The production process of a new kitchen
Getting a new kitchen is an exciting time. It’s even more exciting when everything runs smoothly and is completed within time and budget. At PAD, we keep you in the loop from day one. We provide you with a schedule of works, down to the day, so you know what to expect and when to expect it.
You can see our full process in detail here.
We've also put together this guide on the kitchen production process and what happens once your order is signed off.
We order your kitchen components
Firstly, all kitchen components are ordered, including:
● Doors
● Egger melamine faced chipboard (MFC) and edging
● Blum hinges, lift systems and draw runners
● Drawers in Legrabox, Oak or Walnut
● Internals such as bins, wirework and spice racks
At our factory, the manufacturing process begins
The panels are cut out
The manufacturing process begins with the beam saw. Our fully trained operator selects the 2800mm x 2070mm Egger board in the perfect colour that you carefully chose for your order. Using a vacuum lifter, they place it on the air table of the machine. The air table aids the operator when lifting/moving heavy boards and avoids scratching them.
It’s all about balance: the operator must work with the machine to optimise the best way to use the panel, balancing time, waste, and production. We use ultra-strong Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) blades to avoid continuously changing blades, saving operator time and resources.
The most important part of the process is the very beginning. When the panels are perfectly accurate and square, the rest of the process goes ahead smoothly. We set our internal standards very high, and so producing a better panel is paramount for us in order to produce the rest of your kitchen to the level of quality we pride ourselves on.
The panels are stacked in an orderly manner, ready for the next stage of the process.
Edges and grooves are etched into the panels
The edgebander machine uses varying programmes to adhere to a 0.8mm ABS edging on panels. To get the absolute best outcome for our clients, we choose ABS to finish coated wood-based materials because it’s more user friendly, heat resistant and environmentally friendly than other finish options on the market.
All visible MFC is edged to be finished and unexposed to the elements. While the beam saw cuts a panel to the exact size needed, edging changes the size. The edgebander — specifically the milling block — takes the appropriate size off the panel when that happens. For example, it will remove 0.8mm of panel, ready for the 0.8mm edging to be fitted later.
The milling block also provides a better finish than the saw, preparing the edge to be cleaner and have better adhesion when it comes to the next step. Hot melt glue is then used to adhere the edging to the panel at a very high temperature of around 200 degrees.
At PAD, we use 22mm edging while the board itself is 18mm. We’re focussed on detail at every moment, so once adhered to the panel, the excess top and bottom are then trimmed back to the correct size of the panel, leaving a more precise finish.
The machine can also apply any required grooves to the panels while the scraping unit takes off the final minuscule thicknesses of edging and any excess glue. Then buffing wheels re-finish the edge of panels before each one is quality-checked, ensuring it’s completed to the highest possible standard, and then given a final manual hand-clean. They are again stacked, ready for the next part of the process.
Holes for internal elements and assembly are created
The pod and rail table holds a panel in place by a vacuum pump while a series of reference points are plotted on it via a high-tech industry computer programme (CNC or Computer Numerical Control). It’s very much like plotting accurate points on a graph.
This step adds all the holes in a single panel relevant to the type of cabinet being produced, for example, the construction of the cupboard or for internal items like shelves. To mitigate any risk going forward, the machine also programmes other, more specific information, like how deep a hole should be (anything up to 18mm) plus any particular tools required. The necessary tools could include a 5mm drill bit for a shelf hole, 8mm for a dowel or 15mm for a cam (used in our cam and dowel construction).
Once it’s ready to go, the machine moves to within 0.1mm of tolerance (almost zero room for error, just how we like it) and completes the drilling according to the programme plotted.
The kitchen elements and units are assembled
The doors are quality checked and members of our team also double-check their colour, size and quantity in line with your order, ensuring absolute perfection. Any stocked items are collected, such as drawers, hinges and legs, and ordered items like wirework, door frontals and bins are checked and readied. When it gets to this stage, your order requirements are totally fulfilled and your kitchen is ready for assembly.
The assembly team lays out everything that’s needed to get going. The products are assembled into a rigid cabinet with a cam and dowel construction or glue and dowel construction for clients requiring this for wall cabinets.
When assembled, we do our utmost to avoid any nasty accidents in transit that could tarnish your kitchen before its arrival. The cabinets are front-wrapped with double-fluted high-quality card, keeping a robust covering for easier transport. At the point of delivery, any other non-fitted items like cutlery trays, plinths, handles and appliances are placed in the bay with the cabinetry to ensure the order is completed in one go.
Your kitchen is carefully delivered to your door by our own method of transport and professional drivers.
Your kitchen is ready for installation!
This is the point that our skilled installers take over and fit your brand-new kitchen. Your well-thought-out design, along with our attention to detail during production, all equals one outcome: the bespoke kitchen of your dreams.
Each kitchen ordered at PAD is custom-made to required specifications and production is overseen with high attention to detail. Good things arrive in good time: it’s well worth the little wait between ordering and fitting to see your ideal kitchen vision brought to life.
Get your own kitchen production process kicked off today!