# Finalizing Cabinet Install, uneven ceiling ideas



## ochy38 (Mar 6, 2015)

Hi all, I undertook my first kitchen remodel and Im nearing the end.. just a final paint job and trim here and there. Very happy with everything, except this issue... There's a soffit above the cabinets that I framed up but unfortunately the duct inside of it took a drop at the end that I couldn/t do anything about.. so the soffit drops about an inch over the last 2-3 feet. I've attached pictures.. Im trying to figure out a decent way to trim up the gap. You can see the first two cabinets the gap goes from zero to about 1 1/8".. from there the rest of the cabinets sit at about 3/4". Any ideas would be wonderful!


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## nealtw (Mar 6, 2015)

Welcome to the site. I am guessing now you know why it is important to get that box level. This will never dissapear and I doubt you want to start over with the box.
The only fix I can think of is to remove all five uppers and fit a filler strip of matching materal cut too fit the box so it is level on the bottom and re-fit the uppers tight to that.


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## bud16415 (Mar 6, 2015)

Take down the far left box and make a wedge to take care of most of the gap. Fill and paint and rehang. Get a 1 moulding and run it all along the top.


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## joecaption (Mar 6, 2015)

You really have several issues, as you know the ceilings not level, but there's also no spacer on the left hand side so the door will not be able to open.
Need to split the difference between the left and right side instead of that one wide strip on the right.
Your limited on how much lower you can install the cabinet over the stove.
Those cabinets can not be installed at different heights like that.
I would have assembled them as one unit sitting up side down with the doors off, screwed a ledger to the wall where the bottom of the lowest cabinets should sit making sure it was level, and lifted it into place as a whole unit sitting on the ledger.
This is a classic case of a good place to use a self leveling laser level so you have a sure reference point to set the ledger.
I'd set the tops about 1" lower then the lowest side so there will be room to add a filler strip or some trim to cover the gap.


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## CallMeVilla (Mar 7, 2015)

Sorry for you ...  Classic cabinetry example of "painting your self in a corner."  The "should have" is easy ...  you should have compensated for the ceiling problem before mounting the run of cabinets, leaving a space at the top for a simple trim mold.  You should have used a ledger to guarantee consistent placement (you might have used one, it is not clear).

At this point, I would remove all the cabinets and do it right so you can apply a trim mold to hide the ceiling problem.  There is no quick fix or cosmetic solution.


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## bud16415 (Mar 7, 2015)

I&#8217;m assuming the microwave is centered over the stove and shifting them all down would throw that off. I don&#8217;t know if that far left door will open ok but if it will I don&#8217;t think they look that bad except that far left one. DIY is DIY and you learn as you go some of the guys here have hung a 100&#8217;s of kitchens. 

What really looks off is the left end and I said last night you could fill the gap but I think the door heights being off looks just as bad as the gap after looking at it a bit more I would raise that unit up. You can trim the top of that box some after you take it down and before you take it down mark the drywall and you can cut the drywall back so the face slips up behind it gaining half an inch. Then do a piece of small corner trim to hide the small crack.


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## beachguy005 (Mar 7, 2015)

I would take all the cabinets down and get the soffit level, then reinstall them properly.  I know that doesn't answer your question but I don't think you can put up a piece of trim to cover that gap and the doors will never align.  What I would do, if I absolutely could not fix the real problem...take that left cabinet down.  Get some white 12" deep open shelves for that side.  The rest of the cabinets you could probably get away with a piece of 3/4 quarter round or cove moulding.


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## ochy38 (Mar 9, 2015)

thanks for all the thoughts.. the cabinet on the far left has no issues opening as is. The wedge idea on the left two and then some quarter round or something similar is probably the way I'll go with this.. not perfect but its in the basement of an old brownstone and nothing's close to level to begin with... definitely will invest in a laser level next time I do something like this.


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## beachguy005 (Mar 9, 2015)

One thing I'm curious about is, what's your measurement between the counter and the underside of the cabinets?  It looks low.


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## ochy38 (Mar 10, 2015)

beachguy005 said:


> One thing I'm curious about is, what's your measurement between the counter and the underside of the cabinets?  It looks low.



I think I have about 15 inches. Its on the lower side, but this is in a basement apartment and storage space is at a premium to begin with, so the trade off was worth it, seems to work out pretty well.


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## beachguy005 (Mar 10, 2015)

You may find that the required height is 18" and anything less is a code violation. Cabinets have to be a certain height above to prevent fires from things like a toaster or toaster oven.  If this is a basement apartment....it's the last place you want a fire to start.


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