Carcases

At Back to Basics we build all our carcases at our Southwick-based workshop using 18mm wood veneered MDF (not chipboard) as MDF is a much more stable and robust material. We can also make them out of solid wood.

All carcases are glued and screwed for maximum strength and have 18mm backs on both wall and base units. They come with adjustable legs and 65mm voids at the back to allow for pipework.

Our shelves are supported on metal shelf strips which allow you to adjust the height of each shelf at 10mm intervals to maximise your storage space. All our wall units are 350mm deep (not 300mm like most kitchens) the advantage of this extra depth means you can use them to store 12" dinner plates.

Doors & Frames

All doors are constructed using mortice and tennon joints and solid wood frames with either wood veneered or solid wood panels, depending on the timber chosen. Your kitchen can be made from any readily available timber with the most popular being oak, maple, beech and tulip wood – for painted kitchens. You can also choose from a more exotic selection with woods such as walnut, cherry, elm, pippy oak and many more.

All our doors and frames are made from 32mm timber which is planed down to a finished size of 25mm which provides extra stability and a high quality feel to your kitchen.

Our frames are constructed using mortise and tenon joints (not screwed or dowelled like most kitchens) and can either be made plain or with a small strip of beading around the inside.

Drawers

All our drawers are made from solid pine with dovetailed joints and 9mm ply bases and run on full extension soft close runners. You can also upgrade drawer material to hard wood if you choose.

Kitchen units – Framed or Lay-on

There are two types of kitchen unit styles to choose from, either ‘framed’ or ‘lay-on’. A framed kitchen features a small frame around the door. Each door is then hung on small butt hinges. This is the more traditional and most popular choice of kitchen style. A lay-on kitchen features a more modern and cost-effective method whereby the doors close directly onto the front of the carcase.

Kitchen finishes

All Back to Basics kitchens come pre-finished so there is no need to do anything with your kitchen once it is installed – unlike some other companies. If you choose wooden doors, then these will have been finished with three coats of floor lacquer which will provide an extremely hardwearing surface. If you choose a painted finish, then your kitchen will have been primed, undercoated and finally hand finished with two top coats of your chosen paint.