Well, my first question would be can you remove the screws from this cabinet and pull it from the wall?

From the installation guide I looked at for the 36" top, you are required to cut an opening at the top rear of the cabinet approximately 32" long by 1 3/4". There should then be a gap behind the cabinet along the wall of 1/2" - 1".

If the 'ledger/shim' is just in the location of the mounting screws, then your ok with just the 32"x1.75" cutout at the top of the cabinet. If the ledger/shim is all along the wall, then you might think about pulling the cabinet out and knotching the ledger/shim.

You can put a drawer underneath this unit as long as you allow approximately 2.75" from the top of the unit (countertop) to the top of the drawer.

I guess my question would be, why couldn't you get the Wolf induction cooktop? I have a second home in Hawaii with a 36" Wolf induction cooktop. Even in Hawaii, where everything takes longer, the cooktop arrived in less than 8 weeks.

Dear weedmeister,

Thank you for responding.

Regarding your idea about removing the screws and pulling the base cabinet away from the wall: not really possible. We have an eleven foot long run of base cabinets on that wall and they are all installed. Each of the four base cabinets has been leveled and attached to the wall (with shims & a thin eleven foot long ledger). Then the cabinets were then screwed together and the toe kick was scribed to the floor and secured. The subcounter plywood has been attached with screws, but our granite fabricator will not install if any cabinets are moved (he's already templated and our slabs are due for installation on the 18th of this month). Furthermore, the end panel has been scribed to the wall and attached; if we pull base cabinets further from the wall, we'd need to order a new end panel (custom made in Seattle - six week lead time minimum).

Regarding the diagram in the Gaggenau guide and the cutout they require at the top rear of the cabinet: wouldn't that take away too much of the support needed for the granite countertop, specifically the thin portion behind the cooktop? It just seems so unrealistic. We've considered drilling holes in the sides of the cabinets to allow air to be drawn from the cabinets on either side of the cooktop - what do you think about that idea?

Regarding the drawers: we don't have a top drawer, just a false front. The two bottom drawers of the cooktop base cabinet will store pots and pans. Hopefully this arrangement will help with air flow.

Dear wa8b,

Eight weeks!?! When did you order your Wolf induction and take delivery?

I ordered & paid in full on March 31, 2009 and asked for delivery by mid-July. As of September, they still couldn't get a unit for me. They strung me along month to month, promising to get me a unit and then failing to delivery. Our inspection deadline was October 9th and without a cooktop we had to file for an extension. I'm furious with Wolf/Subzero - their totally let me down and never even offered an apology!

For anyone who's interested, the full details are below. Either way, we are now trying to finish our project with the Gaggenau unit and could really use some help in trying to find a way to modify our cabinets to fulfill the air flow requirements. Gaggenau has not been helpful at all and my designer is on vacation. I'm on my own and begging for help!

We originally purchased our appliances (SubZero fridge & 36" Wolf gas cooktop) on November 29, 2007 (paid in full). After what seemed like an endless setback to our project (whole house taken down to studs, large portions of roof removed, opened giant can of worms, try to remain calm and hold back tears, hire numerous consultants to find way to correct giant can of worms, resume work, dry tears and move on) we resumed work in early 2009, and after staying in constant contact with our appliance dealer, we decided to upgrade our cooktop to an induction unit and upgrade our SubZero to the newer model. All along, we were of course told that Wolf/SubZero never discounts and never offers rebates. We were never told that the 36" induction unit was on backorder. So on March 31, 2009, we paid (in full) for our upgraded appliances (since they were more expensive, our salesman was happy to change our order) and also purchased a 36" Wolf wall hood and blower. All told, we spent $14,955.00 on Wolf & SubZero appliances, not including tax. (We also purchased an Asko dishwasher ($1249 pre-tax) from this same salesman. Our Miele double oven, washer & dryer were purchased elsewhere, as the SubZero/Wolf dealer we worked with didnt carry Miele products).

At this time, we were made it clear to our salesman that we needed our appliances the first week of July and we were told "no problem." When July rolled around, we were told the induction units were backordered and that they wouldn't be able to get me one until August, September at the latest. When August arrived, I called my dealer only to be told that IÂd have my unit in sometime in September. On September 1st, I called my dealer and was told the units still werenÂt available and that they might be able to fill my order in October. I reminded him about my October 9th inspection deadline and he said heÂd see what he could do. He called back offering me the use of his Thermadore display model (just to pass inspection), but I reminded him that the cutouts werenÂt the same and that would affect my countertop templates. He agreed, and told me heÂd try to call the distributor again but had no luck. He advised me to call the distributor directly, as well as Wolf/SubZero customer service. When I called Riggs Distributing, they refused to speak to me, saying that I had to work through my dealer. I called Wolf customer service and relayed my situation (paid in full, waiting five months, purchased close to $15,000 worth of products, our inspection needed to be signed off by October 9th, etc. ). They gave me nothing but lip service. Wolf customer service said they had no control over the actions of their distributors, but that they would contact my distributor to see if they could expedite my induction unit. I never received a call back from Wolf/SubZero customer service and never received a call from the distributor. I had to call my salesman to find out if the distributor, Riggs, had contacted him, only to be told that Riggs told him "absolutely no units were available anywhere in the country."

What a load of crap! I called the Westye Group, distributor for much of the country, and was told by a very nice woman there, who wished to stay anonymous, that a customer in southern California had gone through something very similar, but that she managed to get her 36" unit in July (after waiting three months) was because she contacted the president of SubZero in Madison, Wisconsin. The Westye Group rep suggested I do the same. I tried and he never returned my calls. I again tried relaying my situation through Wolf/SubZero customer service and never received any email nor phone replies. They completely ignored me.

