How to build a heating boiler into kitchen furniture

Recommendation points

• Is it safe to place the boiler inside furniture?
• Is it possible to close a wall-mounted gas boiler with factory furniture
• Method number 1
• Method number 2
• What changes need to be made to a custom-made kitchen project to hide the boiler
• How to close the flue pipe
• What to do if a boiler or gas water heater is located in the corner of the kitchen
• How to close a parapet gas boiler
• When is it better to place the boiler in a pencil case
• How best to close pipes and valves
• What decorative grilles can be used for the facades that cover the boiler

Some of us prefer to heat our apartments and houses with autonomous heating systems, the main component of which is a gas boiler. Most often, this technique is installed in the kitchen, and many owners want to hide it inside furniture cabinets so as not to spoil the interior of the room. Is it realistic to implement your plans and how to do everything right? This article will give you some tips and tricks on this matter..

First, it should be noted that today the industry produces a huge number of types and models of gas heating boilers. Moreover, the range of products is regularly updated with improved, more economical and safer novelties. Units have appeared that have closed combustion chambers, condensing boilers with a multi-level security and self-diagnosis system. Parapet and wall heating boilers can be considered the most common. Also, in some cases, in housing where hot water is not supplied, only gas water heaters are installed to heat it.

As a rule, for country cottages and houses located in the private sector, this issue is not so acute, since in such buildings the owners have the opportunity to install such boilers and columns not only in the kitchen, as is most often the case in multi-storey buildings. Therefore, problems with this kind of disguise arise, basically, only for a certain category of residents of city apartments. However, some homeowners are also not against such improvements, so our advice will be equally useful for everyone who has thought about the possibility of such a “disguise” of a gas boiler.

Is it safe to place the boiler inside furniture?

First of all, it is necessary to consider issues related to safety, because the operation of all this equipment requires increased precautions. If you are just going to purchase a boiler, then you need to consult with the managers before buying and study the technical documentation with them. Also, it is imperative to talk with the specialists who will first install and then service your boiler. Gas services are very attentive to such events, strictly making sure that there are no significant violations. Therefore, it is not recommended to do anything on your own..

When designing such a cabinet, you must remember the following requirements:

• furniture should not interfere with your quick unhindered access to the boiler;
• the master performing scheduled maintenance should not experience any difficulty in removing the casing, inspecting all important components and replacing some parts if necessary;
• it is necessary to ensure the flow of air to the boiler in the volumes indicated in the data sheet;
• you should be able to quickly independently dismantle all the furniture that covers the unit;
• the distance to the nearest side struts must correspond to the dimensions indicated in the technical documentation;
• the fire safety of this structure should not cause any doubts.

Only after making sure that all the requirements are feasible, you can start designing a custom-made kitchen or reworking finished furniture. In any other case, it is better not to risk it. Beauty, of course, requires sacrifices, but not such.

Is it possible to close a wall-mounted gas boiler with factory furniture

It turns out to be quite problematic to solve this issue in this way, since there may be some discrepancy between the dimensions of the kitchen wall cabinets and the boiler itself. If there are no problems with the height and width, then the depth of the heating unit forces many to abandon this venture, since this size of kitchen modules varies in the range from 280 to 320 mm, most often it is 300 mm. Such a depth of the cabinet means that the facades either cannot close at all, or they will be located close to the casing, which is also very bad – there should be a gap of approximately 20-30 mm. Most often, with the help of ready-made factory-made furniture, it turns out to disguise a water heating column, which has smaller dimensions than heating boilers.

Let’s dwell on the fact that the depth of your heating and water heating unit allows you to hide it inside the kitchen furniture. What is required for this? First, avoid one of the most common mistakes. Many people try to choose a module with such a width that small gaps remain between the walls, believing that this is quite enough. However, as mentioned earlier, such compactness will interfere with the maintenance of the boiler and negatively affect its operation. Considering that the height of the column is on average about 700 mm, and the width is 450 mm, a cabinet with dimensions of 720x900x320 can be considered an ideal hanging module suitable for these purposes, in extreme cases, you can use furniture 800 mm wide.

Method number 1

To rework this furniture you will need:

• jigsaw with a file for chipboard;
• flexible C-shaped edge profile;
• furniture hinges with CLIP mechanism;
• furniture screeds;
• plastic glass holders;
• decorative lattices made of wood or MDF;
• copper-plated studs 25 mm long.

It was not mentioned earlier that the cabinet should be equipped with display fronts, into which decorative grilles will be inserted. By the way, in this case, it is best to purchase a second cabinet-drying cabinet, it is often equipped with these components, and you will not have to look for suitable material in stores..

