Problem with cabinet installed 5 years ago - thoughts?
Back in 2010 I did a kitchen remodel using Bookhaven frameless cabinets. The dealer I purchased the cabinets from did the install and we were very happy with the quality of their work. About a week ago, I noticed the bottom side of one cabinet to the right of my sink seemed to be bowing out, and it looks like the veneer may be starting to separate on the edge. Here is a picture, but it the problem is not as obvious in the picture as it is in person.
Both my husband ( who is an engineer) & I are stumped by this - although the bottom edge of the cabinet box is bowing outward (toward the sink opening), from the inside and underneath it does not appear to be separating from the base of the cabinet. There does not appear to be any other place on the cabinet that looks out of whack. Looking from underneath, everything looks perfectly tight. BUT, DH did notice there is a a metal bracket attached to the underside which is screwed into the side and the base at the front edge. We never noticed this bracket before because we have recessed bottoms. None of the other cabinets have this bracket.
I can't believe this was the way it looked when the cabinets were first installed. I spent over a year here on the site before the remodel and was quite TKO at the time (still am). Its seems inconcievable that this could have gone unnoticed for 5 years.
Replacing the cabinet box will be a problem considering the backsplash and crown will be affected and also because the cabinets are natural cherry which have darkened over time so a new box won't match.
I tried to contact Brookhaven directly since the dealer/installer I used is no longer a Brookhaven dealer. I sent an email to the regional rep listed on their website, but a week later I have not had any response. The only other contact information I can find for Brookhaven is a mailing address. I expect they will just say it is an install issue anyway. And even if they replace the box, their waranty does not cover the labor cost which will likley be more costly than the cabinet box.
I'm not sure it was an install issue - the only reason for the installer to attach a bracket/brace there would be if they dropped the cabinet and it started to come apart - in which case there would have been some damage to the cabinet edges and there is not. I have put in a call to the installer dealer in the hope that they will come out and look at the problem, but since they are no longer a Woodmode/Brookhaven dealer I don't know what their repsonse will be.
I am hoping one of the pros here (or anyone else) may have some insight into what "likely" caused this problem and/or what can/should be done to correct it or at least keep it from getting worse.
Comments (16)
numbersjunkie
8 years agoRelated Discussions
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8 years agonumbersjunkie
8 years agonumbersjunkie
8 years agoHere is a pic of the bracket/brace we found, but the picture really doesn't show anything else going on underneath. It connects the side panel to the front frame on the cabinet that creates the recessed bottom. The gap between the wood support bar you see and the side is the same on all of the other cabinets.
We checked the cabinet with a level, and it does show the left edge to be ever so slightly off.
The cabinet door is ever so slightly off in the other direction, but it lines up perfectly with the right side door.
Finally, here is a picture of the entire area if it helps.
I'm now thinking that perhaps the installer installed the cabinets on each side of the sink first, then when he hung the lift up cabinet over the sink, the spacing was off just at tad and so when he connected it to the right side he "pulled" on the box of the right cabinet, and it started to come apart. He then added the bracket/brace to "correct" the problem. Of course, I have no way to know for sure.But assuming that is the case, and it was an install issue, what can/should be done at this point? I'm assuming that this problem will only get worse over time. I'm pretty sure Brookhaven (if they ever bother respond to my email) would look at it conclude that it was an install problem. And since the company that did the install is no longer a Brookhaven dealer, Brookhaven would not have any influence over the dealer to make any corrections. I'm not sure if there is anything that can be done to correct the problem and keep it from getting worse over time - without ripping everything out and reinstalling? So I have no idea what my next step should be. I'm afraid if we hire a third party to try to make repairs, things might go from bad to worse. Suggestions welcome!
a2gemini
8 years agoUser
8 years agoci_lantro
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
mama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years agonumbersjunkie
8 years agoNo coffee maker on the counter there. Brookhaven cabinet boxes are "furniture quality particleboard", but all exposed edges - including the back underside edge are covered in veneer.
So I took mama goose's advice and looked back at the pics I had taken when the kitchen was first finished, and once I zoom in,gosh darn if it doesn't look the same! The pics seem to show the exposed edge of the cabinet frame on that right side and it does appear to get slightly wider at the bottom. I still can't believe that I just noticed it after 5 years!
I still think there is something wrong because of the bracket and the fact that the frame is slightly exposed on that side of the sink and appears more so at the bottom than the top, but if its always been that way I guess I shouldn't worry so much about it just showing up now and getting worse over time. Or maybe it has gotten worse - even if only slightly - and that's why I am just noticing now. I sure hope it turns out that I was just acting crazy!Thank's to everyone who posted and especially to mamagoose for suggesting I look back for old photos. To be honest, I didn't think I had any that would give a good enough view of the area in question, but the zoom feature worked well enough.
PROJoseph Corlett, LLC
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
cpartist