Integrated dishwasher door / gap problem

[Daz Gizmo]

A option could be...

....Dishwasher gap reduced by 2 @ 6mm or 8mm thick x 720 high (carcass height) x 100mm white acrylic sheets made to measure and this website offers them here - Plastic Sheets.com

This would also close off the J handle profiles of the doors so not to see the dishwasher door sides.

A close example as to how this would look:

[Daz Gizmo]

The probable reason why they did not leave you the door is they did not know how to remove it and also a integrated dishwasher door has strong springs that compensate to ease the lifting of the door when it's down with the weight of a décor door.

without a door on they can often just flip up as they won't stay down...

[theonlymel]

Daz, I have to say, that looks pretty amazing! I would definitely take that! And thanks for the link to the sheets website. That may be the easiest solution by some way. I guess you just tack them to the neighbouring cupboards, or glue them to the cupboards or d/w?

I took a closer look at the neighbouring cupboards, and think moving them will be problematic given the left one joins a wall and the right one joins a row going perpendicular (ie the other part of the L shape). I'll upload some photos to give you a better idea, particular what we've got to play with on the r.h side.

   
   
   
   

Dimensions of the gap are, as best as I could measure:
Top / near side 615mm
Bottom / near side 614mm
Top / back wall 610mm
Bottom / back wall 608mm

So not an even 615mm throughout. I do wonder how it got to be that size to start with...

Thanks to all for your help. There's no way I could do this without you.

[Daz Gizmo]

Moving the LH unit is an option if you can get to the brackets that could be hidden behind the back panel. The scribe upto the wall would need to be replaced as you would obviously need a larger one. 
The gap variance is common and some of it is down to how good the installer is at checking all the measurement points as you have listed. Some installers have a dummy box, or if there is a 600mm unit on the job they use that as is can save time and gets an accurate gap. The other factors is how good the units are in the first place, many have very loose fitting thin backs that do not hold the unit square. Also fitter not checking the units are inline with each other with a straight edge.
When I was on the tools with these type of units I would stiffen them up be driving a screw into the back side of the back panel groove and checking for square and then run PU glue around. This really made a cheap unit look and feel like a quality one. Those where the days....

Anyway back to your dishwasher...

I would screw the plastic sheets onto the adjacent units from inside the dishwasher gap. Ensure that the sheets are drilled and countersunk for the screws and ensure the holes are set back far enough so they will not be seen when the dishwasher door is down.

Here are a few hidden line renders to make it a bit clearer:

Plan View:

Perspective Plan:

Camera Perspective View:


Hope that helps!!

[theonlymel]

Moving the LH unit is an option if you can to the brackets that could be hidden behind the back panel. The scribe upto the wall would been to be replaced as you would obviously need a larger one. 
The gap variance is common and some of it is down to how good the installer is at checking all the measurement points as you have listed. Some installers have a dummy box, or if there is a 600mm unit on the job they use that as is can save time and gets an accurate gap. The other factors is how good the units are in the first place, many have very loose fitting thin backs that do not hold the unit square. Also fitter not checking the units are inline with each other with a straight edge.
When I was on the tools with these type of units I would stiffen them up be driving a screw into the back side of the back panel groove and checking for square and then run PU glue around. This really made a cheap unit look and feel like a quality one. Those where the days....

Anyway back to your dishwasher...

I would screw the plastic sheets onto the adjacent units from inside the dishwasher gap. Ensure that the sheets are drilled and countersunk for the screws and ensure the holes are set back far enough so they will not be seen when the dishwasher door is down.

Here are a few hidden line renders to make it a bit clearer:

Plan View:

Perspective Plan:

Camera Perspective View:


Hope that helps!!

That's totally brill, thank you so much.

Good point re the LH cupboard. For someone much more able than me, that would be a great option. But I would have to get someone in for it, and I'm fairly sure (without wanting to jinx it) that I can do your other option by myself with a smaller outlay. The sheets look like they'll only be around £25 for the pair, and it will be a lot easier to get a standard white gloss door for a semi-integrated d/w.

Now I just need to convince the other half! Thanks again. Will let you know how I get on...

Oh, and in case it amuses, I today received delivery of a Zanussi tumble dryer (at the rather unsociable hour of 6.40), which at the advertised 540mm depth would fit nicely into my 580mm deep cupboard. Except as it turns out, the dryer is actually 590mm deep. I could understand half a centimetre, but 5cm difference?! That's pretty poor. Thank you very much Zanussi! That will teach me to believe manufacturer's specs, and also to let delivery guys run away before the delivery is unwrapped. Looks like I'll be making a trip to my nearest Currys with my tape measurer before ordering anything else! For anyone that's interested, it was the ZDP7205.

[Daniel]

Top marks to Mr.Gizmo on his replies to this thread 

[Daz Gizmo]

That's totally brill, thank you so much.

Good point re the LH cupboard. For someone much more able than me, that would be a great option. But I would have to get someone in for it, and I'm fairly sure (without wanting to jinx it) that I can do your other option by myself with a smaller outlay. The sheets look like they'll only be around £25 for the pair, and it will be a lot easier to get a standard white gloss door for a semi-integrated d/w.

Now I just need to convince the other half! Thanks again. Will let you know how I get on...

Oh, and in case it amuses, I today received delivery of a Zanussi tumble dryer (at the rather unsociable hour of 6.40), which at the advertised 540mm depth would fit nicely into my 580mm deep cupboard. Except as it turns out, the dryer is actually 590mm deep. I could understand half a centimetre, but 5cm difference?! That's pretty poor. Thank you very much Zanussi! That will teach me to believe manufacturer's specs, and also to let delivery guys run away before the delivery is unwrapped. Looks like I'll be making a trip to my nearest Currys with my tape measurer before ordering anything else! For anyone that's interested, it was the ZDP7205.

Yeah.... your welcome 

Dimensions = Always a headache for us designers and the installers too.

The depth though, it depends how much detail then go into like including the controls and door etc. It could be they only have given the main box depth.

It looks like a free stander. Should you have gone for a proper integrated one? 

Edit - I think I am right  - ZDP7205 user manual - maximal 610mm:

[theonlymel]

Yeah, it's going in a store cupboard by my front door, rather than in the kitchen, which is why we went with a freestanding option. 

Good spot on the manual - shame Zanussi don't include that bracketed wording on their webpage description for it. It wouldn't be so hard to do! [curses under breath]

[Colour Republic]

Could you take a picture further back showing the unit sat on top of your worktop the the L/H side of the sink?