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Built-in appliances have already become firmly established in modern everyday life and are used in almost any kitchen. This is not only stylish, but also practical - you can significantly save useful space and, if necessary, hide household appliances.

Dishwashers are quite impressive in size, so they are most often built into furniture. In this case, the appearance of the equipment will depend on the facade of the cabinet.

Dishwasher front - what is it?

A dishwasher facade is a decorative panel that hides its body. It has not only an aesthetic, but also a practical purpose.

The advantages of such designs include:

the ability to disguise equipment that does not fit the overall interior design;
performing a protective function that allows you to protect the case from aggressive influences - high temperatures, humidity and greasy contaminants;
the façade covers the control panel from small children who may press buttons out of curiosity;
providing additional sound insulation.

Dishwasher front size

The dimensions of the side panels of dishwashers naturally depend on the size of the dishwashers. These are mainly 450 mm machines. or 600 mm. The height of many dishwashers is 820 mm. However, there are compact models with a height of 600 mm. and even 500 mm. They are much cheaper, but they also have much less capacity.

If we are talking about fitting the device into the interior, then designers advise not to rush in choosing kitchen accessories.

Oleg Volkov, interior designer, Moscow:

“Personally, I never thought that washing machines, dishwashers, microwave ovens and other household appliances could look banal in their natural technological form. If the equipment is chosen with taste, the furniture is high-quality and pleasant, then the interior will be what you need, even if you can see the “naked” facades of washing machines, dishwashers, etc. However, often people want a seamless design so that everything looks like one. Our client recently wanted a long, undulating marble countertop that curved across almost half the kitchen, turning into a breakfast bar. It’s great, what can I say, and the project turned out just right. But I was surprised by his question: Which dishwasher should I choose? He wanted an Ariston, Hansa, Siemens or Bosch dishwasher, but thought about the size at the last moment. After all, he first assembled the kitchen, left a niche for the car and, naturally, none of it fit the size. I had to trim the marble. I advise you to always select the equipment first, and only then choose the kitchen. Otherwise, you will be tortured to adjust one thing to another. All household appliances are fixed in size, and you can play with the furniture fittings. Do everything in the right order.”

Indeed, you need to understand that the device may have a width of not 60, but 59.1 cm. This will lead to backlash and gaps. Remember that it is impossible to cut a facade that is made incorrectly, because its ends are laminated and covered with film.

The height of the side of the machine is no exception; it must also be carefully measured and calculated. It has a height slightly greater than the door, so in order for it to be flush with the kitchen panel, it is necessary to adjust not the facade, as many do, but the legs of the machine itself. It turns out that the height of the device depends on the width of the machine’s button panel, which is located on the door. Attaching such a front to a dishwasher is a little simpler than in machines that require full integration.

Types of materials and decor of furniture facades for a dishwasher

Various materials are used to produce dishwasher fronts.

Basically it is MDF. Since it is he who is able to withstand temperature changes and high humidity that occur during operation of the equipment. In addition, they are safe and do not contain substances harmful to human health.

Natural wood is rarely used in the production of furniture for a built-in dishwasher, since it is a very expensive material that requires a high-quality top covering.

If you want to save money, you can purchase a facade made of chipboard - it will cost the least. But keep in mind that if the integrity of the protective layer is damaged, the product will quickly lose its shape. In addition, when heated, it will release toxic fumes.

It is advisable that the facade of the machine be made of the same material as the doors of other kitchen items.

To give the structure the desired color and texture, a decorative coating is used. Modern solutions make it possible to disguise a dishwasher in such a way that it will be impossible to understand that behind the façade there is hidden equipment and not an ordinary cabinet.

The facade for a built-in dishwasher can be finished with the following materials:

enamel coating;
plastic;
glass;
metal;
veneer (thin layer of wood).

It is not recommended to use PVC film for gluing the facades of dishwashers - under the influence of heat and moisture it quickly peels off.

How to select and calculate the size of the façade for a built-in dishwasher

The dimensions of the facade for the dishwasher are selected according to the dimensions of the equipment.

The standard panel size is:

width - 45 or 60 cm;
height - 82 cm.

