12 years ago, I made my first set of base cabinets for the darkroom of my photography studio. These were a traditional design with about a 4″ toe kick which was cut out of the cabinet sides. The cabinets sat directly on the floor.
Now I am planning equip my home office with built-in cabinetry. I was considering constructing a base for the cabinets to sit on so that I would not have to notch every cabinet for the toe kick. All cabinet sides would then be a complete rectangle as opposed to a rectangle with the toe kick cutout.
I have seen this design before, but most of what I see is constructed of one piece with the toe kick cutout. Is there a reason to go with one design over the other?
Greg
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Exo 35:30-35
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Replies
My Dad used to make cabinets the traditional way with cutout toe-kicks. Nowadays the platform toe-kick method is popular and just as good. As long as the "platform" is strongly built (drop-off plywood strips glued and screwed together), securely anchored to the floor, if possible, and the cabinet carcasses securely anchored to the base (platform). It also eases installation as it is easier to scribe in a 3 or 4 inch platform than a 35" tall box.
One advantage to making a separate base is you end up with less waste from a sheet of plywood, since a cabinet side will be 31 1/2 " high, allowing six per sheet, whereas with a 34 1/2 " side you only get four per sheet. THat is, unless your spouse needs 28" deep counters, for some reason:-)
Another is it can be easier to level a single base running the whole length of the wall, especially in an old house where the existing floor isn't level
In addition to what smslaw says; it is also much easier to shim a platform base to level because you can just reach through it to adjust the shimming on the back. You can also do a much better job of securing the shimming along the back walls... just run a bead of caulk along the edges or snap a staple or two in where needed. No more pulling the cabinet in and out and in and out trying to get the shims just right!
The two sets of kitchen cabinets I have done both had a separate base with levelers in all four corners and a hole cut in the cabinet. This allowed me to put the base cabinets on the base and level the whole thing once and then attach it to the wall.
ASK
My shop makes kitchen cabinets with separate bases only. I can't find any reason to use the notch method.
David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
In addition to simplifying base cab construction, having a separate platform makes installation easier. Once the platform is leveled and anchored down, the base units practically install themselves.
One thing to watch, however, is the locations of the front-to-back pieces of the platform framework. I run screws thru the cab bottom into the platform, and it's a PITA if you miss. - lol
Building the base first gives you the easy ability to get it perfectly level without moving cabinets around, especially in tight quarters. Once the base it perfectly level, installing the cabinets is a breeze. I can't think of a single reason to notch cabinet sides. It's a pita, and it wastes expensive material.
Jeff
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