Kitchen cabinet install question

[Brian Tymchak]

Morning all! I need to build a couple new cabinets to go in over our new refrigerator. I will screw thru the face frames to the end panels but I'm concerned that that's not enough support for the weight that could land in those cabinets. The new cabinets will be 5"-6" short of the back wall, so I can't just run screws through the backs to the studs or a rail anchored to the back wall.

I have to believe that this is a common issue for cabinet installers, but I came up zilch for relevant results with google this morning. Can someone offer a technique to handle this situation?

Thanks!

[Tom M King]

Fasten through the sides also. Add filler spacers if needed.

[Robert Engel]

If you've got good support on both sides it will be ok.

When you build cabs either make face frame flush with sides or do what Tom said.

[Paul F Franklin]

I built a 2x4 frame to go between the cabinet and the back wall at the top of the cabinets. And as others have said, screw into the side panels using spacers as needed and at the face frame.

If you're going to have a light rail or other trim under the front edge of the cabinet, you can also just screw a couple of rails to the inside of the side panels for the cab to rest on. The rails will be hidden by the light rail or under cab trim.

[Bill Dufour]

why not a deeper cabinet?
Bill D

[Brian Tymchak]

Thanks guys! Appreciate the replies. I must be getting old. It never occurred to me to go thru the sides.

I built a 2x4 frame to go between the cabinet and the back wall at the top of the cabinets. And as others have said, screw into the side panels using spacers as needed and at the face frame.

If you're going to have a light rail or other trim under the front edge of the cabinet, you can also just screw a couple of rails to the inside of the side panels for the cab to rest on. The rails will be hidden by the light rail or under cab trim.

Thanks for both of those ideas. I will have a 2" trim rail under the face frames. I have a 68" wide opening. I could build an L rail at the back to stiffen it. Ok, the brain cells are kicking in...

why not a deeper cabinet?
Bill D

Prefin Maple Ply is $150 a sheet. I would need to get a 2nd sheet to get the deeper cabinets. Not worth it to me to get the extra 6".

[Ole Anderson]

I understand the cost issue with an extra sheet of ply, but I find the deeper cabinets over the fridge are very valuable for storing larger items like roasting pans and vacuum sealers. Also I was able to hide the side of the fridge. In the scheme of a kitchen remodel, $150 is small change.

[Jim Becker]

Deep cabinets over a fridge are pretty much the only way I've ever seen them for the reasons that Ole mentions...it's valuable storage space for larger/longer items that will not fit in regular depth cabinets. I don't even do normal uppers at the (sadly) common 12" depth...I push them to 14" so that you can actually fit things in them. Most folks get very few opportunities to build cabinets like this...another sheet of material is more than worth it in the long run, IMHO.

[Brian Tymchak]

I hear you guys on going with the deepest possible cabinets. I went around and around on it but just couldn't get to a point of justifying the extra cost especially with the new space not being "everyday" or even "occasionally" accessed space. But, I haven't cut anything yet. I'll give it another think thru.

Deep cabinets over a fridge are pretty much the only way I've ever seen ...

Interesting. The 2 cabinets that came out of the space over the smaller fridge were only 12" deep. But, that's just 1 example of many where the original owner cut corners.

[Jim Becker]

Depending on the age, it may not have been a corner cutting thing at all. "Back in the day" kitchens were built differently. Some of that might even come from back when plywood wasn't a thing or not as common, especially when cabinets were built in place with solid stock. A nominal 12" cabinet could be easily build with readily available lumber. My grandmother's house on the lake was like that...all built in place with pine boards. I think that carried over to the commercial production world as being "normal". Relative to your project, surrounds for a fridge were less common many years ago and the surrounds that are typical today are full depth to hide the sides of the appliance, making it natural for whatever cabinet above to also be full depth. (typically about 24" or so which is "counter depth")

[Paul F Franklin]

I went with 30" surrounds and a 24" deep over the fridge cabinet, and the back half of it is empty. Frankly, having a deeper cabinet over the fridge is not very useful unless you are really short on storage. Getting out a step stool to reach the stuff in the back makes it very inconvenient to access. You can really only reach the front 12" or so without a step stool unless you are very tall.

[Brian Tymchak]

The original cabinets are Merillat, 1998 vintage. Face frames seem decently made but the carcase is cheap 1/4 or 3/8 partical board. What I'm building will far better quality.

Anyway, it all turns out to be a moot point... I used an online cutlist optimizer today and that showed that I had made a mistake on my original cutlist. I needed a 2nd sheet anyway to get to the 18" depth I thought I could get from 1 sheet. So, I'll just go full depth @ ~24".

[Jim Becker]

Paul, I keep my "extra large" cookware up there above the fridge and use the entire depth. Of course, a small step stool is necessary for those rare moments when I need to get something out for a particular need, but I don't use the stuff up there very often.

[Tom Bender]

We have 12" deep over the fridge and never get into them, don't even know if there is anything in them. We just put bags of chips on top of the fridge where we can reach them. A deeper cabinet would just loose us that convenience.

[Jared Sankovich]

I'd do a 30". I've done 12" and 24 with blocking to push out the mounting points but those were stock cabinets. If you are making it yourself why not. I just built a 31" deep cabinet today for over stacked washer/dryer .