Before starting the assembly of such a module, it is necessary to redo the upper and lower stationary shelves. They need to be marked and cutouts in these parts with a jigsaw. Moreover, the chipboard body must be left just enough so that it allows the module to be assembled, the more free space around the heating boiler, the better the air circulation in the future. After working with a jigsaw along the cutting line, you can detect chips in the laminate in order to hide them, and at the same time give the end part of the resulting parts a more aesthetic look, they should be closed with a flexible C-shaped profile. You can fix it by nailing it with copper-plated nails. Some people use Liquid Nails glue for these purposes, but in this case it is better to resort to the first option – it is both faster and more practical. Moreover, this side of the shelves will be turned towards the wall, and no one will ever see the small heads of carnations..

New pads from furniture hinges should be screwed onto the side posts of the hinged module immediately – this will make it much more convenient to hang the facades. If you wish, you can cut off two strips from the back wall of fiberboard, which will be nailed along the edges, but it is better to limit yourself to four small pieces of a triangular shape – this is quite enough to give rigidity to the case. After the cabinet is suspended and connected to the neighboring modules using furniture ties, all that remains is to fix the decorative grilles using plastic glass holders and self-tapping screws and snap the doors onto the previously screwed blocks.

Method number 2

Sometimes the depth of a wall-mounted heating gas boiler is almost the same as that of a cabinet, which makes it impossible to cut the boiler outlines in the shelves. In this case, you can abandon the usual method and solve the problem in a slightly different way. Since we are more concerned with the attractive appearance of the front part, then the bottom and the roof can be omitted at all – they are still almost invisible anyway. Therefore, our main task at this stage of reworking the kitchen unit is only to hang furniture facades with decorative grilles. Consider what needs to be done in order to accomplish this.

In principle, it is very simple to do this, only you need to take this type of work seriously, be attentive and accurate. The essence of this method is to attach the doors to the side posts of two cabinets hanging on either side of the gas boiler. From the fittings, you will need to purchase four internal furniture hinges with the CLIP mechanism. These two upper kitchen modules should be suspended strictly in level so that in any place the distance between them is equal to the width of the two fronts. If in any place there is a discrepancy due to skewing, then it will be very difficult to adjust the doors. After the lockers are in their places, all that remains is to hang the facades with gratings.

For various reasons, not everyone likes internal hinges, this is due to their installation, and with the subsequent adjustment of the facades, and with the presence of additional slots. There is another way to get by with conventional furniture awnings. To the racks of neighboring modules, you need to attach the side walls from the disassembled cabinet using furniture ties and screw the hinge pads to them. This is done very simply: one part is applied to the other so that their edges completely coincide, then they are attracted by clamps and drilled in three places with a drill with a diameter of 5 mm, tie bolts are inserted into the holes and tightened.

In both cases, our design will require minor improvements. The fact is that due to the lack of shelves, the facades will close further than intended, resting against the boiler casing. In order to avoid this contact, which is highly undesirable, special small stops should be screwed to prevent further door movement, since the furniture hinges do not have a mechanism that fixes the facade strictly at right angles.

Here, in fact, we have considered two of the simplest ways to hide wall-mounted heating boilers inside a factory kitchen set. If you have the necessary tools and small skills, all these actions can be performed independently. Naturally, such recommendations are not applicable in all cases, but in some situations they may be useful..

What changes need to be made to a custom-made kitchen project to hide the boiler

With custom-made furniture, things are much easier. You are not so dependent on the dimensions of gas heating boilers, having the opportunity to order a kitchen that has cabinets with dimensions suitable for each individual case. In addition, the location of the heating device is no longer so important, it can be fixed in the middle of the wall, in the corner of the room, as well as under the windowsill, where parapet boilers are usually mounted – all of them can be closed with custom-made furniture.

First of all, consider options with wall-mounted gas units. If in the case of factory furniture, only partial camouflage was possible, then in this situation, it is possible to hide the boiler itself, and the flue pipes, and all communications supplying water and gas. It is also possible to design the headset, observing the proportions, and the hinged module, in which the boiler is hidden, will not stand out from the rest of the cabinets. As in the above case with factory furniture, it will be necessary to follow the requirements specified in the technical documentation, observing the distance to the nearest objects.

Employees of organizations that produce custom-made furniture most likely have repeatedly encountered the manufacture of similar kitchen sets, so they have some experience. But it will be better if the client also has some knowledge in this area in order to be able to jointly draw up the most suitable project. Since the choice of materials and furniture fittings in this case is much wider, then you will have much more opportunities..

The best option is the second method described for factory furniture. Only thanks to the variety of fittings and an individual approach to design, we will be able to make our design more perfect in this case. Again, you don’t have to make a separate module, but get by with two adjacent lockers. Since an adjustable suspension is used to secure them to the walls, it will not be at all difficult to ensure the correct position in all planes for such furniture. Thanks to the use of semi-overlay hinges, it will be possible to refuse the use of additional side stands.

