[kmd]

I was wonering what you guys think about using 42 wall cabinets in an eight foot ceiling? I know there is no room for crown molding, how do you think it will look with just a small piece of finished trim instead of crown? I noticed various cabinet manufactures only offer 30 and 42 inch wall cabinets and not 36". I have hung 36" cabinets with a 6" filler strip but never 42's with an eight foot ceiling.

Also what do you think about RTA cabinets? I see a ton of people are selling these on the web. I have installed a couple RTA bathroom vanties but never kitchen cabinets. The ones I installed were pretty nice, all plywood sides solid wood fronts with dovetailed drawers. The thing that bothers me is it seems 99% of RTA's are imported from China. I just have a hard time buying cabinets from China, but the price is attractive.
Thanks

 

[firemike]

I have done quite a few kitchens with 42" uppers, never a problem. The manufacturer I deal with make a matching small crown molding for just such an occasion, it has a 5/8" tail that tucks in over the cabinet and the crown overlaps the face frame about 1/4". it drops the cabinets 5/8" but no one will ever notice. Easy to install too.

 

[Steve Unkie]

I install 42'' cabs alot although I usually build my own, so there built to accomodate crown.

 

[RAS]

42 inch crown

My cabinetmaker adds 1 1/2 inches to the style along the top edge of the cabinets. When you trim out with crown (2 3/8) it has 1 1/2 style all around exposed.

 

[Ambiance]

Drop the cabinets 5/8" from top on FOL door. Last time I did a Triple Bead Moulding around the top and bottom to finish it out. Really nice installation. don't have photos of complete kitchen yet, but i will post one when it's done. (Waiting on concrete countertop to be completed.)

 

[Dan_Watson]

I’ve done 2 kitchens with 42" against 8' ceilings and also 30" against a soffit. Most manufacturers offer a scribe molding with is nothing more than a finish matching shoe molding that you use to hide the imperfections of the cabinets against the ceiling. I just hung 42" against a ceiling and will be trimming it out Tuesday; I will try and get pics up.

 

[Dan_Watson]

And I forgot these. I had to go check the paper work real quick to see the actual size but they are 1339's and we added a 3 pc built up crown.

 

[Leo G]

SO that means you guys are leaving 18" between the countertop and the bottom of the cabinet. My standard is 16"-16 1/4" That way when they use a 4x4 tile for a back splash it has no cuts.

 

[Dan_Watson]

Well standard distance between the finished floor and the bottom of the wall cabinets is 54" take that and subtract the height of a finished base cabinet with counter top 54"-36"=18"

16" divided by 4 equals 4. No grout lines?

 

[Leo G]

So that means you guys are leaving 18" between the countertop and the bottom of the cabinet. My standard is 16"-16 1/4" That way when they use a 4x4 tile for a back splash it has no cuts.

Well standard distance between the finished floor and the bottom of the wall cabinets is 54" take that and subtract the height of a finished base cabinet with counter top 54"-36"=18"

16" divided by 4 equals 4. No grout lines?

Yes, you leave the upper 1 1/2"- 2" off the ceiling to get near 16". Then you have room for your crown. And if you will notice, I said 16"- 16 1/4". Not all 4x4 tile is exactly 4", so I did leave room for the grout lines. I do custom kitchens and have to take everything it account.

 

[Dan_Watson]

What is a custom kitchen? Is there such thing as a standard kitchen? Not busting balls, just wondering. Also, does every customer want 4x4 tiles. It would seem that by you doing custom kitchens everyone would be different.

 

[Leo G]

Yes you are busting balls. There is no "standard" in custom. There is no reason to put the 42" cabinet to the ceiling. Let it hang down enough so you can put a crown up there. The last kitchen I built I made 38" uppers. I have made them with 39" or 37" uppers to accommodate the odd ceiling heights. I don't buy cabinets myself, I make them all. But just because 54" is a standard for the bottom of the uppers off the floor doesn't mean you have to use it. Make it 53" and you have your space for a small crown. And no they don't all get tile, just a few.

 

[Dan_Watson]

Ok I was busting balls alittle. Please note that the cabinets in the pictures I posted were 39's. Also, is there a standard kitchen?

 

[ChrWright]

16" is too tight to the counter.

 

[Maverick]

I personally dont like the look of 42" uppers with a 8" ceiling. Its pretty ugly aesthetically.

As for custom kitchens, if we are building cabinets for that particular client, its custom. Otherwise its just "standard" or as we call it, modular.

 

[arconstruction]

use 39"

just use 39" wall cabinets with a 3" detailed filler and a small crown

 

[Smitty69]

I agree with 18"...I would have many a client "bust balls" of me for not leaving enough room for her grandmothers mixer, or new coffee pot to fit. Have you seen the size of some of the smoothie makers out there? I had to make 1 job 19" for her espresso machine.

 

[orson]

Not to mention the fact that every company that is manufacturing a product that will likely reside on a kitchen countertop is basing it's dimensions off of 18" from counter to uppers.

Whoops, didn't see Smitty's post.