new granite counters. We like the Kohler Staccato with unequal bowls and would like to have it ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
How do I put up a travertine tile backsplash?
I'm trying to put up a tile backsplash in the kitchen (approx 25 sq ft) and I'm having trouble deciding between mastic and thinset for putting it on the drywall. For that matter, is it OK to put the ...
6
votes
1answer
120 views
How do I remove this sliding drawer in my kitchen?
OK, so I for the life of me can not figure out how to take these drawers off of their slides. The ones I have used in the past have had obvious tabs to push in, or you just had to lift the drawer up ...
5
votes
4answers
407 views
What accessories, aside from faucets, fit into sink faucet holes?
I'm going to replace an existing 3-hole faucet with a single hole faucet in my kitchen sink. I plan on installing a soap dispenser into one of the other holes, but that will still leave me with one ...
5
votes
2answers
246 views
Can I bore my own hinge holes?
I'm scheming to reface my kitchen cabinets with sustainable lumber (looking for FSC certified or salvage) and trying to figure out what my options are. Our existing hinges aren't much different from ...
5
votes
4answers
7k views
How far from the sink can we install the dishwasher without major remodel?
We are buying an old house built in 1935. We do not want to do a major kitchen remodel but we would like to replace the old portable dishwasher (that you roll over to the sink and hookup) with a ...
5
votes
1answer
203 views
How do I fix my kitchen ceiling?
How do I fix my kitchen ceiling? I have the ceiling covering peeling off. It has exposed cracks where water has possibly come through from the tiles above. So, how do I fix my kitchen ceiling?
5
votes
1answer
217 views
What is this component that connects to the garbage disposal?
I am trying to install a new faucet with a soap dispenser. I removed my old facuet; however, where the soap dispenser is supposed to go, this is here:
It has pipes that go to the sink erator under ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
Why energy saving bulb flashes when the switch is off?
I have a energy saving spiral light bulb in my kitchen. In exactly every 27 seconds, the first segment of the bulb faintly flashes when the switch is off. And not once, repeatedly every 27 seconds. ...
5
votes
3answers
296 views
How can I replace a kitchen cabinet hinge with no visible screws?
My kitchen cabinet hinge is broken. I want to replace it, but not really sure how because it is attached to the cabinet door without any screw (1). Anyone know a proper way to detach the hinge?
5
votes
4answers
417 views
Do I need bracing for 12“x55” shelves?
I am installing new shelves in my pantry, 12" x 55" with walls on three sides. The shelving material is laminate over particleboard. Considering how heavy a shelf full of canned goods is, can I get ...
5
votes
1answer
688 views
How do I clean a kitchen sink spray hose?
My kitchen sink has one of those sprayer-on-a-hose things off to the side of the main faucet. It has a clear plastic hose that pulls out to spray stuff around the sink. That hose has green stuff ...
5
votes
1answer
983 views
What to know before installing cabinet and drawer dampers?
I want to install dampers on my new cabinet doors in my kitchen. When the contractor gave me the price to add these, the cost was over $30 per door. So I decided not to install them. But since then, I ...
5
votes
1answer
560 views
Should second trap under kitchen sink S-trap be there?
My kitchen sink drains through an S-trap immediately below the sink to another trap (a P? a U?) in the basement below. The drain pipe then runs along the wall till it meets the main drain pipe shortly ...
5
votes
3answers
299 views
Does water run through a kitchen faucet sprayer when the faucet is off?
I was attempting to replace my faucet sprayer and hose today and discovered that the hose I bought was not compatible with the faucet. I bought a hose that screws on, the one on the faucet has some ...
5
votes
1answer
1k views
Why is my kitchen faucet dripping even after water is shut-off?
Kitchen faucet (two separate handles, pull-out hose, Price-Pfister Catalina model) is dripping from the faucet itself. I shut the water from below the sink, determined it's a cold water, unscrewed the ...
5
votes
1answer
699 views
What should I consider regarding recessed lighting above kitchen sink?
I'm planning to replace the million year old florescent light (I think it was the first one ever made) above my kitchen sink with a couple recessed lights. Is there anything specific I should be ...
