Kitchen

How to integrate a regular refrigerator into the headset

Built-in refrigerator

Choosing a refrigerator that will fit perfectly with the kitchen is quite difficult. Most often, this unit lives its own life, which does not add harmony and style to the interior. Therefore, I want to hide this metal cabinet, decorate it so that it does not catch the eye. The best solution is to purchase a built-in refrigerator, which will be hidden behind the facade, and will in no way remind of itself. This advice is relevant at the stage of designing kitchen furniture - you can immediately plan a special department for the built-in unit. But if this is not your case - do not be discouraged - there are many options for how to integrate the refrigerator into the kitchen, in which there is no separate cabinet.

Advantages and disadvantages of the built-in refrigerator

The refrigerator, hidden behind the facade, gives a lot of advantages. The interior looks as complete and aesthetic as possible. This is especially true for classic, romantic, ethnic styles. In them, an enameled or steel box looks like an absolutely alien subject, and negates all the efforts of designers. A masked refrigerator is a salvation for such interiors. The wires are hidden, they do not hang along the walls and do not lie on the floor, and this is also important for the aesthetics of the kitchen space. However, the benefits do not end there.

two-chamber refrigerator

Advantages of embedded models:

  1. Ergonomics - the built-in refrigerator helps rationally optimize the space, minimize the distance covered during cooking, and organize the zone of the “working triangle” as correctly as possible. In addition, it can be positioned at a convenient height for the user.
  2. Noiselessness - rigid fixation to the body dampens vibration and, accordingly, reduces the noise level. This is facilitated by the very finding of the device “in the cabinet”. The walls of the furniture partially block the spread of sound.
  3. Profitability - the need to place equipment inside the headset posed the challenge for manufacturers - to provide an appropriate level of thermal insulation.An impressive protective layer effectively minimizes the impact of the external environment and allows the refrigerator to work in an economical mode.
  4. Easy maintenance - the absence of side walls reduces the time it takes to wash a kitchen assistant. Hidden wires do not need to be washed away from dust and grease.
  5. A variety of models - in addition to standard options, there is equipment that can be built under the countertop, taken to the island. There are versions of refrigerators where the freezer is located at the bottom, top, side, completely absent.

Noting the many obvious advantages of a "disguised" technique, it is impossible not to mention some of its disadvantages:

  • Firstly, a reduced internal capacity compared to classic models with equal dimensions.
  • Secondly, the inability to access electronic control with the door closed.
  • Thirdly, high cost. Built-in models are much more expensive than stand-alone counterparts. The costs of equipping the place for their installation, as well as the installation services themselves, will also be expensive.

Kitchen fridge

DIY fridge installation will save you from 2-5 thousand rubles.

Installation Requirements for Built-in Refrigerator

Installation of the invisible refrigerator is made in a special case, which is an element of the kitchen set. It can be made to order, or with your own hands. Let's consider a number of important nuances that should be taken into account in the process of embedding.

The design features of the cabinet, which will act as a case for the refrigerator, should contribute to the unhindered passage of air flows. To do this, observe the following requirements:

  • it is necessary to ensure uniform gaps between the walls of the equipment and the pencil case. For this purpose, a sealant is glued to the sides of the refrigerator;
  • the furniture column must have special openings for free air circulation.One opening is located at the bottom, the second - behind the rear wall and in the basement, which will be installed at the final stage. The opening area in the base must be at least 200 square meters. see. From above it is closed by a lattice;
  • It is not permissible to install a refrigerator near heating appliances;
  • it is necessary to indent from the wall so that when the door is open, it is possible to freely get shelves and drawers. The gap is closed with a decorative bezel in the color of the headset.

The location of the refrigerator in the kitchen

Types and models of built-in refrigerators

Manufacturers offer a wide variety of such devices. They are classified according to various criteria. First of all, all equipment of this type can be divided into two main groups:

  • partially built-in - the unit is completely "recessed" in the cabinet. Outside, only doors or just a control panel are visible;
  • fully recessed - the device is completely hidden behind the facade and its presence in the interior can only be guessed by the bars in the basement.

Classification by the number of cameras

  1. Single chamber - the models may not have a freezer compartment, or it can be found inside the main container. Small devices can easily be placed in the lower level of the kitchen, along with an oven, dishwasher and washing machine.
  2. Two-chamber - consist of two isolated sections, each of which is equipped with its own door.
  3. Three-chamber - in addition to the main chambers, have a special department - a freshness zone, in which constant air circulation is provided and a certain temperature is maintained.
  4. Multi-chamber - devices consisting of several cameras. Each department has the ability to maintain the required temperature.
  5. side by side - which means “side by side”. Unlike classic counterparts, in such a refrigerator the cameras are located not one below the other, but next to each other. Doors open like a swing cabinet - in different directions. In various models, they can be 2, 3 or 4.

