A microwave oven is a necessary item in the kitchen, with which you can quickly heat up food at any time. Over many years of use, the microwave has become a common appliance in the home, but there is not always free space in the kitchen to install it.
To save space, the device is installed using special fasteners, one of which is a microwave shelf on the wall. More information about making such a shelf with your own hands will be discussed in this article.
Microwave shelf on the wall
Where to place the microwave
The microwave shelf must be placed within the work area. The meaning of this decision is that all equipment involved in cooking should form a triangle and be always at hand
Where can I find a place in the kitchen for a microwave? There are several options, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Microwaves can be placed:
- on the desktop;
- on the windowsill;
- on the refrigerator;
- in the closet;
- on the wall.
It makes sense to place the microwave on the work table if the work area is large. Otherwise, the oven will take up space for cutting food and will be extremely inconvenient to operate. The same can be said about placing the stove on the windowsill. In addition, not all apartments have a window sill so wide that you can put a microwave on it. In addition, in winter there can be a sharp change in temperature, which can cause the glass of the microwave to crack.
You can place the oven on the refrigerator only if it is low. Otherwise, the housewife loses the opportunity to reach the stove and will not be able to use it normally. Recently, placing microwaves in cabinets has become popular. This allows you to hide the equipment from prying eyes. This placement is especially relevant if the kitchen design is designed in a folk country style, where the presence of modern appliances stands out from the general style.
There remains one best option - placing the microwave on the wall. This will require shelves.
Bracket construction
There is another method of mounting a microwave on the wall, which is no less effective. We are talking about special brackets. With their help, you can secure not only the microwave, but also other objects, such as televisions. You can easily buy such parts at your nearest hardware store. But if you wish, you can make the brackets yourself, although this requires experience with a welding machine.
Microwave Oven Brackets
There is nothing complicated in installing ready-made brackets - they are fixed to the wall using large self-tapping screws. It is enough to drill several holes in the right places, insert dowels and screw the structure. You can place a small shelf made of wood on top of it so that the product fits harmoniously into the interior of the kitchen. The advantages of this method of mounting a microwave include the invisibility of the brackets.
Installed microwave bracket
Photo - microwave bracket
Microwave shelf on the wall and other options
Several types of structures can serve in this capacity:
- brackets for household appliances;
- hanging shelves;
- racks.
Important : in any case, it will be necessary to ensure air access to the oven. In the absence of proper ventilation, it can quickly fail.
Brackets are one of the most successful ways to mount a stove. In this case, proper ventilation is ensured, while almost anyone can fix the brackets.
The shelf can be made in the form of a bookcase. In this case, several more useful niches will appear, which is very necessary in small kitchens
The shelf can be attached with a special bracket. In the case as in the photo, the mount takes up minimal space and fits perfectly into the design of the kitchen set
Homemade shelves are rightfully considered the most economical way to place a stove.
They can be:
- open;
- closed.
If you make closed shelves with hinged doors, then it is extremely important to make the sides with ventilation. In addition, the doors must be open when cooking to prevent the oven from overheating.
Maximum permissible weight
The maximum permissible weight is based on the design of the bracket (bends, additional supports). The material of the product is also important. The maximum weight of fixed models is greater than telescopic ones, which is explained by the smaller number of vulnerable nodes in the circuit.
Look for the weight indicator on the bracket packaging. The number is theoretical and certified - the bracket will definitely not break under the specified weight. The mass above behaves unpredictably, even to the point of breakdown.
Choose the weight based on the weight of the microwave. In order not to be mistaken with the strength, take the weight of the microwave and add 3-5 kilograms to it, which will give you a margin of strength and allow you not to worry about the kitchen appliance.
Preparing for work
In order to make shelves on the wall yourself, you do not need any special carpentry skills. To ensure accurate work, it is important to take careful measurements after choosing a location.
We recommend watching a video where you will see various options for placing a microwave in the kitchen:
Important : You need to think about the movement of people around the kitchen before choosing a place to place the shelf. The shelf should not interfere with movement; it should not be at head level to avoid injury. Once the microwave is placed, it should be comfortable to be and work in the kitchen.
Then you need to select materials for the structure. The shelf must withstand the load, so for its manufacture it is necessary to take high-quality materials that are strong and durable.
