Adding Wall Filler Strips after Cabinets are Mounted


  #1  
Old 09-29-19, 08:13 AM
C
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 336
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Adding Wall Filler Strips after Cabinets are Mounted

I am in the process of installing new cabinets. As part of the design, there is a 3” filler on both ends of the wall. I’ve watched some videos on YouTube, and they always seem to install the fillers at the same time as the cabinet. I guess this makes it easier, since you can clamp the filler to the cabinet. It’s not as easy for me, because my wall is not straight. It’s nearly a 1/2” off in certain places. Am I able to install the filler strips after the cabinets are in place? I wanted to spend my day installing the cabinets, and then next weekend, I would work on scribing the filler. I have to read about the proper way to do it. I assume that I will need to use a jig or table saw.

I should mention that I’m so confused about the 3” space. If the cabinets are supposed to start 3” from the wall, how do I know where to begin when the wall is so uneven? I was just going to lay out all the cabinets (without attaching them to the wall) and spacing them that way.
 
  #2  
Old 09-29-19, 08:34 AM
Norm201's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 10,956
Received 721 Upvotes on 640 Posts
If the cabinets are supposed to start 3” from the wall, how do I know where to begin when the wall is so uneven?
Where is this written in stone? I never heard of this. Unless you are centering a window or a sink. Are these cabinets custom or bought off the shelf? When I installed my kitchen cabinets we started in the corner and worked our way to each end of the wall. The cabinets were made to end up being flush against one wall allowing for a standard sink and dishwasher on that run. The other corner was designed to center the range and the end cupboard to be nearly flush with end of wall. This allowed about a 6" gap between range and corner unit. Instead of a filler piece we had a 6 drawer unit placed in the gap section.

If your walls are as much as 1/2" off, I would plumb the wall before installing cabinets. I would do this by using layers of wall patch (possibly Water Putty) until they are even and a straight edge can be placed against it without showing any measurable gap.

Although I did my own installation and design, we had a pro cabinet installer (whom we bought the cabinets from) advise us as to design and placement. On several instances we proved his advice wrong and ended up with better cabinets and storage space than was suggested. It was a team effort and it worked out well. The biggest help we had was the pro guy checking all my measurements before purchasing cabinets.
 

Last edited by Norm201; 09-29-19 at 08:51 AM. Reason: fixed the Kings English
  #3  
Old 09-29-19, 09:40 AM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
You would only have 3" fillers if the whole run is 6" shorter than the wall and you want it to go wall to wall. I've always seen fillers installed before the cabinet was hung. If the filler needs to be scribed to the wall you would do that first.
 
  #4  
Old 09-29-19, 11:03 AM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,061
Received 1,910 Upvotes on 1,716 Posts
It's hard to even comment without knowing your cabinet layout. The driving thing for the majority of kitchens is the sink. It usually goes in one definite spot, such as centered on a window, and everything else is driven by that, so a sink is a good starting point, and you work in either direction once it's set. If there is no sink but there is a corner or L shape, that corner is your starting point.
 
Norm201 voted this post useful.
  #5  
Old 09-30-19, 12:16 AM
Marq1's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: USA MI
Posts: 9,745
Received 1,210 Upvotes on 1,098 Posts
Just forgetting the layout for the moment, the filler should be installed onto the cabinet first then attached to the wall.

Hard to believe the wall is off by that much but either way but the filler can be trimmed, that is part of it's purpose, to match the contour of the wall.
 
  #6  
Old 09-30-19, 06:04 AM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,061
Received 1,910 Upvotes on 1,716 Posts
It can be installed first, but it doesn't HAVE to be. Once it is scribed and cut to the correct shape, it just slips in and you screw it to the adjacent face frame with finish screws.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: