Fort Myers Home Remodeling Tip; How to hang base cabinets
Base cabinets or ‘bases’ sit on the floor. That’s simple enough but from there it gets complicated. Most bases have a ‘kick’ which is a space for your toes to fit into when you stand at the base cabinet to work, cook or vent your aggression on that pizza dough. There are at least two different types of basic base cabinet depending on how this kick is formed. One type has a separate kick or sometimes adjustable legs holding the box off the floor. The other type has the box sides going all the way to the floor and notched at the front to form the kick.
Base cabinets or ‘bases’ sit on the floor. That’s simple enough but from there it gets complicated. Most bases have a ‘kick’ which is a space for your toes to fit into when you stand at the base cabinet to work, cook or vent your aggression on that pizza dough. There are at least two different types of basic base cabinet depending on how this kick is formed. One type has a separate kick or sometimes adjustable legs holding the box off the floor. The other type has the box sides going all the way to the floor and notched at the front to form the kick.
The separate kick cabinet or adjustable leg cabinets are easy to install and cheaper to manufacture and so are in wide use in the industry but are normally not strong enough to support granite (stone) countertops. A better base design is the second type where the box sides go all the way to the floor like a dependable set of legs.
Generally, we design most base cabinets with drawers instead of doors whenever possible. Here is South Florida most clients are shall we say…experienced… and appreciate the convenience of simply pulling out a drawer instead of bending or kneeling to gaze into the black darkness. With a three drawer base there are two bottom drawers about 12 inches deep and the third is about 6 inches. Twelve inches is deep enough for pots, pans and larger items. Four drawer bases have seven inch drawers, but small items in the bottom drawer are difficult to find and reach.
By far, the worst drawer base cabinet is the ‘pullout’, where you need to open a door and pull-out an interior drawer. This also includes a trash drawer behind a hinged door. These are a waste of time and effort and have no redeeming social value. We can’t stand pullouts and you won’t like them either. A proper trash drawer is simply that, a tall front that pulls out, bringing the trash container with it.
Sink bases come in two types. One has a false drawer front and doors below. The drawer front can have a ‘tilt-out’, a place to put sponges and an old Brillo Pad. This wet and gloomy place is a perfect bacteria factory and a health hazard. We always discourage them for health as well as design reasons. The second type of sink base has doors that cover the entire front, from kick to top. This type is simpler, looks less busy and coordinates better with the general design.
Trash drawers can be as small as 10-1/2 inches wide but the hardware we like best fits a 14 inch wide cabinet. A double container setup is available for the same width cabinet and is perfect for a recycle bin.
There is no better way to utilize that corner space than the Lazy Suzan base. This cabinet is nominally 36x 36’ and shows 12 inches on the front each side of the 90 degree corner. The best ones use round rotating trays with a pie slice missing. Double hung doors that open together are far better than a single 45 degree door Lazy Susan. Never, ever use one that has the door(s) attached to the rotating trays and the doors go into the cabinet when rotated.
Some people hate Lazy Susans. I’m sure this is the result of poorly designed ones they owned in the past. A modern LS cabinet is a joy to use and everything on the trays comes out of the cabinet into the open air when needed. Access is great and a LS properly designed will not be too deep so it can be cleaned when necessary. Maybe it’s just the worst cabinet to use in a corner…except for any others you could use.
Lastly, sometimes there is not room for a LS corner cabinet. Then you have to use a ‘blind’ corner cabinet, a dark and gloomy space for sure. They do make a half Lazy Susan tray that makes the blind not so bad at all. Look into it.
Till Next Time…
Generally, we design most base cabinets with drawers instead of doors whenever possible. Here is South Florida most clients are shall we say…experienced… and appreciate the convenience of simply pulling out a drawer instead of bending or kneeling to gaze into the black darkness. With a three drawer base there are two bottom drawers about 12 inches deep and the third is about 6 inches. Twelve inches is deep enough for pots, pans and larger items. Four drawer bases have seven inch drawers, but small items in the bottom drawer are difficult to find and reach.
By far, the worst drawer base cabinet is the ‘pullout’, where you need to open a door and pull-out an interior drawer. This also includes a trash drawer behind a hinged door. These are a waste of time and effort and have no redeeming social value. We can’t stand pullouts and you won’t like them either. A proper trash drawer is simply that, a tall front that pulls out, bringing the trash container with it.
Sink bases come in two types. One has a false drawer front and doors below. The drawer front can have a ‘tilt-out’, a place to put sponges and an old Brillo Pad. This wet and gloomy place is a perfect bacteria factory and a health hazard. We always discourage them for health as well as design reasons. The second type of sink base has doors that cover the entire front, from kick to top. This type is simpler, looks less busy and coordinates better with the general design.
Trash drawers can be as small as 10-1/2 inches wide but the hardware we like best fits a 14 inch wide cabinet. A double container setup is available for the same width cabinet and is perfect for a recycle bin.
There is no better way to utilize that corner space than the Lazy Suzan base. This cabinet is nominally 36x 36’ and shows 12 inches on the front each side of the 90 degree corner. The best ones use round rotating trays with a pie slice missing. Double hung doors that open together are far better than a single 45 degree door Lazy Susan. Never, ever use one that has the door(s) attached to the rotating trays and the doors go into the cabinet when rotated.
Some people hate Lazy Susans. I’m sure this is the result of poorly designed ones they owned in the past. A modern LS cabinet is a joy to use and everything on the trays comes out of the cabinet into the open air when needed. Access is great and a LS properly designed will not be too deep so it can be cleaned when necessary. Maybe it’s just the worst cabinet to use in a corner…except for any others you could use.
Lastly, sometimes there is not room for a LS corner cabinet. Then you have to use a ‘blind’ corner cabinet, a dark and gloomy space for sure. They do make a half Lazy Susan tray that makes the blind not so bad at all. Look into it.
Till Next Time…
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