More cupboard mounting (and a fright).

4/23/19

Building Summary: Today I measured out, marked, leveled, and hung both the second and third cupboards. This was followed by my drilling three holes from the right cupboard into the left and fastening them together with bolts to ensure they were tight with one another. After all that had been taken care of, I needed to readjust the position of the first cupboard, because it was up by ¾”.

It should also be noted that between the hanging of cabinet #2 and #3, I took down the oven hood to make room for the dual cupboards. At the end of my time at Jacobhouse this morning, I began making measurements for its new and slightly altered location.

Commentary: There are many reasons I enjoy learning through experience, but amongst all those reasons, I’d say one of my favorites is the ability to look back on what I did and know how I would do it differently in the future. As can likely be guessed, such an occurrence happened today.

It was in regard to cupboards #2 and #3. They needed to be installed tightly against each other while also maintaining a semblance of flushness across the top, bottom, and front. I will say that I did succeed in performing this, but it took a lot of drilling, re-drilling, fastening, unfastening, refastening, and corner shimming. All because I had decided to put up cupboards #2 and #3 one at a time.

In hindsight, I would have had it much easier if I had taken 3 bolts and fastened the cupboards to each other at the beginning instead of at the end (and perhaps I’d  even increase that number to 6 bolts). Either way, if they had been fastened to each other from the start, I would not have had any of the problems with protruding corners or uneven faceplates, and over an hour’s worth of time would have been saved*.

Final Note: Tomorrow, I plan on fastening the oven hood into its new location (up 2″ and right 1 ½”), and then preparing the plywood wall between the kitchen and bathroom for painting as well as the ‘floor’ that will be beneath all the appliances. If I move quickly enough, I can start with the painting process.

*Also, the mounting boards at the back of the cupboards would have possessed a less honey-combed appearance. I did remedy the added holes, though, by putting in some short ‘dud’ self-tappers. The appearance of overzealous fastening was a tad more attractive than an amassment of splinter-holes.