Dishwasher Installation / Cabinets

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JohnO

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I will be installing a new dishwasher once I complete installing my cabinets. My question is for a dishwasher that will sit between two cabinets, do I leave the space exactly 24 inches or should I add another 1/8 to 1/4 inch to allow for free movement?

Also, should I put woodstrips (say 1/2 inch) over where the front of the dishwasher will be? I will be getting granite countertops and I can't screw anything into that.

Thank you
 

Jadnashua

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Ask the granite fabricators their preferred method. They can epoxy an attachment strip to the granite, or most DW can move the top clips from the top of the tub (that would screw into the bottom of the counter) to the top sides, so that they can attach to the cabinet instead. So, somewhat depends on the DW, too. The DW is built to have some (small) slop in a 24" opening, so no additional allowance is required.
 

Geniescience

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also, floor height is important. Tiles, linoleum, vinyl, bamboo on MDF, whatever you have, it will go under the dishwasher and then stop after a couple inches. Presumably. Well, guess what often happens then?

The DW feet end up straddling the edge of your tile or vinyl or whatever, right when you get the machine to fit back and snug in its space. I have seen this more than a couple times, and I have heard of it even more. The DW is now wobbly, and pushing it in too deep makes it lean slightly forward and knocks the back feet up into the air a bit, and then pulling it out a bit rips the vinyl or chips the tile, and now it is sitting proud sticking out too much, etc etc.

So, make sure the floor material goes under the front legs.


About the width, I'm always in favor of a real tight fit, but I wouldn't rely on a discussion forum to get my measurements. On a device as big as this, I'd add 1/8", that's what I say, even though i love tight fits. Measure the machine, the actual machine.


In a future change, a new machine may not fit. That can happen. Especially because of the height. They are not all the same height.


david
 

Jimbo

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All the spec sheets I have seen call for exactly 24" for the cabinet opening. If you had to fudge this, all of a sudden everything else is fudged off, and the uppers dont line up with the lowers. So the DW will fit into an exact 24" opening.
 

Bosun

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Don't go bigger than 24".

You might even get a DW that is slightly smaller! i.e. the Europen DW are a tiny bit smaller because they are a metric measure. But they have a rubber flange that fills the space.
 

PEW

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I aways do 24 inches exactly. No need for wood strips under the granite, you don't want to make any attachment there. Screw the dishwasher to the side cabinets, see the dishwasher install documentation on doing this.
 

amartin725

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I've always done 24" If you can fudge a 16th on either side to make yourself feel better, go for it.

I did a kitchen remodel last year that went to granite. The brackets on the top of the dishwasher were spot welded on and a sturdy putty knife with a couple of good whacks with a hammer got them off clean. I reattached them to the side with sheet metal screws and mounted to the cabinets that way. Worked great for me and is still holding up without issue.
 

Geniescience

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Good to know. 24" for DW. They fit inside. The opening is enough at 24".

Also good to know not to bother attaching the DW above, using an attachment strip to a granite counter regardless of where the brackets are intially.

david
 
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