Refrigerator Enclosure Cabinet and Cabinet End Panels Installation
The fridge stands alone with a bare cabinet side next to it, or the new counter-depth unit left a gap. We build the box around it and finish the exposed sides.
JMB Builders builds refrigerator enclosure cabinets and installs cabinet end panels in kitchens across the Twin Cities metro. We frame the fridge opening with deep side panels that run to the floor, set the over-fridge cabinet on top so the fridge sits in a finished box, and skin exposed cabinet sides with matching end panels. Priced per project, quoted from your photos within one business day.
- Priced per project, panels and enclosure together
- Deep side panels, over-fridge cabinet, filler and crown
- Quote from photos in 1 business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
A refrigerator enclosure is two tall side panels, deep enough to cover the fridge sides, with the cabinet above the fridge bridging them. Most kitchens have the upper cabinet but not the panels, so the fridge sticks out past the doors and the end of the run shows the unfinished side of the pantry or base cabinet. Cabinet end panels fix the second problem on their own: a finished panel, sized to the cabinet, glued and pinned over the exposed side so it matches the doors.
The details that matter: the panels have to be set so the fridge doors still open wide enough to pull the drawers, the fridge needs the air space behind and above it that the manufacturer calls for, and the top cabinet has to be raised or replaced when a new fridge is taller than the old one. The panels also get scribed to the wall and floor, because the wall behind the fridge is never plumb. A furniture-grade panel on the visible side makes the enclosure look like part of the cabinet line, not an add-on. Painting is quoted as a separate line, or leave it primed and caulked and paint it yourself.
What you supply
- Fridge make and model number, or the spec sheet, so we size the opening with the clearances it needs
- End panels and a refrigerator panel kit from your cabinet line if you want the factory finish
- The over-fridge cabinet if the new fridge needs a shorter one
- Paint or stain color if we finish paint-grade panels — painting is quoted as a separate line, or paint it yourself
What JMB supplies
- Paint-grade plywood or MDF panels, edge-banded or face-framed, when a factory panel is not available
- Blocking, cleats and fasteners to tie the panels to the wall, floor and upper cabinet
- Scribing the panels to the wall and floor
- Filler strips and a matching toe kick at the base
- Crown or a top cap across the enclosure when the kitchen has cabinet crown
- Fill, sand and caulk, or touch-up on a factory-finished panel
- Photos of the finished kitchen in your job folder
- Painting or staining of paint-grade panels when you want it, quoted as its own line
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Two deep side panels with an over-fridge cabinet vs. one panel on an open end
- Factory-finished panels from your cabinet line vs. paint-grade panels we build
- Number of exposed cabinet ends being skinned around the kitchen
- Whether the over-fridge cabinet has to be raised, shortened or replaced for a taller fridge
- Scribing to a wall or floor that is far out of plumb or level
- Crown or light rail carried across the enclosure to match the rest of the kitchen
Send a photo of the fridge from the front and from the side, one of each exposed cabinet end, and the fridge model number. That is enough for a firm per-project quote.
How long it takes
A refrigerator enclosure with two panels and the top cabinet reset: one day. End panels alone on two or three cabinet ends: a few hours in the same visit.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Full refrigerator enclosure
Two deep side panels from floor to the top cabinet, the over-fridge cabinet reset between them, a toe kick across the bottom and crown across the top. The fridge slides into a finished box.
One side panel at an open end
When the fridge is at the end of a run with a wall on the other side, one deep panel covers the exposed fridge side and hides the coils and the gap to the wall.
Taller fridge, top cabinet reset
The new fridge does not fit under the old cabinet. We pull the cabinet, cut it down or swap it for a shorter one from your line, and rehang it on the new panels with the clearance the fridge needs.
End panels on exposed cabinet sides
A finished panel glued and pinned to the bare side of a base, upper or pantry cabinet, sized flush with the face frame so the door reveal looks the same from the side as from the front.
Refrigerator Enclosure Cabinet and Cabinet End Panels Installation: questions, answered
Can you build a cabinet around my refrigerator?
Yes. We build two deep side panels that run from the floor to the over-fridge cabinet, tie them into the wall and the cabinet above, and finish the front edges so the fridge sits in a box that matches the rest of the kitchen. If your cabinet line sells a refrigerator panel kit we install that; if not, we build paint-grade panels and they get painted to match, quoted as their own line.
How much room does a fridge need inside an enclosure?
Whatever the manufacturer's installation sheet calls for at the sides, back and top, plus enough width in front of the panels for the doors to open far enough to pull the crisper drawers out. We size the opening from your model number, not from the old fridge. A tight enclosure runs the compressor harder and can keep the doors from opening fully, so this is checked before anything is cut.
My new fridge is taller than the cabinet above it — what do you do?
The over-fridge cabinet comes down and either gets cut shorter or is replaced with a shorter one from your cabinet line. It is rehung on the new side panels at the height the fridge needs, and any crown or filler above it is reworked so the top line still matches the rest of the kitchen.
What is a cabinet end panel and do I need one?
A cabinet end panel is a finished skin applied to the side of a cabinet that shows in the room. Stock cabinets have a plain side that matches the color but not the door style; an end panel gives that side the same frame and panel look as the doors. You need one wherever a cabinet side is visible: the end of a run, beside the fridge, beside a dishwasher, on a peninsula, or on the back of a pantry.
Can you match the panels to my existing cabinet finish?
If your cabinet line is still made, its end panels and refrigerator panels come in the same finish and we install those. If the line is discontinued, or the cabinets are painted, we build paint-grade panels and they get painted to match the doors, quoted as a separate line. On stained cabinets we can source veneer plywood in the same species, but an exact stain match is a finisher's job and we say so before you decide.
Do the fridge doors still open all the way inside an enclosure?
They open as far as the panels allow, which is why we set the panels a bit proud of the fridge front rather than flush. The doors need to swing past ninety degrees to get the drawers out, and a French-door fridge needs both doors to clear. We check the door swing against your model's spec sheet before we build.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 24, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All finish carpentry pages
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