I am planning to renovate my kitchen cabinets and want to use story sticks as described in a number of the kitchen cabinet books and Sven Hanson’s video clip (“Making a Story Stick”) here on the Fine Homebuilding site. What I never see is how does one make the sticks when you still have the existing cabinets and appliances installed. Surely a cabinet maker does not rip out the client’s current kitchen in order to make an accurate stick, go away for 12 weeks and make the cabinets, and then return in do the install of the new cabinets. Can anyone clarify how to make accurate sticks with the existing kitchen still in place? Thanks.
Jeff
Treasure Island FL
Replies
I would just measure the important things, like overall width and window and door layouts, and transfer those to a stick.
When looking at a kitchen for a remodel the first things I check are the level of the floor, level of the ceiling, wall plumb, and how straight the walls are. It makes no sense to me to not check these items and attempt to make a story stick or even a sketch that may only work on part of the kitchen and not the whole works.
From there I pick a reference level line that everything is built around. Typically nothing is really level so it requires a decision to start at the low point and angle into the floor, or start at the high point and angle up away from the lower floor.
It's not uncommon for a floor and ceiling to be out of level in the same direction so as your cabinets are going up away from a low point on the floor, they are also getting closer to the low side of the ceiling.
Cabinets that are hard to fit or end up with awkward problem areas are typically the result of building before carefully measuring.
The best advice I can give any carpenter is to make an absolutely flat reference line, penciled on the wall completely around the area to be worked on. If it isn't possible or desirable to actually mark on the wall, put up a strip of blue tape and make the mark on it. From this line it's very easy to get a feel for "the lay of the land" and decide how to install level cabinets in an uneven world.
Best of luck
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
Don-
I like the advice. But it's too late. I'm in the middle of one right now.
Where were you when I started this job? :-)
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
Where were you when I started this job? :-)
Probably straightening out something I built off kilter. :-)
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
Man does his post remind me of Laurel Mississippi.
ANDYSZ2WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?
REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST
We coule always call Vernon and see what he thought you should do.(-:
Progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things.
C'mon, you grabbed the easy job setting those cabinets.
Everything was straight as an arrow and solid as a rock, or was that straight as a rock and solid as an arrow ....??? :-)
Don K.
EJG Homes REnovations - New Construction - Rentals