Rules for placing a microwave oven
To begin with, it is worth noting that there are a huge number of options for how to place a microwave oven in the kitchen. But even if you leave this device on the table or kitchen cabinet, you will have to take care of some installation nuances.
So, a few rules for placing a microwave:
The first thing to consider is the height of the device. All family members (except small children) should be able to easily reach the microwave; The device should not be located close to the wall or the walls of cabinets, refrigerators, etc. It is necessary to leave at least a couple of centimeters of free space to allow air access to the ventilation holes; A microwave above the refrigerator is not the best option, even if the latter is short in height. The heating surface of the oven can lead to malfunctions of the freezer; To prevent washing your microwave oven from becoming a regular activity, do not place it near the stove
In addition, being located next to a sink can cause a short circuit; A window sill can be an excellent place for a microwave, but a problem can arise in winter due to the temperature difference between the device and the cold window - condensation easily forms on it; Another important condition is that the microwave oven should be placed at a distance of at least two meters from electronically controlled appliances; If you have indoor plants in a certain place in the kitchen, the oven should be placed away from them to avoid the influence of harmful, in this case, microwave radiation.
Accommodation options
In general, you need to choose a location for the microwave in which all family members will have free access to it, and at the same time the device will not interfere with the opening and closing of the unit doors, passage and use of other devices.
Selection of materials
First of all, you need to select the material for the shelf itself.
A metal microwave shelf will fit perfectly into the design of a modern kitchen.
It can be:
- wooden boards;
- ready-made furniture panels;
- ready-made shelves sold in building materials stores.
Tools and materials:
- drill;
- screwdriver;
- roulette;
- jigsaw;
- drill;
- self-tapping screws
Types of shelves for microwaves
There are several options for practical shelves. They are supplied complete with wall cabinets or can be installed separately.
Tabletop
A table shelf will allow you to place not only a microwave oven, but also other kitchen utensils. The product can be made of steel, metal, with an anti-corrosion coating; with several shelves located one below the other.
Installed on the tabletop. Table stands are functional, have a modern design, and are equipped with additional shelves and bottle holders. Such designs are quite mobile and save space.
Mounted
The shelf can be mounted on special brackets - such a mount takes up little space and is well suited for any kitchen. The design can support up to 35 kg.
Option 3: shelf-shelf
If you have a lot of different appliances in your kitchen, then a shelf with several niches will help solve the problem of using space. For example, you can put a microwave on the top shelf, and a multicooker on the bottom. Or do it as in the photo - put 2 microwaves
A metal shelf-shelf differs from a wooden one in that it looks “lighter”, and therefore can be used in almost any kitchen without causing imbalance. In addition, you can use rails together with it to store tableware. Thus, a metal microwave shelf is one of the best options.
A very original and convenient shelf.
It has many advantages:
- it can be outweighed;
- it can be used to place other things;
- it does not spoil the interior;
- ensures proper ventilation.
To make a shelf-shelf you will need:
- three furniture boards of standard sizes 600x450 mm, which are sold in building materials stores;
- metal rods with a diameter of 22 mm;
- steel flanges for rods – 16 pcs;
- steel corners 200x300 mm.
Manufacturing procedure:
- On the horizontal planes of furniture blanks (boards), mark the places where the flanges are attached, which are spaced from each corner at a distance of 30 by 30 mm.
- Drill holes with a diameter of 22 mm in the middle shelf;
- Attach the flanges to the middle shelf on both sides;
- Four identical sections are cut from the rod - each section should be equal to 650-700 mm;
- Secure the rods with a clamping screw to the flange;
- The shelves are attached to each other;
- corners are attached to the back of the structure;
- The shelf is hung on the corners to the wall with self-tapping screws.
Dimensions
The fixed size corresponds to the size of the microwave oven. Otherwise, the microwave will stick out from the platform and may even fall due to careless movement. It is advisable to calculate the dimensions of the microwave when installing it so that it does not stand out too much from the overall interior of the room.
Take telescopic ones of the largest possible size so that they are no smaller than the size of the microwave. Telescopic brackets are purchased with a reserve for the future, so as not to replace the fasteners when purchasing a new stove.
