Best practices in the construction industry can often seem like little more than an impediment to progress but they’re much more than that. They’re the way by which, over time, we’ve come to eliminate unnecessary risks and insure the creation of beautiful, functional spaces. Nowhere perhaps are best practices more important than when it comes to kitchen renovations. That’s because poor construction practices can turn a kitchen into a significant safety hazard for yourself and your loved ones and wind up damaging the market value of your home in the process.
The Right Way to Approach Kitchen Renovations in Toronto
Building codes will ensure the work done during your kitchen renovation does not present a danger to the home’s occupants. While best practices will be more concerned with the ergonomics of the space, traffic patterns and the like. Below are 6 common best practices when it comes to kitchen renovations in Toronto.
- The kitchen triangle: The kitchen triangle is a concept adhered to by most professionals that do kitchen renovations in Toronto. The idea is that the stove, sink and refrigerator should form a triangle and that no leg of this triangle should be shorter than 4 feet or longer than 9.
- Easy of movement: No traffic lanes should ever pass through the kitchen triangle and no through-traffic routes should be less than 36 inches wide. There should also be an area in front of the stove that is at least 42 inches deep and is completely clear of all obstructions.
- Countertops: Best practices today advise installing at least 13 feet of usable countertop frontage. Obviously not all kitchen renovations in Toronto will allow for that much but that should be the goal for any average sized kitchen.
- The sink: The sink should always be installed adjacent to a cooking surface and within 4-9 feet of the refrigerator. A sink should also have between 18-24 inches of open space or “landing area” on each side to allow for the placement of food, dishes and the like.
- The stove: Hot pans off the stove top or just out of the oven need a safe, convenient place where they can be set down. Accordingly best practices call for 1 to 1½ feet of landing area on each side of the stovetop which doubles as the oven landing area as well.
- Vertical spaces: Best practices call for a minimum of 15 inches of vertical space between the countertop and the bottom of any cabinets and 2½ feet between a stovetop and cabinets. Also allow at least 2 feet of vertical space between a stove top and a vent hood.
At Parada Kitchens and Bathrooms we observe best practices in every one of our kitchen renovations in Toronto. We understand the need for safety and for the finished product to stand the test of time. If you’d like us to design and build a beautiful new kitchen or bath for your home give us a call and talk to one of our knowledgeable designers.