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Remodeling Kitchens
Kitchen Layout and Kitchen Safety
When Remodeling Kitchens Understanding Kitchen Layout and Keeping the Kitchen Design Layed Out for Safety is Very Imporant!
Main Activity Center is The Sink
The Kitchen Sink receives 40 to 46 % of all the kitchen use.
18" of counter space is great on each side of the sink. If more space is available - add 6 - 8 " on one side for preparing food and stacking unwanted dishes, and 10 - 20 inches on the other for draining and stacking washed dishes.
With a DW (Dish Washer) 24 inches of counter space will be provided next to a sink. For a sink near a counter-top corner allow at least 14 inches between a sink center line and the corner. Ideally the sink is the Center of the work triangle. (4 to 6 feet of the range and 4 to 7 feet of the refrigerator) Dishwasher - 12" from the sink. (Avoid right angles to the sink where you will have to move away from the sink every time you open the dish washer door)
Single bowl sink is adequate for kitchens with a dishwasher, use a double bowl model if you plan to wash and rinse dishes by hand. In a double sink, at least one of the two bowls should be large enough for a roasting pan (pan at least 20" long)
Kitchen Injuries
Where do most kitchen injuries occur? Passing from the kitchen to the dining area.
Avoid an arrangement where passing people are likely to brush against the range ( stove ), and never place a range under a window. (Grease - laden curtains blaze up easily)
Allow at least 15" of counter space beside the range for resting pots and setting out serving dishes or 24" if space allows in your kitchen's layout. A range with less than 10" between burners must have at least 10" of counter-top space (Or 16" from the center of the burner) on each side , so that pot handles will not jut into the work area.
Wall Cabinets over the range should be at least 30" above the cook-top surface.
A Large Kitchen may want a separate oven and range. An oven is used the least of all kitchen appliances - and can lie outside the work triangle without a significant loss of efficiency (less than 10 % of the trips to and from the activity center). If a wall oven - the bottom of the wall oven should be 3" below elbow height (A level minimizing the chance of burning an arm on an oven rack and is comfortable for turning or basting food)
Refrigerator Location - End of counter where it will not cut counter space. Hinge the refrigerator away from the counter where the open door will not block work space. To allow heat from the condenser coils at the back of the refrigerator - allow at least 3 " between the top of the unit and any overhanging cabinets and 1 - 2" between the side and an adjoining wall or broom closet.
Island or Peninsula Cabinet may hold any of the three activity centers, yet islands are seldom practical in an average kitchen because they need at least 5 feet of floor space on one of their long sides and three feet along their short side. Even though you have adequate space for an island, avoid using it for the range or the main sink: Both centers need more counter space than most island installations permit.
With limited space - activity centers may share counter space. (When doing this try to add 1 foot to minimum counter-top space) Also at some point (usually between the refrigerator and sink) try to keep at lest 36" of counter space for a mixing and food-preparation center.
A large kitchen permits more variations, but has one limitation: Try not to exceed the maximum recommended dimensions. Extra counter space means extra steps between the work centers- and extra work for the cook. A proper sized work triangle is essential in any kitchen.
Remodeling Kitchens
Kitchen Layout and Kitchen Safety
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