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Kitchens Design Dilemma

is this cabinet gap normal?

last month

I just had a custom kitchen done. I’m wondering if the gap between the cabinet doors in the center is normal? I feel like they should be closer and the doors are millimeters too small in the width? The contractor is telling me this is normal but my previous cabinet doors didn’t have a gap like that. Thoughts?

Featured Answer

PRO

HALLETT & Co.

last month

The light is enhancing the gap. With the lights off are the gaps between the doors consistent? How wide are they? 3/16” is pretty typical, wider on some brands. Any gap will look huge with lights behind it. You might want to add a vertical divider to block the light

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Comments (12)

PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
last month
Ask your cabinet guy if the doors can be adjusted left/right to minimize the light gap.
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@chispa is dead on - these guys are amateurs and hacks. I circled in yellow something you didn't point out. They can't even seem to get an outside miter correct. And no, slamming caulk in that joint is NOT an appropriate fix. The best, most stable and professional way to have made this miter would be: - cut to the appropriate angles - which are almost never 45 degrees - use the touch up stick on the raw inner edges of the miter cut - glue and pin nail the joint - immediately wipe off any excess glue that seeps out the joint Here's what an outside miter should look like - this is my own kitchen install - done by me, a DIYer. This is in an 83 year old home. I also routed and miter returned my own window stool (i.e., sill). I've never done this before. But this is how a miter should look. I don't post to brag, but rather to point out that your professionals are anything but . . . . An no, the gap between your ceiling and upper is not "faint". There are lots of ways to deal with an uneven ceiling. At a minimum, scribing the upper trim should have been done. A skilled finish carpenter and cabinet installer needs to use very little, if any caulk. Here's the challenge, I don't believe these guys have the necessary skill set. They clearly have no pride in their work. I wouldn't accept this shoddy work on a $500 job let alone one that's $50K.
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Comments (26)
Thanks Nancy, I did. Is this something I can do myself? It appears that they used some sort of caulking type material instead of shims. Most of the cabinets are sitting fine, but for some reason that end cabinet isn't. It must be due to the fact that it was cut down from a 12". To those of you going over how to do it properly, it's too late to tear anything out, so I am just going to work with what I have. The floor under the cabinets is tile, so it would be difficult to get anything to sit perfectly. I will definitely use a contractor if I ever have another kitchen done. The cabinet installer was very highly rated, but apparently that wasn't accurate. Same for the countertops. This was in a small back house, so a contractor seemed overkill. You live and you learn. Thanks everyone for your help.
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Miele dishwashers (at least mine) are intended to be blocked as much as possible all around to minimize noise. There is even a rubber skirt at the bottom to drag onto the floor. I think you can safely block up to the level needed for door opening clearance. What does it say about the trim in the installation guide?
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@Jo Reno the job of baseboard, moulding, whatever aesthetically is to provide a transition. Typical used in a more traditional home. In a modern home it is possible to go "naked". But the meeting of floor and wall had better be damn good quality workmanship. Functionally it can help protect the wall from the dings and scratches associated with cleaning and maybe some aspects of living. In a bathroom, there is no functional need between a tile floor and tile wall or half wall. In my sort of traditional bathroom with stone floor and some tile some painted walls, and having a desire to make the room feel longer, I used the edge of countertop material cut as a baseboard even into the shower. The top edge did get caulking (which I agree is standard). And by the way, I have never seen an absolute straight wall in any of my homes. That's why these craftsmen should be appreciated. The miracles many of them perform...
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PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last month
Your contractor is correct. Depending upon the quality of your hinges, it may be possible to narrow the gap easily.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last month
The divider is a good idea but that gap is pretty normal and if he used the right hinges they can be adjusted a bit but remember if those doors are wood they will expand and contract and need a bit of breathing room
PRO
Norwood Architects
last month
Will agree with other posters that the abundance of lighting is making the condition worse but IMO the center gap is just too large and should be adjusted.
HU-18205843
last month
You'd never notice it if the interiors were the correct matching exterior color, and you didn't have the light glaring off that white interior. Why were the interiors not ordered with the color matching the exterior? Needs a dust strip/T astragal to disguise the issue. But I’d still want the matching interior. Or at least a delibetate color contrast, rather than white melamine.
PRO
The Kitchen Place
last month
agree with all the above. But I actually like the white box interior....probably standard too and saved $$$. Finished interiors are expensive. The white also provides a nice contrast that shows the shape of the elliptical mullions very nicely.
PRO
JAN MOYER
last month
The only time the lights will be on is when you're entertaining. The novelty of lit cabinets wears off in a hurry. It will become part of the "landscaping" and nobody, not even you will be focused on it.
John Liu
last month
A strip of felt on one or both door edges will block the light, without any fuss. Adjusting the hinges could help, or could create light leaks on the hinge side of the doors, or cause the doors to bang into each other and chip paint.
Kendrah
last month
I'm a stickler. It would drive me nuts.
3onthetree
last month
Since the double doors have no box frame behind it (vs the outer two single door cabinets), you must have a gap there in order for the doors to open/shut. You will always see the gap when the light behind it is on. An astragal is what the vertical piece is called you place behind one door to block the light. Felt would be messy and noticeable.
Joanna
Original Author
22 days ago
Astragal! I learned a new word. Thanks!

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