With the lovely weather now upon us, the chances are that the last thing you will be wanting to do is spend several weeks having your kitchen refitted. A full kitchen makeover can take a long time, however a simple replacement of your kitchen doors can take a weekend – at the most and by Sunday afternoon, you can be back in your garden soaking up the sun.

You can transform your kitchen in no time - even over a weekend

Be prepared

It is important to realise that you can't just decide on Friday night that you want to redo your kitchen and think that you can start the next day. It doesn't work like that. You will need to put in the leg work a few weeks in advance. Make sure you have done the following:

  • Send off for samples of the colours and door types you want to use
  • Choose your favourite colour or colours, the doors you want, the handles and any other additions you will need.
  • Measure your old doors and ordered the new ones in the right size.
  • Check the order when it arrives to make sure you have everything you need
  • Buy extras like new wall and trim paint or new accessories you would like to add to your new beautiful kitchen.

The steps to a new kitchen

Now you're ready to get start. Follow our step by step kitchen fitting weekend plan and you will be enjoying your brand new kitchen before you know it.

  1. Remove anything from the kitchen which might get in the way. There is no need to empty your cupboards, but you may want to remove things from the worktops to give you a little extra space. If you are planning a complete clean or want to paint the insides of your cupboards – now is the time to do this.
  2. Remove the old doors – keeping the hinges if you have chosen to. Sell or recycle your old doors so they can be reused by someone else.
  3. If you are planning on repainting your kitchen, re-grouting or replacing the flooring – now is the time to complete this step – before the new doors come in.
  4. Unpack your new doors and add on the hinges in the pre-drilled holes if they have been provided. If not, you need to work out where the hinges will be and drill the holes yourself.
  5. If you have integrated doors for your appliances, you should add the handles before you hang the doors. If you wish you can do this for all the doors. However sometimes it is easier to see how the handles match up if they are already hung.
  6. Now offer up the doors to the cabinets, ensuring that you have the right sized door in each place. It should be easy to fit them using the hinges as they will simply slot into place.
  7. Adjust each hinge either up or down or side to side using the screws provided. This will help you to get each door level and in line with the next. You may want to use a level to make sure this is totally accurate – although doing it by eye is usually fine.
  8. Add the handles if you are yet to do this. Some people find it easier to use a template to make sure they drill the holes in the right place. Obviously this is one step you do not want to get wrong. Take your time and measure twice (or more).
  9. Now add any of the other finishing touches you have also purchased. This might be new plinths, end panels or cornices. If you are adding a new worktop, you might need an extra day to complete it.

And there you have it a completed kitchen in less than two days. Try that with any other type of kitchen fitting!