There are also more compact options with a height of 60 and even 50 cm. Please note that some manufacturers may “round off” the width of the equipment. For example, instead of 50.2 cm, simply indicate 50 cm. Therefore, before purchasing a cabinet with a front, be sure to measure the car yourself.

After all, if you purchase a facade of the wrong dimensions, it will no longer be possible to cut it or adjust it to the size of the equipment. If you try to do this, the integrity of the decorative coating of the panels will be compromised.

The height of the facade should be slightly larger than the car door. The thickness of the products ranges from 1.6 to 2 cm.

Methods for attaching furniture fronts to a dishwasher

It is important not only to choose a front for a dishwasher, but also to install it correctly.

Depending on the installation method of the equipment itself, facades can be mounted by:

full installation - in this case, the facade completely hides the body of the equipment;
partial embedding - the door covers only the main part of the machine, and the control panel remains visible.

And according to the method of fastening, there are two methods of installing doors:

mounted;
pantograph.

Curtain facades guarantee uniform load distribution between the doors of furniture and appliances. The only disadvantage of this solution is the complex arrangement of fastenings and the presence of a gap between the doors.

In the pantograph system, the facade is attached directly to the car door. The main advantage of this method is the absence of gaps between the doors - dirt and moisture cannot accumulate there. In addition, the pantograph does not require a complex synchronization structure, which is used in mounted products.

What is the difference between built-in dishwashers?

Built-in appliances are different in that they are designed for installation in a finished kitchen, and therefore their body is somewhat modified. The control panel on such models becomes visible only after opening the door and, as a rule, is located at its end. There are also partially hidden devices. The difference is that they do not need to be opened to operate them.

When choosing such a technique, you can not pay attention to appearance. When purchasing such a dishwasher, it is worth remembering that the distance from the walls to other furniture should be at least 3 cm. The appearance of the built-in appliances is not aesthetically pleasing, and its price is about 20% higher.

Stages of installing the facade on a built-in dishwasher

If the installation of equipment is a very complex process that is best entrusted to a specialist, then the installation of the facade can be carried out independently.

Before installing the front panel, the machine itself must be securely fixed by attaching it to the side walls and table top.

To fasten the panel, use the following tools and components:

facade;
table top;
screwdriver;
set of accessories;
measuring tape.

The process itself consists of two stages:

installation of the facade at the required height. For this purpose special screws are used. Next, you need to determine the distance from the attachment point to the edge of the dishwasher facade. To do this, use a tape measure to measure two indicators: the distance from the top mount to the countertop and the size of the gap between the countertop and the front of the other cabinet. Then subtract the second from the first parameter. According to the data received, you need to make notes. To do this, you can use a pencil or colored tape;
installation of fasteners and accessories. First the handle is attached. To do this, a hole is drilled on the front side of the panel for the handle screw. If you drill from the back, a chip may form on the furniture, especially if the coating is enamel or acrylic. Next, according to the notes made, shallow holes for fastenings are drilled - about 3/4 of the panel thickness. You don't have to drill, but then the fastenings won't be as reliable.

At the end of installation, be sure to check how the door opens - it should not rest against the base.

Often, built-in models have special ready-made templates that make it easy and quick to attach the front to the dishwasher door. If you doubt your abilities, try first practicing on an unnecessary piece of MDF or chipboard.

At what stage should the façade be attached?

The dishwasher is installed in several stages. The main connection is considered to be connection to communications: water supply, sewerage system, dedicated power line.

Decorating the front side is usually done at the very end, when the rest of the work has already been completed.

The housing is pulled out of the niche to provide access to the car door from all sides. But during the fitting process, it is better to push the machine into place so that the panels of the dishwasher and neighboring modules are at the same level

Is it possible to run the dishwasher without the decorative trim installed? It is not recommended to launch before installation work is completed for several reasons.

Only a dishwasher that is completely closed on all sides can fully perform its functions; in addition, the panel plays the role of an additional sound and heat insulator.

Sometimes they mask the machine first and then make the connection. This option is appropriate if there is a delay in connection for objective reasons, for example, at the same time the riser in the toilet is being replaced or a new power line is being laid.

In order not to waste time, decorate slowly.