Dishwasher trim piece ideas

[coffeesnob]

My new dishwasher came with rubber fiiler strips about an inch and a half wide. The gap around each side of dishwasher is only about 3/8" Are these strips meant to go behind the cabinet fronts because if so there is no way enough room to push them through that little gap. If they are made to be in front of the cabinets then they would like hideous. Besides they don't even stay on very well. I just need some simple ideas on how to make this look ok. It is a g.e. profile. Also there is very little wiggle room for the insulation blanket it bunches up especially on top when I slide the dishwasher in the openings. Any tips on these items is needed and appreciated..Thanks

 

[Jeff Handy]

Strap the top insulation down to the bottom of the frame, at the sides and back, with several long strips of duct tape.
This will stabilize the side insulation also.

No need to try to wrangle eight foot pieces, just apply two feet or so at a time, with plenty of overlap.

I would use Gorilla Tape, lots of heat and moisture under there, regular duct tape can fail.

 

[Jeff Handy]

Looks like they are meant to improve the look of the gap between the door and the body (tub) of the dishwasher.

Not to fill the gap out to the cabinets.

https://products.geappliances.com/appliance/gea-support-search-content?contentId=18902

 

[House Doc]

If the gap isn't unsightly, leave them off. The strips that I have seen have "tear grooves" in the back to make them smaller, to fit the gap. A couple strips of duct tape at the rear of insulation should suffice so it doesn't catch on cabinets when you slide it in. It's not like you will need to remove and reinstall it often.
Sorry Jeff, the strips are to fill the gap between DW and cabinets .
Have a great new year.

 

[Jeff Handy]

 

[Jeff Handy]

The GE website clearly states that they are to dress up the gap between tub and door, as you can read in the image from the site I posted above.

Or follow the link that I posted earlier.

 

[Riickk]

I have an old Kitchenaide DW that is so quiet, you can barely hear it running.
It has sound insulation, including a rubber pad on top of the fiberglass, and even some insulation at the bottom, but I think a good part of the reason it's quiet is the rubbery flaps at the cabinet fronts. I think they keep residual sound out of the room. So, for my part, I'd install those "filler strips".

I honestly think the biggest difference between the pricey ultra-quiet dishwashers, and the much cheaper standard units is just the extra sound insulation they build-in. (I bought a well-used Lexus last year, and examining it, the most basic reason it's a "luxury car" and not a V-6 Camry, is the amount of sound insulation in floors, doors, roof, plus, many more rubber seals at the doors, keeping wind noise out)

The OP might think about using a strong staple gun to attach the filler strips to front edge of the cabinets; done carefully he'd be able to adjust how far they protrude, and make it easy to slide the DW in and out. The adhesive GE provides is going to fail, sooner or later, staples are pretty permanent.
--- JMHO

 

[sawsaw]

On a tangent, but for general info, there is another advantage to purchasing an upgraded model, according to my research. The models sporting stainless steel interiors will dry your dishes better, due to providing higher heat to the dry cycle. The cheaper models have plastic interiors, which havee high heat limitations.

 

[Riickk]

The models sporting stainless steel interiors will dry your dishes better

One el-chepo DW I bought had a fan that went on as part of the dry cycle, even if you set the heating element off, it would do a good job drying dishes. Why I've never seen that since - beats me.

 

[Jeff Handy]

Because the government is forcing us to save energy, and that’s why one of the biggest complaints with new dishwashers is that the clean dishes are always still wet.

Many folks have to resort to pulling the racks forward and letting everything air dry, while they are still warm after the cycle ends.