need ideas to level shop cabinet basses with sloping floor
kcthree
| Posted in General Discussion on
I plan on installing several cabinets in my basement shop. The floor slopes almost 3” over the 12’ run. I am going to use 24” unfinished oak basses from Lowes http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=288966-59890-B24L.BDR.UF&lpage=none I cant figure out how to deal with the slope. 3” seems like too much to shim. Should I use leg levelers or try to rip some material and build a level platform for the bases to sit on? Any other ideas? Thanks for any help you can provide. Kent
Replies
A 3" overall slope is pretty extreme. Plus, that may vary a bit across the span. You might start with considering how high you want the work surface from the floor, and then use a combination of a base with levelers and some trimming of the base of the pre-made cabinets. It seems to me that the basic choice is to either keep the floor-to-surface distance consistent for comfort of use, or keep the surface level. Which consideration should have priority is probably a matter of how the surface will be used.
Another alternative would be to level the surface and then build a slatted standing platform that would keep the relative counter height consistent.
I would level the building. Otherwise you will be fighting the same battle over and over.
I had a similar slope in my garage. Find the high spot, use shims to level the cabinets to a scribed line on the back wall and then build another toe kick/baseboard sloped to cover the gap created by the shims. It looks ok since I never get down that far to see it!
I would simply shim it as I could care less how it looks.
Level the floor and work on wood!! I hate my garage shop issue, everything slopes and my work bench also. So things roll off all the time, man it would be nice to be level, and to work on a wood floor instead of concrete.
AZMO
I'd build a level base to
I'd build a level base to mount the cabinets to. You may need to trim the existing toe kicks off to maintain your desired counter height. If I could add photos to a reply I'd show you how I did it. E-mail me and I'll send you some pictures. [email protected]
I'd work from the middle each
I'd work from the middle each way. With 3" of slope, if you start at the high point you'd be 39" high at the end. I'd use 36" in the ctr so it ranges from 34 1/2 to 37 1/2
I have the same issues in my shop the floor sucks, when I built the benches in my shop I snapped a level line on the wall attached a board to the wall to act as a cleat set the drawers on the cleat and screwed them to the wall then build legs or shims the correct length for the front of the cabinets, you could then build a sloped toe kick to close the bottom in. As long as the top is level who cares about the rest.
Mike
Wooden finish can look nice. Very relative to basements.
az flooring
I have my shop set up in half of my two car garage. After much hesitation I finally decided to build a level, wood floor/deck over the sloping concrete floor. I laid 6 mil poly moisture barrier over the floor, then laid joists and sleepers over, and decked with 3/4 floor sheathing plywood. To get level over the entire floor, I had to shim up the joists to level, then scribe the slope from the floor before cutting. I eventually plan on putting down reclaimed wood flooring over the plywood deck simply for aesthetics (keeping my eye on craigslist for someones leftovers)
The Benefits:
1. Much more comfortable
2. All my machinery and workbench is easier to set up because the floor is level.
3. I was able to run electrical and dust collection under the floor.
My preference is to build a long base, level that, and then simply plop the cabinets on the base. However, that assumes the cabinets do not have bases.
For simplicity, the following assumes one 8' run of cabinets on level flooring, making a base 21" wide and 3" tall. Adjust the plan for your uneven floor.
All pieces are 3/4" plywood. The front and back of the base are (2) 8' x 3" x 3/4". The ends and intermediate cleats every two feet make a total of 5 cleats, each 19.5" x 2.25" x 3/4". On top of the ends and cleats are full length rails, abutting the inside top of the front and the inside top of the back, (2) 8' x 3" x 3/4". I use a staple gun and glue to assemble, you could use a nail gun and glue. Stand the front on edge, apply some glue to the end of one end, butt up to one end of the front and staple or nail. (Note that the ends and cleats are 3/4" shorter than the front and back.) Continue attaching the cleats and other end to the front. Then attach the back to this assembly. Before the glue cures, use glue and nails or staples to add one of the rails to the inside top of the front, on top of the ends and cleats. Check diagonals as you install this first rail, to keep the base as square as possible. Finally, install the second rail against the back.
The base is very stiff, and the rails provide plenty of area to catch screws through the bottom of the cabinets.
This approach won't work nearly as well on cabinets that have integral bases, but the concept can be used to level your cabinets, perhaps using two 6' bases.
Hope the above makes some sense, and this helps.
If the design of the cabinets will allow it, put a 4x4 crosswise under each end, or down the front and rear edges of the cabinets behind the kick boards. Now thread 1/2 lag bolts up into the 4x4's at the corners. Once the cabinet is back upright you can thread the bolts in and out to level the cabinets.
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