As in the situation with a ready-made kitchen, it is better to completely abandon the upper and lower stationary shelves. But if you think that they are nevertheless necessary, then using rafiks you can fix them on the side racks of neighboring modules. This method of installation provides the ability to both quickly install and easily remove if necessary. Moreover, you can do it yourself, from the tools you need one screwdriver.

How to close the flue pipe

As a rule, when installing a wall-mounted heating boiler, a hole is made in the wall, to which a pipe made of heat-resistant plastic is fed, if the temperature of the exhaust products is higher – this is the norm for older models, then stainless pipes are used. Such chimneys also need to be closed, only this event must be carried out taking into account some requirements:

• furniture should not come into contact with pipes;
• quick and unhindered access to the flue gas duct should be provided;
• it is recommended to use a heat-insulating material that separates the furniture from the pipe;
• the whole structure must be well ventilated.

Usually, a wall-mounted boiler is located near the window, so the pipe length rarely exceeds 600-800 mm. This means that it is quite enough to adapt only 1-2 hanging cabinets, and all other furniture is made according to standard drawings. Most often, in such cases, the upper tier of the kitchen unit consists of two separate parts, which are interconnected by means of furniture ties. The first row of suspended modules has a height of several centimeters higher than that of the boiler, and is equipped with hinged fronts that open horizontally. The height of the upper bodies is 250-300 mm, they have doors equipped with lifting mechanisms that open upwards. The same cabinets that are designed to hide the chimney from our eyes have a small depth of 70-100 mm, they do not have a back wall, and the same decorative grilles are installed on the facades as below.

Thus, without resorting to the manufacture of an overly complex structure, we get spacious functional furniture that is easy to install and easy to dismantle if necessary. This is especially important for modules that cover pipes. If necessary, they can be removed in just 2-3 minutes by unscrewing about 5 tie bolts. Since this furniture has a very small mass, then all actions are within the power of one person.

What to do if a boiler or gas water heater is located in the corner of the kitchen

Often, the presence of a special ventilation duct in the house allows you to place a heating boiler or water heater in the very corner of the kitchen. They are then closed in a conventional corner module with a sloped straight front. Moreover, if a 650×650 mm module with one door, the width of which is approximately 450 mm, is sufficient for the column, then the gas boiler will require more space. A cabinet with dimensions of 800×800 mm and two facades with decorative grilles is suitable for it. Sometimes it may seem that it is enough to allocate less space, but this is a misconception. Do not forget that all the details from laminated chipboard should be at a certain distance from this equipment, and specialists could easily inspect and service it.

In this case, the shelves are treated in exactly the same way as in all previous cases. They are either abandoned altogether, or they are fixed on rafiks, having previously made the necessary cuts. This time, the area of ​​the parts is much larger, so it is possible to remove more material, ensuring excellent air circulation inside the module. Furniture hinges must have a CLIP mechanism and can be easily removed in seconds. The ventilation window is either inside such a module, if its height is sufficient, or slightly higher, but even in this case it is practically invisible. Many people order kitchens with a visor and decorative cornices that completely hide the smoke exhaust system.

How to close a parapet gas boiler

The desire to hide parapet heating boilers located under the windowsill inside the furniture arises from their owners much less often. But sometimes people want to do it. This is mainly due to a special look at the interior of this room, some believe that the boiler has a negative effect on it. But if you start to perform such a task, then everything must be done technologically correctly, the furniture should not in any way affect the operation of the unit and threaten safety.

Since the boiler is located at the bottom, somewhere in the middle of the wall, then it will be closed by a continuation of the lower row of the kitchen set. If the kitchen was originally designed to be straight, then, taking into account the changes, you will get an L-shaped lower part. In the case when one corner is already there, after additions to the original design, you will have a U-shaped headset. All these additional modules take up some area, negatively affecting the spaciousness of an already cramped room, and also reducing the overall capacity of the furniture. Therefore, you need to think carefully: is it worth doing?

If the decision is made in favor of the manufacture of furniture that covers the boiler, then make sure that the required number of plastic or metal ventilation grilles is installed in the worktop. The very design of this module is a slightly modified lower corner cabinet. One side is elongated and narrow, ending in a semicircular console. Facades with decorative grilles in this case will require three pieces, two of which are interconnected with special furniture hinges.

Only being completely sure that the boiler, being inside such a structure, will not overheat, and you can easily get to the control panel and all the valves, you can start implementing your ideas. An additional guarantee of safety can be the use of a household built-in fan, which will improve the circulation of air masses inside this box..

When is it better to place the boiler in a pencil case

Sometimes the boiler is installed away from the kitchen unit. Communications supplying water and gas, and a pipe for removing combustion products are suitable for it – all this adversely affects the overall interior of the room. Some people cover the pipes with drywall construction, but this only partially solves the problem. Therefore, you can try to solve this problem in a slightly different way by ordering a special pencil case in order not only to hide the boiler and pipes inside this furniture, but also to be able to place some kitchen utensils on the shelves in the lower part of the cabinet..

