# Removing a built in lazy Suzan from bottom corner cabinet



## smittenbritt (Jul 8, 2014)

Our entire kitchen was done before we moved in almost 3 yrs ago.
Our kitchen has a heavy black granite counter top (going up the entire back splash too) so there's a lot of weight I guess on the bottom cabinets. 

But the cabinets are those Hampton bay ones from Home Depot that they carry in stock. So pretty cheap.  My issue is storage is badly managed and I need to rethink the two bottom corner cabinets. I have decided I'm just gunna put those freestanding metal shelves with legs inside as I have found some cheap and sturdy metal ones, they will not come all the way forward to the door (I want half shelves as they are corner cabinets, for easier access.) and I won't have to screw anything through anything. 

One cabinet will be easy as they never placed a shelf in there. All I will have to do is empty it and put the shelf where I want it. But the other I'm hesitant to start. It's the Hampton bay corner cabinet with lazy Suzan and the hinged two piece door. The lazy Suzan is well....... utter rubbish. It's got plastic shelves which bend if you put much weight on it.  I need to store my pots and pans there and it can't handle them. The bar that runs from top to bottom has slipped and now is at a bit of an angle. I'm not entirely sure it would handle too much food it's that cheap...and it's reduced the amount of usable space in the cupboard. Without it I think I could store a lot more with the free standing shelves and some hooks. But I'm worried that the lazy Suzan may be also support for the counter top?  Yeah I know it seems like a dumb question.  Wood work and DIY was never my forte.
But basically I would like to know if ripping out the lazy Suzan will weaken the structure of the cabinet and I can't see anything on the product on home depots site to even hint at if it's of structural importance or not.


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## bud16415 (Jul 8, 2014)

The spinning thing holds no weight. Rip away.


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## havasu (Jul 8, 2014)

I have seen some cabinets which uses the "Lazy Susan" support poles as the rear support for a few corner cabinets. Chances are that Bud is correct, but I'd be alot happier to see a pic of this "Lazy Susan" before advising to rip it out.


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## bud16415 (Jul 8, 2014)

I assumed there was a base cabinet on each side of the corner. IMO if that&#8217;s the case the counter top should have enough support from each side even if the pole was jacked up against the top. All the ones I have seen have some brace going across to hold the upper bearing thing. 

Getting that stuff out of that little door might be a trick and getting some shelves in may be a better trick. I agree a photo of what you have and what you want to fit in there would be good. Where there&#8217;s a will There&#8217;s a way.


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## havasu (Jul 8, 2014)

bud16415 said:


> Where theres a will Theres a way.



That's for sure! :beer:


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## slownsteady (Jul 8, 2014)

If you are planning on junking the lazy susan, then just hack the shelves off the pole and get a good look behind it. You may be able to add support (if you think it's needed) before removing the pole.
If the pole has already moved, like you mentioned, it probably supports nothing.


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## smittenbritt (Jul 8, 2014)

Thanks I have taken some photos but I am having trouble displaying them in the thread? It want me to add a link to a URL when I click on the image icon?


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## smittenbritt (Jul 8, 2014)

Ok think I figured it out. Hoping these pictures help.


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## smittenbritt (Jul 8, 2014)

Another pic


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## smittenbritt (Jul 8, 2014)

And this is the outside though prob not of importance


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## nealtw (Jul 8, 2014)

If you get your head in there you will see the shelves are adjustable, you need to raise the lower shelf so you can get to the screws in the bracket at the floor and then lower both shelves so you can get to the upper screws. With the shelves loose and thenb end backets loose you should be able to get it to a place where you can remove the pipe.


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## Wuzzat? (Jul 8, 2014)

The Lazy Susan center pipe could certainly bolster the stiffness of the countertop but I can't imagine anyone doing this.

Put a stack of dishes on the countertop above the pipe.  If it resists being removed then the pipe is providing structural support.  If so you can find other ways to stiffen the countertop.


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## beachguy005 (Jul 8, 2014)

The granite weighs about 13 pounds per sq. ft.  The load is on the sides and back of the cabinet.  If you were to lift the countertop off the cabinet you would see that the post of the lazy susan, while connected to the top of the cabinet, doesn't even make contact with the underside of the countertop. 
In other words, if you were to drill a hole in the top of the cabinet you could stick your finger in it a feel about 1/2" space between the base cabinet top and the underside of the counter top. It's how most cabinets are made.  Units with drawers are open on top but corner units like that aren't.
Just given the design of corner units, there is more than likely, no countertop weight on that post.

Look at page e28 here and I think you'll see what I mean.

http://km-assets-b.kraftmaid.com/content/pdf/specs/dealerspecbook-basecabinets.pdf


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## smittenbritt (Jul 8, 2014)

Thanks guys i shall try removing it tomorrow and see how it goes


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## nealtw (Jul 9, 2014)

For pots I have removed all that stuff and beefed it up and used 3/4" plywood the shape of a shelf set near the top and screwed hooks on the bottom of it to hang the pots


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## bud16415 (Jul 9, 2014)

The older I get the more I hate lower base cabinets that have the door and shelves inside. If I were to design a new kitchen I would have only pull out drawer base units. When I look at new construction and with knowing the cost comparison between the drawer based and the shelf bases I know it was all about cost they normally have just a couple pull out units and the rest doors. 

If I had your corner base cabinet I think I would measure the width and depth I could get by adding drawers going back in at 45 degrees and then build a unit that would slip right in and forget about the loss of those corner spaces. 

My sister had me on my hands and knees digging around in her corner unit a couple weeks ago and I was finding stuff stuck in the back that looked like it had been in there for 30 years. I would rather have less space and be able to access it easily.


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## smittenbritt (Jul 17, 2014)

There was nothing easy access about this lazy susan. Its plastic shelves pent with the slightest weight and wouldnt turn... The bottom it turned out wasnt screwed to floor like it should...very shoddy product... But to be fair it did have one good point...the fact it wasnt screwed in at bottom like it should and the fact the pole dismantled made it easy to remove.
That was the easy part....just spend several hiurs doing clean from the mess it was hidding....i can only hope i have been wiping up spilt wood stain thats all i can say.


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## smittenbritt (Jul 17, 2014)

We need every bit of storage we can get in our kitchen....not enough space for our stuff.


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## CallMeVilla (Jul 17, 2014)

OMG ... get 'er done!

Step One:  Remove all pots and pans
Step Two:  Get sawzall and cut post
Step Three:  Remove debris


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## inspectorD (Jul 17, 2014)

CallMeVilla said:


> OMG ... get 'er done!
> 
> Step One:  Remove all pots and pans
> Step Two:  Get sawzall and cut post
> Step Three:  Remove debris



.Ummm... you forgot step 4...:beer:


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