Built-in refrigerator

Location options in the interior of the kitchen

If you decide to prefer a hidden refrigerator, carefully consider a place to place it. This is especially true for small kitchens, where every centimeter counts. The built-in unit is good because it allows you to come up with non-standard solutions in order to provide the user with maximum convenience and comfort.

The location of the refrigerator in the kitchen

Under the countertop

It often happens that the kitchen is so small that there is simply no room for a standard refrigerator. To install it, you have to sacrifice a dining table, a place on the loggia or part of other rooms - a living room or a corridor. Those who are not satisfied with this state of affairs should not despair. Everything ingenious is simple. The solution is to abandon one storage compartment in favor of the refrigerator. The height of such a device is 85 cm, which corresponds to the size of the bottom row of a standard kitchen set. If desired, next to you can install a freezer of the same type or dispense with a mini-device that can be put simply on a work surface. This is ideal for a small kitchen, cottage or office.

Fridge under the countertop

In the closet

This is the most popular and frequently used option for placing a refrigeration unit. It is perfect for headsets of various shapes. Linear, angular, U-shaped kitchen - this element organically fits into any of them. The cabinet for the refrigerator is a column.

Cabinet refrigerator

In the island

In the spacious kitchen, you can move away from the standard arrangement of the appliance along one of the walls. In the center of such premises, for the convenience of the hostess, they often place an additional element of the kitchen set - the island. This is an incredibly convenient way to optimize the space, which allows you to organize the right work area. On the kitchen island, they often have a sink, use it as a bar counter.You can also build in a refrigerator here so that the necessary food and drinks are always at hand. For this purpose, a small single-chamber refrigerator is suitable, which is convenient to place under the countertop.

Refrigerator in the center of the kitchen

In a niche

If the kitchen has a suitable corner, you can equip a special niche in which the refrigerator will be located. Installation is carried out during the repair before the finishing of the premises. Most often, a metal profile is used to make the frame, which is then sheathed with drywall. Next is the finish with the same material as the walls in the kitchen - the finished structure is painted or glued with wallpaper. Such a solution requires compliance with certain conditions. The niche should be well ventilated, otherwise the refrigerator will overheat, and work in enhanced mode. And this can very quickly lead to its failure. To prevent this, it is necessary to leave at least 5 cm gaps behind and on the sides of the refrigerator. A fully built-in unit will not work for this purpose - the equipment should have a decorative door, because it will always be in sight. Alternatively, you can equip a niche with a sliding door and make an impromptu wardrobe.

Niche refrigerator

How to integrate a conventional refrigerator into the kitchen

What to do if your kitchen assistant is not embedded, but you really want to hide it? Perhaps it does not fit the style of your new headset or simply lost its presentable appearance. However, it does not matter for what reason such a need arose, the main thing is to figure out how to do it correctly and not harm such a receptive technique. In order to build in a refrigerator, you will need to make a cabinet according to individual sizes. If you have at least minimal skills in the manufacture of furniture, then you will certainly cope with this task. DIY assembly will save you a ton of money.

Location of the refrigerator

Necessary tools and materials

In order for the work to go “without a hitch”, prepare all the tools and materials in advance. If everything you need is at your fingertips, you don’t have to quit your job halfway and go shopping to find the missing parts.

Kitchen interier

What do you need for work?

The first step is to choose the material. Ideally, it should be identical to the one from which your kitchen furniture set was made. If it is not possible to find it, you can use a similar one in the same shade. An contrasting cabinet may also look interesting. If you support it with a pair of shelves, textiles and accessories, it will harmoniously fit into the interior and even become its highlight.

The following materials are suitable for the manufacture of the cabinet:

  • solid wood - oak, maple, ash;
  • MDF - particle board is the most popular material for the manufacture of facades. The material is more affordable in price, compared with natural wood, does not require processing.

Typically, a facade is made from an array or MDF, and an inexpensive chipboard is chosen for the case. The back wall can be made of fiberboard or completely abandon this part in order to improve ventilation.

