The biggest mistakes you can make when it comes to renovating your church kitchen are all to do with one thing: creating a kitchen that just isn’t fit for purpose – a space that doesn’t reflect your needs, won’t last the test of time and could end up costing you more in the long run. We’ve summed up three of the biggest mistakes you can make below.
Picking cabinets that soak up water and scratch or chip easily
You need cabinets that won’t give your kitchen a sterile feel, but most importantly are practical and can withstand regular use by volunteers. One of the worst things you could do is pick wooden cabinets that will chip and crack easily, soak up water and encourage insects and bacteria to set up shop inside.
Even worse, wooden plinths under your cabinets will inevitably soak up water due to cleaning and disseminate, leaving exposed cabinet ends that look appalling. If you opt for MDF doors and drawer fronts with plastic edging/lining, these will end up chipping or cracking, and patrons might be tempted to pick away at them even further.
On the other hand, a powder-coated steel cabinet is impervious to water, meaning you can keep your kitchen clean without having to worry about them warping out of shape or cracking.
Picking worktops that aren’t durable enough
You might think a wooden countertop is less ‘corporate’ than a steel or laminate one – but don’t fall for it! If you are cooking large batches of food for your congregation, it’s a mistake to opt for wooden worktops that stain easily, soak up water and become warped or burnt when exposed to heat.
You also need to ensure you have the right installation approach when it comes to your worktops – for example, if you inset stainless sinks into a laminate worktop, this could result in water soaking through into the chipboard when the silicon sealant rubs off.
Picking appliances that aren’t fit for purpose
When it comes to picking a new appliance – dishwasher, freezer, oven etc – it’s a mistake to choose the first or cheapest option on the list. Instead, you need to think about your congregation’s requirements ahead of time so you don’t have to circle back to it later on.
If you are rushing to push out a hundred cups of tea after a busy service, you need much more than a couple of kettles and a dishwasher with a wash cycle lasting 14 minutes. You shouldn’t select taps with crossheads instead of levers if your volunteers find them stiff and difficult to turn. And if you bring in most of your produce fresh every week, there’s no need to buy a big freezer that will just sit there taking up space.
And the biggest mistake of all…
Never just opt for the cheapest price on the market. At Steelplan, we understand the difficulties involved with raising the funds to make a church renovation happen. However, if you opt for cheap materials, you’ll end up having to go through the entire rigmarole again in five years. It’s another payday for the tradespeople carrying out the work, but another hole burnt in your pocket.
How can you avoid making these mistakes?
By speaking to a team that really knows their stuff, of course.
Steelplan Kitchens has designed, installed and maintained durable steel kitchens that stand the test of time – and we’ve been doing it for over 20 years. This means we know how to avoid the common pitfalls of kitchen design by using all of the up-to-date methods and materials available. We can help you ensure your kitchen complies with required standards, won’t break easily and most importantly is fit for purpose.
Our semi-commercial kitchens are designed to far exceed the standard life expectancy of a standard wooden carcass kitchen, with powder-coated steel that is impervious to water, easy to clean and fire-resistant. And you won’t have to worry about pesky insect infestations or bacteria either.
To find out more about how our range of semi-commercial kitchens, speak to one of our friendly kitchen design specialists today on 0844 809 9186, or take a closer look at our products here.
