Cabinet toe kick

Most all kitchen cabinets I've seen or used have the toe kick on the front only.  That way all the weight of top and contents go straight to the floor.  The smaller box you describe puts all the weight stress on the box floor and its joins with the sides and back.

Mark Mandell wrote:

Most all kitchen cabinets I've seen or used have the toe kick on the front only.  That way all the weight of top and contents go straight to the floor.  The smaller box you describe puts all the weight stress on the box floor and its joins with the sides and back.

I think you misunderstood me or I didn't explain it correctly.  I have a normal size cabinet box minus the extra 4 inches for the area under the bottom.  

I was thinking I could make a frame that goes under the box that would be 4 inches shorter from the front, but go down each side and across the back as if it was built that way.  

I figured I could make it the length of the cabinet run with dividers where the cabinet sides will land and along the back so it supports the cabinet the same way.

I could level it and secure it, then add the cabinets on top of it and screw it into the frame under it.

I hope that makes sense.  

Mike

Perhaps 40 years ago I read an article suggesting just this approach.  Makes leveling a run of several cabinets a one-time process and simplifies building the cabinet box.

Most of the professional shops I worked at used the separate base method you are considering. For long runs of cabinets one or two base units would support all the cabinet boxes. The important thing is to support the weight of the cabinets using crosspieces located under the cabinet sides. After all the bases are levelled up and screwed to the floor a finished face covers the front of the bases. Solid stock instead of plywood for the faces provides better wear resistance at the floor but veneered plywood can be used--it depends partly on budget.

Thanks all.  I think this will make this go faster for me at least.

We did a number of cabinets the way you describe and it worked well.  We started doing it because it made it possible to install tall pantry type cabinets or oven enclosures.  You can install and 92" tall cabinet on a 4" base under an 8' ceiling but you have to assemble a 96" cabinet in the room.