Cabinet space 28"; 1 or 2 boxes?

[Tim Reagan]

Starting to plan my kitchen build using cabinet planner this weekend, and have a couple of spaces measuring about 28" (each side of the stove). Is it better to make 1 box with 2 13ish inch doors, but then would have a rather large drawer. I'm assuming a 26-28" door could put a fair amount of pressure on undermount glides. Also what gap is recommened for appliances, for instance my stove is 30", add .5" to each side? I also have a 10' section of all base cabinets, would 16 or 24" bases be better, or is that preference (beside extra material for smaller cabinets).

Thanks for any suggestions from those who have been here before.
tim

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
Have you considered drawers instead?
Those that have them (drawers on the lowers) seem to swear they will never go back to doors.

[Gene Howe]

My wife wanted slide out shelves for larger pots/pans. So I made one 28" wide cabinet containing two shelves with two doors. There is a drawer above but, since I used 2" stiles the drawer was only slightly less than 24". Used Blum self closing under mount glides. No problems. The other wide cabinet (36") I divided and made banks of drawers to fit. Everything is inset, not overlay.

[David Giles]

One unless it looks out of proportion with the rest of the kitchen.

I'm a fan of drawers instead of doors on lower cabinets. Actually the wife is the fan, I could care less.

[Michael Wildt]

Ikea have a kitchen planner tool that you can download. I found it pretty good to use for design since they have all the cabinet types ready available. On another note they have cheap blum hinges etc.

From a kitchen planning perspective having drawers for pots and pans next to the stove could be a good choice. There was a 'this old house' episode a while back that took a trip to a blum showroom. I found the corner drawer system super cool.

http://www.blum.com/pdf/BUS/3064_sync_fb/3064_sync_fb.pdf

I suggest you put the 'how to make' a side for a bit and instead focus on the flow of the kitchen activities. Now is the time to get things in the right places etc. The width of the cabinets will come by it self when you know what you want where. Visit some local showrooms to get ideas as well like pull out drawers (with soft close) for pots/pans, corner storage, glass doors etc etc

If I were to build this kind of cabinets I would use prefinished plywood, matched with the 32 mm system. But that's me. Ohh, make sure you have tons of space when building these cabinets since they take up quite a bit of space when assembled.

[Peter Quinn]

I am confused. How would a 28" wide door put pressure on your under mount slides? I don't see the relationship. In any event I would skip the doors and go with drawer banks beside the stove. Build a cardboard or 1/4" MDF mock up life size to see what swinging a 28" door into the room will do to a traffic pattern. Might change your mind on the doors..

[Robert Reece]

I have 40' linear feet of kitchen base cabinet and it's all drawers. some of them 42" wide. It beats doors anyday. If you are making this yourself, you might as well make it high end.

[bill mullin]

I have to agree with Micheal on the planning part. I don't design kitchens, but install a lot, and have seen many designs that look good, but function poorly. Think about how you want to use your kitchen, not just how it will look. A good design will look great.
Also, think about which direction doors open, on each side of the sink, in corners, and against walls, and if there is room for drawers to open due to door or cased opening trim. Those are some of the most common problems I run into.
Most kitchens I do are "box cabinets", built in 3" increments, with filler strips and trim to make up the rest. While I'm sure you want to make custom cabs. to avoid fillers, remember this: walls are seldom straight or perfectly plumb, corners are seldom square, and floors are seldom level. If you try to make your cabs. fit the room's dimensions too perfectly, you'll likely be shaving side rails down to make them fit, and that may not even be enough. Very often, a 1" filler on paper becomes 5/8" in practice.
Another option for pots/pans is roll-out drawers behind doors. They are shallow drawers, and depending on your needs, you can have one or more set at any height you desire.
In general, if you have a 30" stove, make the opening 30". Dishwashers are 24", refrigerators vary. Check rough opening sizes on-line.

[Tim Reagan]

Hello,
Have you considered drawers instead?
Those that have them (drawers on the lowers) seem to swear they will never go back to doors.
My wife prefers only one all drawer bank, and the rest 1 drawer with door (s) below. Behind the doors will have shallow pull out shelves