In addition to the basic materials, you will need:

  • fixing fittings - hardware - bolts, screws, screws, mounting angles;
  • accessories - hinges, handles, hinges;
  • electric drill;
  • screwdriver;
  • saw or jigsaw;
  • pencil;
  • building corner;
  • screwdriver;
  • roulette;
  • materials for finishing - paint, stain, varnish, wallpaper, self-adhesive.

Necessary materials

We make measurements

Before proceeding to measurements, you need to choose a place where the future design will stand. The main thing to consider is that it is necessary to leave the possibility for unhindered circulation of air masses. Therefore, the box should exceed the size of the refrigerator.

Recommended Cabinet Options

  1. Height - so that a new piece of furniture fits seamlessly into the kitchen, the column should end at the level of the drawers of the upper row.If the refrigerator is not so high, additional shelves for storing food can be placed above it. There must be a distance for ventilation between the refrigerator and the shelf. Do not forget to make a hole near the back wall, if any.
  2. Width - this parameter is the sum of the width of the technical device, the wall thickness of the case and a margin of 3-4 cm for installing loops.
  3. Side walls of the box - measure the sides of the refrigerator and add 5 cm in depth.
  4. Shelf - its width corresponds to the width of the body minus the thickness of the sidewalls.
  5. Base - has a height from the floor to the cabinet door.

Cabinet drawing

Saw parts and cabinet assembly

After taking measurements, you can take the help of professionals and order a cut service. The second option is to arm yourself with a tape measure, pencil, square, jigsaw and do this work yourself.

Next, you should process the ends of the parts. To do this, use edging tape and a hot iron. This procedure allows you to get smooth and neat edges.

During assembly, carefully tighten the mounting hardware. This will prevent sagging doors and loosening of the structure.

Assembly steps:

  • we fasten the lid and the shelf located above the refrigerator to the side walls using minifixes;
  • if there is a back wall, mount it with the help of corners to the side walls, fasten with screws to the shelf;
  • using minifixes, we install a wide strut on the back of the box;
  • the next step is the smaller struts. We attach it to the corners.
  • we transfer the structure to a place of constant deployment and align, checking the quality of work with the help of a level;
  • we fasten the cabinet with neighboring modules and fix it on the wall;
  • we put the remaining strut in the basement area and attach it using the mounting corners;
  • install loops on the side wall on the left side from the inside. For the top panel, 4 loops will be required, for the bottom, 2 will be enough;
  • in the side rack we form a hole for the cable.

Cabinet assembly

Mounting the refrigerator and fixing the facade

In order to install a refrigerator in the prepared module, you will need to perform the following steps:

  1. Remove the handles from the refrigerator (if any) and transfer it to the cabinet. In order not to damage the lower shelf of the box, paste over its edges with 2-3 strips of masking tape. Trying to close the door. If everything is done correctly, there will be no interference.
  2. To ensure structural stability and minimize vibration, you need to attach the refrigerator to the side walls of the cabinet. This is done using the corners. One side they are screwed to the body, the other to the refrigerator. To do this, unscrew the fasteners at the door installation sites. After completing this work, the bolts are installed back.
  3. The next step is to fix the facades of the pencil case on the doors of the device in order to combine them. To do this, on the bottom of the upper door and on the top of the bottom, you need to determine the installation location of the guides. We retreat 3 cm from the edge and draw a line. We fix the parts in marked places with screws. We fasten the corner to the upper side of the guides. Next, we outline the places for fastening on the refrigerator door. We fix 2 corners and connect the structure, tightening it with bolts. Check the position of the facades using the level. If they are skewed, we correct the position of the corners.
  4. The final step is to connect the equipment to the network.

Mounting the refrigerator

Imitation of a built-in refrigerator with decor

If the previous method is too complicated for you, still you should not deny yourself the pleasure of integrating an ordinary refrigerator into your existing headset. Just for this you can use a different - more lightweight and also fascinating creative approach. Change the "keeper of the freshness of your products" with the help of your imagination and decorating techniques. Fortunately - there are plenty of them. So, at your service:

  • staining. Enamel paints will suit you.The most uniformly lies paint from spray cans. A couple of layers of paint, and your refrigerator will not recognize. You can choose a paint to match the headset, or use other shades of the same color. If you have a two-tone kitchen set, you have a choice of two colors at once. For example, the white top and the black bottom of the furniture can be repeated during decoration, making the upper door white and the lower black or vice versa;
  • If you are a fan of extravagant techniques, use stencils. With their help, you can create expressive ornaments and patterns;
  • if desired and the availability of artistic skills, you can arm yourself with a brush and create a real work of art.

