Need to make sure a new fridge fits into space


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Old 10-05-17, 06:29 AM
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Need to make sure a new fridge fits into space

We finally decided to replace our 14 yar old fridge with a new one. Since we have a small kitchen, we'll probably for a French door model. Of course, we want to get the largest unit we can fit into the space. But we have one problem: the side kitchen wall on the left side of the fridge and, as a consequence, the wooden board that separates the fridge from the dishwasher on the other side are not vertical. So our current fridge is pressing against the board at the top (see photos). Is there any way (not including redoing the whole kitchen :-)) to fix/adjust this to ensure that the new fridge actually fits into the opening?

Thank you!
 
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Old 10-05-17, 06:34 AM
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It looks like the cabinet wasn't hung plumb. While you wouldn't have to redo the whole kitchen to fix that cabinet, I'm not sure it would be worth the effort to take that cabinet down and increase the opening size marginally. It's not like you have a lot of room to work with.
 
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Old 10-05-17, 07:59 AM
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A few ideas:
The upper cabinet is screwed into the studs. By removing the screws you can shift the cabinet to the right without taking it down.
That would plumb the right side, but you would have a gap against the wall at the left. Also, the crown molding would come up short to the wall.

To fix the gaps, I would install new crown and nail a piece of scribe molding to the left edge of the filler strip. Your cabinet finish should be easy to match with stain.
You could also cut off the left filler flush with the bottom of the cabinet. That would give you a few more inches. The larger opening and bigger gaps at the side would not look bad IMO, especially since the fridge is beside a wall.
 
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Old 10-05-17, 08:31 AM
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We had a very similar situation when we purchased a new frig a few years ago.

According to the dims of the fridge it should have been like 1/2" smaller than the opening but the fridge sides owed out so that we have an interference fit when it gets installed. It's tight and wont be moved for many reasons.

Just might want to confirm overall size from a real unit!
 
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Old 10-05-17, 08:31 AM
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Your fridge may not be plumb. Check each side of the fridge with a level to verify whether or not it is plumb.
 
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Old 10-05-17, 12:00 PM
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I would get some strips of vinyl flooring and lay them on the floor so one side of the fridge rolls up onto them. The strips would act as a shim to tilt the fridge to match the opening. Try different thickness materials or stack a couple layers to get the amount of shimming you need.
 
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Old 10-05-17, 06:43 PM
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I checked with a level: the fridge is level. Not sure I want it to be any other way: wouldn't the doors get out of what if I tilt the fridge?

I like the idea of cutting off the left filler. Thanks Handyone. That will also allow us to buy a bigger fridge since we're now feeding two teenage boys. :-)
 
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Old 10-06-17, 02:39 AM
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Just remember you can't go too tight to the wall or the door won't open properly.
 
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Old 10-06-17, 04:23 AM
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Haven't refrigerator manufacturers arrived at standardized dimensions for their various cubic foot offerings ?

Meanwhile, while Ilyaz is examining/altering that cavity, I wonder what caused that disruption in the right hand wall of the built-in refrigerator cavity, right below the decorative cutting board hanging on the rear wall ?
 
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Old 10-06-17, 04:40 AM
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wouldn't the doors get out of what if I tilt the fridge?
The doors would only get out of whack if the fridge is not SQUARE. (such as, if you shimmed one out if 4 corners more than the other, while keeping the sides plumb.) If you want the fridge to "look" plumb, you can shim one side (likely both front AND back) while keeping an eye on the reveal of your doors.

At any rate, you just need to look at the specs of the new fridge (actual dimensions) before you buy.
 
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Old 10-06-17, 05:25 AM
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Check floor level?

If your problem is that the wall and trim are not vertical, that's just a problem. In my case, in my 100 y/o house, the floor is significantly sloped - 1/2" over 4 feet. So I had to add a shim on one side of the enclosure so the refrigerator would be vertical. The picture isn't great, but I had a piece of plywood on one side, and a little ramp to roll the fridge up unto it.

nvm - I see you already checked the floor level.
 
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Old 10-06-17, 09:02 AM
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There are some good points above. You might just want to shim the fridge. When I suggested removing the left filler, that wasn't to get a larger fridge, just give you a little room to shift the upper cabinet.

It looks like you have a 33" fridge, and a 36" fridge probably won't fit. A 36" measures 35-1/2" and as Marq said the sides might be bowed.
 
 

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