My wife wanted slide out shelves for larger pots/pans. So I made one 28" wide cabinet containing two shelves with two doors. There is a drawer above but, since I used 2" stiles the drawer was only slightly less than 24". Used Blum self closing under mount glides. No problems. The other wide cabinet (36") I divided and made banks of drawers to fit. Everything is inset, not overlay.
I will be using 1.75" stiles, so the drawer width will only be 25.5". My concern if that is a pot drawer its may be pretty heavy.
I am confused. How would a 28" wide door put pressure on your under mount slides? I don't see the relationship. In any event I would skip the doors and go with drawer banks beside the stove. Build a cardboard or 1/4" MDF mock up life size to see what swinging a 28" door into the room will do to a traffic pattern. Might change your mind on the doors..
The doors will be 28 divided by 2, its the full lenght drawer I was concerned about. 1 side of the oven probably will be a drawer bank.
I have to agree with Micheal on the planning part. I don't design kitchens, but install a lot, and have seen many designs that look good, but function poorly. Think about how you want to use your kitchen, not just how it will look. A good design will look great.
Also, think about which direction doors open, on each side of the sink, in corners, and against walls, and if there is room for drawers to open due to door or cased opening trim. Those are some of the most common problems I run into.
Most kitchens I do are "box cabinets", built in 3" increments, with filler strips and trim to make up the rest. While I'm sure you want to make custom cabs. to avoid fillers, remember this: walls are seldom straight or perfectly plumb, corners are seldom square, and floors are seldom level. If you try to make your cabs. fit the room's dimensions too perfectly, you'll likely be shaving side rails down to make them fit, and that may not even be enough. Very often, a 1" filler on paper becomes 5/8" in practice.
Another option for pots/pans is roll-out drawers behind doors. They are shallow drawers, and depending on your needs, you can have one or more set at any height you desire.
In general, if you have a 30" stove, make the opening 30". Dishwashers are 24", refrigerators vary. Check rough opening sizes on-line.

My stove measures 30" exactly. I think Ill just add 1 inch total.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

[johnny means]

I will be using 1.75" stiles, so the drawer width will only be 25.5". My concern if that is a pot drawer its may be pretty heavy.[/COLOR]
The doors will be 28 divided by 2, its the full lenght drawer I was concerned about. 1 side of the oven probably will be a drawer bank.



Thanks for all the suggestions!

Any GOOD modern slide will easily support a drawer this large stuffed with cast iron. And will be more accessible. 24" plus wide drawers are pretty much standard in any higher end kitchen nowadays.

[Jay Brewer]

[QUOTE=Tim Reagan;1176644] for instance my stove is 30", add .5" to each side?


1/2" is way to much of a gap on each side of the range. I add 1/4" to the width of the range ( 1/8" on each side ) . Some ranges are smaller than 30" making them able to fit a 30" opening with a little wiggle room.

[Peter Quinn]

[COLOR="sienna"]The doors will be 28 divided by 2, its the full length drawer I was concerned about. 1 side of the oven probably will be a drawer bank.


With the appropriate slides to handle the weight of the drawers and solid construction of the boxes there should be no issue. They make over travel undermounts that can handle #150. We usually pack out the sides of the carcasses and attach there rather than attach to the backs and frames, so only the weight of the doors will hang off the FF, not the drawer slides. If you use that method. Make very sure your boxes are built square to avoid problems with installation later. I wouldn't try to argue with my own wife about aesthetics once her mind is made up, and I sure wont try to argue with yours, but the concept of opening two doors to access large pull out shelves baffles me except in a retrofit situation. I understand the attraction of having drawers just under the counter on both sides of the stove, but this can work with drawer banks as well. To my eye I prefer to have symmetry around a major appliance, so what is happening on one side of a stove will be continued on the other to keep consistent sight lines. Of course these are all generalizations, I'm sure you have or will arrive at the design that best suits your needs and space after repeated banging of head against wall and considerable editing of design concepts. Don't forget to enjoy the process!

[Tim Reagan]

Good point about symmetry around the stove. I will show both options for my wife on the software, and hopefully that will show nicer to her.
thanks again everyone.

[Peter Quinn]

On the range issue I am no expert, but I would check manufacturers installation specs for the specific range in question prior to construction of the adjacent boxes. Some island type units are built to be flush with the frames and have unfinished sides but a flange to cover any gap. There may be a gap specified by some makers on slide in units between the sides of the range or cook top and any combustibles, while some are insulated and require no gap. Some vent to the rear, some through the top. Too many potentialities to make any general assumptions. I would pick a stove and build to suit its requirements if possible. Another option is to let the FF run past the sides of the case that face the range, rabbit the back of these two stiles to form a scribe and get in close at the front but leave a dead space between the range and the carcass sides if necessary..

[Bill White]

28" is not too wide. I agree with the drawer stack suggestion. 1/4" bottome will work just fine.
Bill

[Tim Reagan]

Many have recommended making bigger cases on my 10' wall, so I will go with 2- 40" cabs and 2- 17" cabs. Should I put a vertical piece of ply in the middle and make 2 pullouts in the big cabinet, or will a 38"ish pullout be ok with the Blum tandem plus glides? These will be behind doors.

Also when spacing cabinet by the stove, does granite finish flush with the cabinet, or is there overhang on stove side?

muchas gracias.

[bill mullin]

I've installed full width pullouts in 36" cabinets, so you should be fine.

The tops will be flush with the cabinets (if I understand the question correctly).