Kitchen fridge

Before proceeding with staining, it is necessary to wipe the surface of the device with white spirit, and then cover with a primer. This will help the paint lie more evenly. You can fix the result using the top coat of varnish.

Another way of decorating surfaces is gluing with PVC film. Moreover, there are a great many color options for this material. You can arrange your equipment under natural wood, marble, cork. In addition, there is a shiny film - ordinary and with a holographic effect, as well as a variety of prints.

Expert advice: how to choose the right refrigerator

Today there is no shortage of household appliances. On the contrary, they are presented in such a wide model and price range that the difficulty is already in choosing the optimal model. It is necessary to observe the golden mean - not to overpay for unused volumes and functions, but also not to cut their set too much. However, everyone chooses what he likes. To make it easier to decide, you need to figure out which parameters are suitable in each particular case.

Kitchen equipment

Volume and parameters

The useful volume of the refrigerator is the norm of products that can be loaded into it without compromising the quality of storage.This indicator helps to understand whether there is enough space to place reserves for a family of a certain number of people. For a family of:

  • 1-2 people will be enough volume - up to 250 liters;
  • 3 people - 250-300 liters;
  • 4-5 people - it is recommended to increase the volume to 300-350 l;
  • if you have specific requirements for storing products or just store a lot of products in reserve, the side by side model is suitable.

Refrigerator volume

Number of cameras

Refrigerators may contain from one to several chambers. The principle of separation into different compartments allows you to store different products at a suitable temperature. The best option for a small kitchen will be a two-chamber device, the upper compartment of which is reserved for a cooling device, and the lower one for a freezer. In this case, the refrigerator should be slightly larger. If desired, you can consider a model with a freshness zone, thanks to which you can extend the life of perishable products. Zero temperature and a high percentage of humidity are constantly maintained here. This camera allows you to store food for a long time without freezing.

Number of cold rooms

Type of control

The following refrigerator control systems are available:

  • manual - a set of buttons and levers with which you can control the temperature and other functions of the device;
  • electronic - equipment in the form of panels with touch keys. The control unit can be placed on the door, which facilitates access to it. If you are going to hide the refrigerator behind the facade, it is better to choose models without this function. Panel control can be one of the functions of the “smart home”, which adds additional comfort.

type of control

power usage

The right refrigerator will help reduce energy costs. There are several classes according to the amount of energy consumption - A, B, C, D, G. The designations explain how long the refrigerator can keep the temperature without using electricity, and are arranged in ascending order of this indicator. The last two classes are almost discontinued. B and C are approximately at the same level. The most economical class is A.The difference between these three indicators is so insignificant that you can not overpay for the upper class. Proper handling of the refrigerator is much more effective in this sense - do not put warm products in it, do not forget to close the door, choose a place to install the device away from heaters and direct sunlight.

Built-in refrigerator

Climate class

This setting is rarely honored. The fact is that the market offers devices whose class corresponds to a specific climate.

There is equipment of the following classes:

  • N - normal - optimal temperature for functioning at +15 - + 32 ° C - modification is intended for temperate climate;
  • T - tropical - can work with thermometer readings up to + 43 ° C;
  • SN - corresponds to an intermediate climate from subtropical to normal;
  • ST- is suitable for countries with tropical and subtropical climates.

Climatic class of refrigerators

Defrosting Chambers

In modern refrigerators, two versions of defrosting systems are used:

  • drip - moisture settles on the back wall inside the chamber and freezes. When the device turns off, the ice thaws and flows down the groove to the compressor. When the compressor starts working again, the moisture evaporates and the cycle repeats;

In refrigerators equipped with a drip system, the freezer most often has to be defrosted in the old manner - manually.

  • No Frost system - freezing without hoarfrost. A similar effect is obtained thanks to the fan, which constantly drives air inside the chamber. There are various combinations - only one chamber or the entire refrigerator can be equipped with a dry freeze system.

Refrigerator chamber

Noise level

The “noise” of a refrigerator depends on what type of compressor is installed in it. The optimal level is in the range of 21-56 dB. In modern equipment, inverter ones are used, which operate almost silently. Non-compressor devices of the absorption and thermoelectric type have the same indicators.But because of the features of the cooling system, they are released only in mini-formats.

Refrigerator Noise Level

Conclusion

Built-in refrigerator - a combination of comfort and aesthetics. A wide range of models and a variety of installation options will help you organize your kitchen space, make it more ergonomic, comfortable and attractive.



Graduated from St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technology and Design. More than 100 completed design projects.


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