At the same time, I was searching for display models and found one at another retailer located in my area. I asked Wolf customer service if there was any way they could help me borrow that unit just to help us pass inspection. They refused, claiming they could only work with what my retailer had on display (nothing). Totally exasperated, I demanded a refund and found a Gaggenau unit at another retailer, available immediately. I purchased it and now am trying to figure out how to modify my cabinets for the Gaggenau ventilation requirements. And yes, we had to apply for yet another permit extension due to this fiasco!

Sorry for the lengthy reply, but I wanted to get the facts out in the open so others might learn from my experiences. I also apologize for the exasperated venting, but I am so angry at Wolf/SubZero and Riggs Distributing. IMHO, they have no business taking orders they knowingly canÂt fulfill. They gladly took our money, held onto it for six months and strung us along month to month without even so much as an apology. To make matters even worse, one day after I made my purchase, Wolf/SubZero/Riggs Distributing began offering substantial rebates! I contacted my salesman and sure enough, I was told there was nothing he could do. Nice.

So back to the point, I need to modify my cabinets, Gaggenau has been completely unhelpful and my designer is on vacation. IÂm on my own and begging for help.

In another document, they said that the unit's blower is on the bottom and implied this was an inlet ('keep paper away'). My guess is that the unit exhausts out the back which is why they want that warm air to go back to the wall and down the back of the cabinet.

don't worry about the cutout and the stone, unless you plan on putting a couple hundred pounds of stuff behind the cooktop. It this does bother you, then cut two knotches each of about 16" leaving a 1"-2" bit sticking up in the middle to support the stone.

BTW: when I suggested pulling this one cabinet from the wall, I meant temporarily so the carpenter could knotch both the cabinet and the 'ledger'. He would then put that cabinet back where it was.

weedmeister-

So sorry I misunderstood. We're trying to find a way to solve this without having to move cabinets.

Which document are you referring to? I only have the Gagg book titled "Models and Dimension." My induction unit is discussed on pages 77-78 (page 78 outlines the air flow requirement and was never available online).

A very nice person posted a link to manual for the newest model online at the kitchen forum (I also posted there), and the diagrams for the newest Gagg model are much easier to read, but the requirements still seem impossible to implement. If I had known about these air flow requirements, I would have never purchased the Gagg. And believe me, I certainly tried to read everything available, but their website sucks and their customer service sucks and I'm at the end of my rope.

Thanks for responding. What did you think of our idea for drilling air holes in the sides of the cabinets in order to allow air flow between the cabinets on either side of the cooktop base cabinet? Do you think that would help?

The installation manual and the Use and Care guide. The installation manual is in several languages but there are pictures up front. I glanced at the U&C guide so I don't remember where I saw in it about the underside vent. It had to do with clearance to any drawer underneath.

I think this link will take you to the page for the 36" units. Go to 'Downloads' tab and select Manuals. A page will pop up (allow popups?). Pick any document listed as EN for English. YOu may have to look a bit for for the installation guide. The model doesn't matter that much this discussion since we're talking about venting.

Ok. I'm picturing in my mind a set of cabinets screwed to the wall and each other, but otherwise open at the top (no counters yet). Are you saying that the installers have already put a piece of plywood on top (for the granite)? Has it been cut out for the cooktop?

I think you're going to need to put in that top rear knotch. If you can't knotch it because a plywood top is already installed, drill holes from the inside. You can also add some at the bottom, but the idea is to give the exhaust air from the unit some place to go.

Regarding our cabinets: the boxes have full 3/4 inch tops, bottoms, back and sides. Then, on top of the 3/4 inch thick cabinet top (some have called it a dust cover), there is another layer of 3/4 inch thick plywood that is screwed into the tops of the cabinets, further securing them together, for a total thickness of 1.5 inches (overkill - I know). This top layer has a finished walnut front edge that our cabinet maker (Henrybuilt) refers to as a subcounter trim. The cabinets are designed such that the countertops are simply 3/4 inch thick material, no laminated edges. Instead of hiding the subcounter plywood with a laminated edge, they've finished the edge detail. It's complicated. And yes, we've already made the cut out for the cooktop.

I agree that we're probably going to have to drill holes such that our lovely cabinet boxes look like swiss cheese.

Thank you so much for your input - you're keeping me sane and I appreciate it. If you look at the Henrybuilt website, what I described will be easier to picture.

I'm going to go try to download again - thanks again!

I've installed Gaggenau stuff before and this post made me curious as I've always found what I needed.
If you go to the downloads page they have a link called planning notes. When I opened the link They have an illustration showing vents in the cabinet

Well, not Swiss cheese so much, just some vent holes. I would suggest a line of 1" holes at the back toward the top, and some holes through the bottom (downward).

BTW: any cooktop that vents like this would have the same issues for ventilation. Electrolux sits high on the counter for this reason and vents around the edges.

Those are beautiful cabinets.

Dear Weedmeister,

You're absolutely right - the swiss cheese comment was my frustration talking. What you described is exactly what my carpenter suggested.

Interestingly enough, the Wolf planning guides never once mentioned anything about air flow requirements. I remember asking my designer back in the planning stages and she checked too. Strange.

Thank you. We're very happy with our cabinets (exactly the look I wanted). My carpenter/installer loves them; he said they're the most well constructed cabinets he's ever encountered.

Your kind words and support have been priceless. Thank you for helping me get through this.