What is a Kitchen Plinth?
Kitchen plinths are typically made of wood, plastic, or metal and are meant to place between your floor and bottom cabinets or kitchen base units. Adding a plinth to the front edge will create a clean, finished look to the kitchen while hiding the gap between the counter and floor, as well as any errors.
Benefits of Adjusting Kitchen Plinth Setback
Maximizing Storage Space
By reducing the amount of setback, you can increase the worktop height or install an additional drawer or shelf.
Alternatively, adjusting the setback can allow your plinths to have built-in drawers that can make use of that little bit of space. They’re normally not very deep and are used for things not used on a daily basis, but they are a factor worth considering.
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Improving Kitchen Ergonomics
Plinths that are drawn back from the front of the units provide a place for your feet that’s closer to the worktop. A closer position will help reduce strain on your legs, back, and neck, no matter what your height.
Enhancing Overall Kitchen Design
As a general rule, plinths are affordable and easy to install with the right tools. They’re a fantastic way to add sophistication and finalization to the look of your new kitchen while bridging the gap between beauty and the budget.
Whether you choose a deeper setback for ergonomics or you love the look of less, plinths are a great addition to the room.
Factors That Affect Plinth Setback
Type of Kitchen Units
The setback of your plinth will need to adjust based on the height of your unit. If you have tall units (typically floor-to-ceiling), less setback may be necessary than standard base units. The setback for your plinths will still need to be deep enough that the door or the cabinet is not affected.
Depth of Integrated Appliances
The goal of plinths is to create a uniform look throughout the room. These appliances, such as a refrigerator or dishwasher, are already designed to fit seamlessly into the cabinetry, which means you may need to adjust the plinth positioning.
Height of Kitchen Units
As we’ve already discussed, the height of your units will somewhat determine the setback of your plinth.
Yes, base units will be different than tall units, but it’s even more than that. If you wish to add another shelf or raise the work surface of your standard base unit, it will affect where your plinth is set.
Other Design Considerations
What kind of flooring do you have? What is the style of your cabinets or countertops? These are things to consider when deciding on the plinth setback since plinths could potentially affect how well these work.
How to Determine the Right Kitchen Plinth Setback Amount
Assessing Kitchen Space and Layout
Keep in mind workflow, storage needs, accessibility (does anyone in your family have mobility issues?), and layout.
Why layout? If you have an open concept with an island, you may need to change the plinth setback to provide clearance around the island. Along those same lines, if you have a U or L-shaped kitchen, setting back the plinths further will provide the space you need around each corner.
Measuring the Depth of Kitchen Units
Most units have a standard depth of 24 inches to accommodate common appliances. However, always measure just to be sure there are no custom sizes in your kitchen.
Considering the Height of Integrated Appliances
Once again, most appliances come in standard sizes that will make your job easy. Regardless of this, always measure to be sure and have accurate measurements before you get the job underway. It could save you difficulties in the future, and it doesn’t take much time.
Standard Distance for Kitchen Plinth Setback
Standard setback can range anywhere from 5-10cm. All of the factors we’ve discussed so far will affect how far a plinth needs to be set back.
Thinking of Adjusting Your Kitchen Plinth Setback?
If you’ve never done it before, this job can be tricky. Consider getting advice from a member of one of your local handymen. Finding their companies can be made easy with sites such as Yelp or Angi.