There are several ways to make such a pencil case. The basic requirements for it are the same as in the previous cases:

• it must not interfere with boiler maintenance;
• do not interfere with air circulation;
• the pencil case must be stable;
• it can be quickly and easily dismantled if the need arises.

It is not worth ordering doors for such a cabinet with the full height of the module; it is better to divide them by making the lower part 713 mm high. The same dimensions are for the rest of the facades of the kitchen set. In addition, experience shows that by opening the upper doors, you gain access to both the control panel and all the valves located immediately below the boiler. Whereas the lower compartment will only be used when it is necessary to take out or put back the things stored there..

When the boiler is suspended practically in the corner, and the gap between the wall and its body is less than 150 mm, the design of the case changes somewhat. One side rack should be abandoned by attaching the bottom, shelves and a narrow chipboard strip directly to the wall. Installation is carried out using rafiks, as well as other fastening accessories, which will allow you, if necessary, to disassemble this module in a matter of minutes.

Some customers, wishing to make the pencil case look more modern and stylish, order sliding doors. This is a wrong decision, the installation of such facades will not allow you to fully open the opening. In addition, some systems do not allow the door leaves to be removed as quickly as it can be done using furniture hinges with the CLIP mechanism. It is also recommended to use a two-fold pencil case model, since too wide fronts require a lot of space when opening them, which is not always possible in our kitchens.

How best to close pipes and valves

If the pencil case is able to hide both the boiler and the communications, then in the case of the installation of heating equipment on the wall where the hanging cabinets are located, the pipes must be closed somehow. Usually they run from the bottom up along the kitchen apron and spoil the whole beauty of the headset with their appearance. There are several ways to decorate them. Your choice depends on the style of furniture, and what material the kitchen apron is made of..

If you are just going to lay out a working wall with tiles, and the boiler is already on the wall, and all communications are connected to it, then the ideal solution would be to install a plasterboard box, the front part of which is attached with magnets or other clamps. A small U-shaped protrusion is obtained, having a depth of about 150 mm and a width of 300-400 mm. As noted, its side walls are permanently fixed, and the front panel can always be removed.

For hi-tech kitchens it is recommended to use sheet stainless steel or perforated metal. The second option is preferable because it provides better ventilation. A casing with 3 walls is made from the starting material and simply installed where necessary. To avoid scratching the countertop and the boiler, its height should be 7-10 mm less than the distance from the working surface to the lower shelves of the upper tier of the kitchen unit, and the edges should be neatly bent inward.

In the case when the apron was laid out before the installation of the boiler, and you do not have tiles for making a plasterboard box, then a small MDF cabinet is perfect for classic kitchen models. It will go well with the rest of the furniture, closing communications. This module occupies no more space on the tabletop than a metal casing or drywall with tiles. To close any valve, just open the doors. It is recommended to fasten this structure with double-sided tape or special furniture latches..

What decorative grilles can be used for the facades that cover the boiler

When choosing this material, some difficulties may arise. The thing is that not every company that produces furniture facades from MDF produces gratings covered with exactly such a PVC film. This is due to the peculiarities of the technological process, you should not delve deeply into them, as well as demand from the manufacturers of your kitchen set to fully match the decors. In this situation, they will still not be able to do this. Therefore, it is better to consider ways to get out of the situation.

For modern kitchen models, perforated metal is perfect, which we considered as a starting material for the manufacture of a casing that covers pipes. In this case, you will have a harmonious combination of grilles on the facades and boxes, all these elements will be arranged symmetrically, so they are unlikely to spoil the overall design of the furniture..

Furniture accessories stores sell ready-made MDF gratings, pasted over with impregnated paper that imitates the structure and color of different types of wood. But the number of decors for such products is limited. In this case, a good choice of glasses for wall cabinets with display cases will help to achieve harmony for your kitchen set. With a huge selection of glass that exists today, choosing decors in such a way that they harmoniously fit into both the set and the interior of the kitchen itself will not be difficult..

You can also try to achieve an almost complete similarity of the decors by applying paint and varnish on the natural wood gratings, they are also available on the market. They cost more, and the craftsmen will demand a decent fee for the quality work. In addition to the rise in cost, there is another negative point: not all MDF facades covered with PVC film will look great. They are indispensable for doors made of veneered MDF.

In conclusion, I would like to give one more advice to those who are going to close the heating boiler with furniture. It is best to plan this event in advance, even before purchasing all the equipment and making repairs to the kitchen. Then you can achieve maximum safety compliance with minor modifications. If this moment was missed, the boiler has already been installed, and you are just going to buy furniture for the kitchen, then in no case should you close the boiler or column yourself without obtaining permission from specialists.