Ideas for fastening crown molding to K. Cabinets?
How would you fasten crown to 12′ run of kitchen cabinets when there is no room to work above due to soffit? If I put cabinets so that crown touches soffit then soffit must be perfectly strait & level. (Soffit isn’t built yet) I am thinking of leaving a 1/2″ gap between crown & soffit and just slipping the 3/4″ bottom pc. of crown under some clips or wood blocks on top of the cabinets. The molding is meant to attach flat right on top of face frames (full overlay doors). Molding is large made of 2 boards so it sticks out 3-1/2″ and adds 2-1/2″ in height to cabinets. If I could assemble & lift 12′ of 42″ tall cabinets it would be easy to screw molding to top of frames while cabinets are on the floor. I don’t think that could be done though. I don’t like the idea of nailing into the soffit frame because that would be ugly & its likely to lift up slightly creating a gap between cabinet frame & molding. How would a real carpenter do this?
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Soffit isn't built--that
Soffit isn't built--that makes a huge difference.
Rather than having to fight the soffit, you have an opportunity to build the soffit to exact size and index the cabinets to the soffit so crown fits perfectly. This works better if you are used to fitting upper cabs (anticipating top and wall), can work to very close tollerances, and don't have any ground to floor cabs.
Alternatively you can hang the cabinets and then fit the soffit perfectly to the cabinets. Think through how the soffit is attached to cabs so everything lines up perfectly. Keep in mind that even if the soffits are taped and textured you can use plywood rather than sheetrock to simplify how they are attached.
Personally I'd probably mount the cabinets then install the soffit above it, made from 3/4" ac ply. I don't think I've ever seen a soffit that needed to be installed prior to cabinets, but they are often sheetrocked and taped so the design is dumbed down to allow for a way to have it taped and textured prior to cabinets. The more subs are involved the more the design has to be dumbed down, which is why most soffits look the way they do.
Even better looking in most situations is rather than using a soffit, the cabinets are extended perhaps even with a dead space hiding stuff. Soffits are often the least cost solution rather than ideal.
Best of luck
Great ideas Don, Thanks.
I'm
Great ideas Don, Thanks.
I'm thinking of building the soffits with the hope I get lucky and everything fits close enough. BUT - I'll leave the front vertical pc. of drywall off so I can push drywall down with shims if needed.
I'll have to be very carefull masking while I mess with drywall mud & paint.
Any other suggestions anyone? Thanks.
i've done the bulkheads out
i've done the bulkheads out of mdf, scribed to the cieling. Crown fit dead nuts.