Recessed Refrig - Need Help

16 years ago

For our new build, we're creating a niche for a nominal 36" FD full depth freestanding refrigerator. I'm looking at the Samsung RFG298AA because it is supposed to be quiet and has good reviews.

I really need help figuring out the dimensions for the niche. It will be between a walk-in pantry and a small base cabinet with uppers on the other side (had orignally been the wall ovens so ignore that on the picture). Here is a picture of how the home designer (not a KD) had drawn this:

At the bottom I have a link to a Google Docs folder that has the spec sheets for this refrigerator and the GE equivalent that is supposedly made by Samsung, as well. There is a huge discrepancy for the clearances between the Samsung Quick Start, the Samsung User's manual and the GE Spec. Here they are, in that order:

- [Page 2] Sides: 3 3/4"; Back: 2"; Top 2"

- [Page 8] Sides: 1"; Back: 2"; Top 2"

- [Page 1] Sides: 1/8"; Back: 1"; Top 1"

As you can see, Samsung is not consistent between their two documents and there is a huge difference with the side clearance for the GE which should pretty much be the same box.

I can alter the plan to make this and, I hope, most any future refrigerator which is nominally 36" wide fit the space. I just need to know how to do it. Does the door protrude past the edge of the pantry/cabinets wall? By how much - the depth of the handle or the depth of the refrigerator door? I tried reading the article in the Feb issue of BH&G Kitchen & Bath Ideas on making standard depth refrigerators look build in, but there isn't much help on figuring out the dimensions.

We're meeting with the house designer & builder next week to get the plans finalized, so any help y'all can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks - Jo Ann

P.S. I'm leery of letting this to the house designer because, at one point, her assistant drew it with the refrigerator switched with the wall cabinet because she said there was some "rule" about having 10" on the side of a refrigerator. I didn't know what that was all about so said to use 3'9" since that was the width of the fridge and some roundup for the 3.75" air clearance needed on each side.

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to Folder with Fridge Info

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Comments (4)

rhome410
16 years ago
If I'm understanding all of your questions right, I believe you'll have to leave the full depth of the door out in front of the cabinet. That's what we did. Otherwise you'll need more room on the side for it to swing, which makes it look less built-in.

I can't help with the side clearance discrepancies. I'd try to get something in writing from Samsung. The other 'safe' thing to do is make the opening to suit the larger clearance measurments, then trim around the front face to help the built-in look. We did this on purpose with our fridge so that if we replace the 32" fridge with a 36", we have the room. Additionally, it adds a heft to the cabinetry around the fridge that I like.

Hope that makes sense.
drjoann
Original Author
16 years ago
rhome410 - yes that makes sense & the picture helps. I can have them build the recess with lots of "margin" and then the cabinet maker can come in & make it look right.

If any kitchen designers can weigh in I would appreciate some more feedback. I could just tell the builder & the house designer that this is the refrigerator & to "make it work". I dunno, that might be risky. I've seen our neighbor's plans. Where they have a niche, the plans just say build to fit refrigerator.

The magazine I referred to had about 7 different ways to make a regular fridge look like a built-in and they really did look tight into the space.

Thanks - Jo Ann
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bostonpam
16 years ago
We did this with our Samsung RFG298. I made the depth a little bigger if in the future we have a deeper frig. It also provides more air circulation in back. They had to cut out part of our back stairs to make it happen. The sides don't have much clearance - just like Rhome's pic. Lots of people are doing this and you don't see 3" on each side for clearance. I think that spec is incorrect. Our cabinets are installed but the appliance won't go in for a week or so. We do have our Samsung frig in our other kitchen.
gooddogs74
16 years ago
Here is a link from another thread I have been following. I have been working on house plans too and want to do this. Am meeting with architect in two weeks in part to discuss this further and show them these pictures. I thought they were quite helpful.

Here is a link that might be useful: previous thread