"simon mitchelmore" wrote in message
...
I've just installed a new Wickes kitchen and I'm disappointed that both the 800 wide
wall unit
bottoms sag noticeably in the centre (between the two sides) when loaded with an
ordinary
loads of tins or plates.
The sag is about 10mm in the centre and is noticeable as it sags below the front
lower edge
of the doors.

I probably will raise it with them but expect to be fobbed off with 'they're not meant
for heavy loads'
crap so am looking for a fall back diy solution.

My options appear to be;
1/ a long vertical M6 stud and nuts, from above the top to below the bottom, very
unsightly, maybe
6mm rod with just ends threaded might look ok.

You don't say whether the cupboard is MDF or chip, and what the surface finish is inside
the
cupboard. But assuming its white the simplest solution would be a central divider made
out of
15mm white melamine faced chip. You only need a finished edge on one side the edge
facing
outward. Cut and then trimmed to fit.
While its still a good tight fit, meaure up and mark its centre line on the outside of
the top and the
base. Drill through with say a 3mm pilot through the top and base into the divider.
Contrary to popular belief even 15mm chipboard can be satisfactorily screwed together
using screws and plastic plugs providing the right size plugs (almost invariably the
shortest)
drill bit, drilling depth and screws are used. (Best found by experiment unless written
down
on a piece of paper, or in a notebook which hasn't subsequently been lost)

Using the 3mm pilot holes as locators in the divider, drill appropriate size holes and
fit plugs.
Widen the holes the top and base and assemble.

2/ cut another shelf to lay directly on the bottom and help support it

This would be second best. I only say this because this solution would be adding more
weight
to the bottom of the cabinet. And possibly these these are so "economically made" in
terms
of materials that adding more weight in this way might compromise the overall
construction.
Basically if it sags in the way does, who's to say it the sides might not start straining
at the joints as well ?


3/ attach another layer below the bottom. I've noticed they use beefy 15mm trims on
showroom units but thought they were cosmetic only and they only go back about
100mm, so the back would still sag.

Weirdly the internal shelves being thicker ~18mm don't sag at all whereas the frame top
and bottom being thinner ~14mm do sag.

Two questions; is this normal on mid priced units, and is there a better technical
solution?

Basically IMO anything which alters the outside appearance of the unit is unacceptable.
Not that alterations of this kind should be necessary in the first place. Quite possibly
the
technical specifications of these particular Wickes units specify a maximum loading
- not that you'd ever know about them until their "customer services" suddently spring
to life and draw them to your attention. But even then these limits might be expected to
be reasonable.

IMO on the information you've provide you're entitled to a full refund as these
particular
units aren't fit for purpose. Using 14mm as opposed to 18mm IMO seems like
needless pennypinching which will save pennies per unit if that. More especially
as machines will need to be specially reset . Basically its much easier if a whole
shop is set to 18mm as there's less scope for mistakes etc.

I'm advised by SWMBO that redistributing stuff is not an option.

This is an interesting conundrum and provides an excuse to visit a Wickes in the near
future armed with a tape measure and an enquiring mind.