5
votes
3answers
3k views
How can I add a carbonated water tap in my kitchen?
I love carbonated water, but am sick and tired of buying it in bottles. There are home water-carbonating appliances like SodaStream, but I prefer not to have another countertop appliance. Can I ...
5
votes
1answer
887 views
How do I connect my kitchen sink sprayer
I just bought a house, and the first thing to break is the spray hose for my kitchen sink. It was added recently, and I'm unable to find any brand listed to help me understand the parts, or even what ...
5
votes
2answers
646 views
Should the support structure for a kitchen island be built on top of tiles?
I'm currently remodeling my kitchen, and I'm going to have a 9'x40" granite island in the new kitchen. There will be only two 33" wide base cabinets under the granite top, one on each end. The two ...
5
votes
1answer
387 views
Wiring gas hob with electric ignition to mains
We are currently in the process of moving into our newly renovated house. The electrician has completely rewired the house, and the plastering has been done. Only when we went to install the oven and ...
4
votes
10answers
3k views
Why isn't my dishwasher cleaning as well as it used to?
My dishwasher no longer cleans dishes as well as it did 5 years ago. Some info:
It is 10 years old, a low-end Frigidaire
we have hard water here (and no water softener)
I have cleaned the food trap ...
4
votes
4answers
3k views
How do I install cabinets on a floating hardwood floor?
We just purchased a bunch of cabinets for installation of a bar / kitchenette in the basement. There are 4 wall cabinets and four base cabinets. These are going to be installed on the existing ...
4
votes
3answers
2k views
Can I build a garbage chute that connects the garage for residential use?
My current home has the kitchen adjoining to the garage. Most of the really smelly garbage is generated in the kitchen. The big garbage can and recycling bins live in the garage.
Is there an ...
4
votes
5answers
3k views
Why are my smoke detectors going off when I cook?
Seems like every time we cook anything in the oven the fire alarms (in-home system, all connected) go berzerk. is there any way to make them "less sensitive"? We do blow/vaccuum them out gently here ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
When to stop putting out mouse traps?
So last week my wife and I discovered some evidence of mice fooling around in our kitchen at night (e.g. shuffled cleaning supplies under the sink, hoarded dog food, and of course their droppings). ...
4
votes
1answer
267 views
Can I attach a kitchen vent and a dryer vent to the same exhaust?
I currently have a dryer attached to an exhaust vent with flexible tubing; this flexible tubing is in severe need of repair. That is (I hope) easy enough, and is not the crux of my question.
The ...
4
votes
3answers
547 views
How to tidily integrate power into an island
I'm currently running the ducts for wiring into my gutted kitchen and was wondering how best to integrate power into my island.
I've seen pop-up products like this and this that fit nicely into the ...
4
votes
2answers
3k views
Is there a problem in putting an oven over the microwave oven?
I have an electric oven and a microwave oven. I used to keep the microwave on top of the old refrigerator. Now I've got a taller new refrigerator, and I read it's not safe to keep the microwave oven ...
4
votes
2answers
94 views
How can I remove a mark from a freshly painted wood cupboard?
While carrying a cupboard door to reinstall, my husband accidentally scratched a gray line on the door with his belt buckle. We were using "Advance"-brand paint.
How can I get this off without ...
4
votes
3answers
6k views
How to stop fridge water line without stopping everything else?
So. My old fridge finally went and I will be getting a new one delivered. The company that I am buying the new fridge from is going to haul away my old one. I noticed that I don't have any type of ...
4
votes
3answers
385 views
Need a gas cooker but have no gas supply
I am not sure about the terminology, i.e if it's called an electric cooker, burner, stove or something else. So I'll just refer to it as a electric or gas cooker to simplify things.
We don't have a ...
4
votes
1answer
286 views
What do I need to connect a refrigerator water line?
I currently have a water valve behind my refrigerator, but it's not hooked up to our current refrigerator. I have no tubing coming out of the valve. We purchased a new refrigerator and want to hook ...
4
votes
1answer
132 views
Refastening a cabinet door
A cabinet door in my kitchen detached from the cabinet- the screws are about 1/2" long and weren't enough to hold the door in place. The screws are short to keep them from poking out the back side of ...
