UKH

Is it possible to replace a single cabinet without ripping the whole kitchen apart?

A slow leak under the sink has buggered the base of the double cabinet.  I can replace the doors but the base is mush and so the cabinet needs to be switched out....except I can't see any fixings and the worktop and sink are all fitted and across the other cabinets too...

Our kitchen units were built in a sort of C shape, and we wanted to move the sticky out ones to make the units an L shape. We will eventually get new ones, but we aren't at that stage yet so just moved the old ones. It was possible to separate them to do this, but we had to remove the worktop to do so. I'm not sure if there are other designs of units which can be separated more easily with the worktop still on, but for us the worktop did have to come off. But, once it was off, we could have replaced an individual unit.

I had the same, although not as bad as yours, not that long ago - basically wrecked the front edge of the unit, as water got in the seams of the edging strip. Fortunately caught before too much damage done.

I managed to cut the front edge back a couple of inches to sound chipboard and then just replaced that part with a bit I had spare in the garage, using glue/dowels to attach it. Can't see it anyway, as it's covered by an aluminium sheet.

Problem with the under sink units is all the pipe work. This one has obviously been dropped down over the sink waste pipe before the rest of the plumbing and worktop were added, so getting it out without dismantling that (middle section of a "C" shape unit!) would have been a royal pain. I would have to cut it all out in pieces and getting a replacement in would have been awkward.

Your best bet might be to screw the unit to the ones either side of it to support it, then just cut the bottom panel out, slide a new panel in and then screw it in with either angle brackets or from underneath, if you can - which was my back-up plan.

Thanks...this is the middle section of a C or U, so I think we're hosed

Sad face.

I guess I could try to cut out the bottom shelf, but he back is also fitted onto it and I'm worried about making a bad situation much worse!

An alternative might be to cut back a little and add a second layer shelf on top of existing.

How did you get the cut back edge true enough to do a decent dowel joint?  A jigsaw is going to go all over in mdf when it's damp

Yes, I also thought about putting a second layer on top, but then would have had to fiddle around cutting slots for the pipework.

I used a mixture of feel and a flat edge to work out how far back the chipboard had blown and cut just past that with a fine blade in the jigsaw. Then put replacement bit on top lined up with edge and draw where to cut. Think I used a waterproof grab adhesive all along the edge, plus the dowels.

You can do really neat work with an oscillating saw (multitool) in very tight spaces, especially if you clamp or screw a fence on.

Get a strong magnet, mirror on a stick and a bright light, figure out where the fixings are. Even if you can't find or reach all the fastenings, with the right tool you will be able to cut the old unit out in pieces but you may still struggle to slide new one in in one piece around all the pipework and. Bear in mind there will be some tolerance on the unit width and the original install will have had them tightly sandwiched together. Having butchered some of mine for access over the years I'd say you'd be lucky to be able to do a neat reassembly/replacement job without getting the sink and worktop off but you do never know your luck! It's probably worth a go before you rip it all apart.

jk

I fixed exactly this problem. Base of the cupboard swollen by sneaky leak from tap.

First fixed leak.

Though the back board - just simple hardboard - rested in a groove cut into the base board, but there was enough headroom to lift it free of the groove.

Cut new groove into a new base board and had that sit on fat wooden blocks underneath. Good amount of glue in the butt joint between walls of the cupboard and new base.

It all looked a terrible bodge-up whilst in progress, but now it's complete, I can't see a difference between the repaired cupboard and its neighbours. The long 'foot plate' under the front on the cupboards hides the fat feet holding up the new base.