Cabinet installation...

[311Hemi]

Any thoughts on what you would do to install upper cabinets on a ceiling that is out of level 3/4" over 10'?

The cabinets will be mounted up flush to the ceiling. The 3/4" is just on one end of the cabinets so that one end would be flush with the ceiling but the other end would have a 3/4" gap, as would the cabinets that extend in an L shape on adjoining wall. That whole wall of cabinets would have a 3/4" gap.

Install level and work to cover up the gap, or skew them off level a bit? Our installation will be an "L" shape using two walls in the kitchen.

Man..what a project!

[RobertELee]

That is the problem with mounting them flush to the ceiling, but they do look nice afterwards. Most cabinets should have enough stock on the top of them to be able to scribe them. It takes a while, but the extra effort you put in now will be well worth it. You DO NOT want to "skew" them off level, the doors will not work right, and you will notice it, probably look worse than leaving a gap at the top.

[TRITC]

Why not just put some crown molding up to cover up the gap after installing cabinets level?

[RobertELee]

Quote:

---

Why not just put some crown molding up to cover up the gap after installing cabinets level?

---

Unless you put the crown molding parallel with the ceiling there will still be a rather large gap. And If you put the crown parallel it will be very noticeable that something is wrong. The way I explained is the way most proffesionals do it.

[sparcebag]

Either way will look bad you'll yet have 3/4" reveal to no reveal scribe and cut or crown! split the differance butt up to low spot and leave 3/8s gap on other end, the reveal will yet be there 3/8s in.to no reveal but less noticeable.The best way would be to build soffits,and yes I've been a carpenter waaaay too long!

[311Hemi]

Thanks for the info guys. I don't think I can do soffits because most of my upper cabinets are 42".

Someone mentioned to me possibly twisting some crown molding a little bit and mounting it level to the cabinets yet one end will be out more on the ceiling.

[RobertELee]

You might be able to do that to some of the new poly crown molding that is on the market, but I don't think wood is going to work very well.

Quick question for you....what is the distance from the top of the door on the cabinet to where the ceiling would be on the cabinet? If it is more than 4" or so I would do what I explained in my first post, you will most likely not notice the 3/4" over 10'.

The only other thing I can think of you doing is ripping out the ceiling and making that level with furing strips....but that is a last resort.

[sparcebag]

Crown is cut 60 degrees on one side 30 degrees on the other no matter what you do it has to meet that 90 degree corner you will yet have a gap! furring the ceiling is no more than I explained by setting them 3/8s out of level in 10 foot is no problem for door function! I've never dealt with a house framed square and plumb,Thats why its called rough frame! they don't deal with finish!The experienced professional does and through experience they learn little tricks.Hey somebody get me the stud stretcher & a box of toe nails I'll fix it!

[311Hemi]

I haven't purcahsed a stud stretcher yet....but I do have a cable stretcher and box of toe nails for you....can you stop over this weekend...LOL

I will look into the 3/8 drop deal and see how that looks. The cabinets unfortunately only have 1-2" above the doors. As far as the ceiling, I already put up a new layer of sheet rock and mudded everything so the ceiling is pretty much ready for primer so I wont be installing a new one.

I could mount them an inch or so lower but that would affect my required distance over the range. I don't have any room to drop the cabinet that is over the range unless I don't put in a microwave. I guess that could always be up against the ceiling if I used crown moulding.

One other thing to note, if we were able to twist the crown molding we would be able to have the corner of the L shape even, and then twist the end where there is no gap. I guess this would push the molding out into the ceiling area more...but would be level to the cabinets.

Here are the cabinets:

[sparcebag]

If you do the 3/8s drop,when you install top molding (crown or what ever)off set that by 3/16s a few little fudges are less seen than one big one.and look at some other molding besids crown you may prefer something else thats also easier to install.Have you ever coped crown to fit corners?if your answer is no look for other molding.

[Surface Tension]

Do you know why carpenter pencils are flat?

An inexperienced carpenter will scratch his head all day when they come upon situations like yours.

Do the compromise by fudging the cabinets in like sparcebag suggested. You have to compromise to fix one mistake by a series of little adjustments. When done right, no one will know but you.

[311Hemi]

I have never touched cabinets, but a good friend of mine is coming over in a few weeks to do the installation for me. He is a custom cabinet maker and he offered a few suggestions (very similar to what spacebag mentioned) but has not had a chance to see everything in person yet.

I just want to make sure sure I have all my options covered in case there may be a better way to do things than what has been mentioned or what we may come up with.

I am doing a full tile backsplash between the uppers and lowers so hopefully we can get it close enough for it to work out right.

Thanks guys....I appreciate it!

[Surface Tension]

A tile backsplash was something that I was wondering if you'd be doing and will make a difference as how you go about this. In addition to the wall cabinets you might be to making adjustments to the base cabinets. Your friend will get a better idea of what to do when he theres to see it all.

[iffy]

ST: I'm not an expert, but have installed 6 sets of cabinets. I just was wondering how you would/could fudge the lowers? The only way I can imagine them going in right is for the tops of those lowers to be level.

[Surface Tension]

If you drop the overhead cabinets 3/8ths on one end you have to account for that later. If the base cabinets are already in then you fudge the tile spacing. If the base isn't in then in this case you can run one lower. A 1/8th-1/4" over 10' won't be noticeable. So now you have the grout lines and base to make those little adjustments with instead of trying to make up the difference with less variables.

If it weren't for the L this wouldn't as be a big deal.

When you come off of level by raising the long end of the L you'll have the short end pull away from the wall on the bottom. You'll have approximately 3/16ths to account for. So you look at how many times is it possible to adjust making small changes instead of one big one. In this case theres 2 places to spread the difference. Those points will be the inside corner of the L and where the short end of the L meets the wall. You'll scribe that seam and then belt sand or plane.

After working for many years as a carpenter on new construction and tons of remodeling you run into these situations everyday. Use as many variables as you can to make small adjustments.

[Snowking]

I think i would start the uppers at 53" offthe floor instead of 54". then go with a 1 by 3 for trim because scribing that would be easyer than crown. not saying crown cant be done. i put in a tv cabinet last week and was looking at the kitchen we put in about 5 years ago and we took off about a 1/2 inch off the top of the crown around the frig cabinet that is about 4 ft wide.