Frameless Cabinets....base or legs?

[Tom McGrath]

Hi- I'm using Danny Proulx's Frameless cabinet book and have a question. In the book, Danny uses adjustable legs for his base cabinets with an attachable toe kick. I think I'd prefer to just build a traditional base. My home is 16 years old and the floors and walls are fairly flat and square. Any thoughts/experience you may have on using a base vs. legs is much appreciated. Thanks. Tom in KY.

[Gene Davis]

We've used a lot of legs, specifically the Blums. See attached pic. This shows the type we always use, with the top sockets that screw-mount to your basecab deck bottom sides.

The leveling feature is easy to use, the legs are robust, and the pop-on toeboard clips are wonderful. We would never consider any other means of setting base cabinets.

[Jerry Miner]

I'm a bit of a traditionalist. I always set my bases on "ladder-frame" toe-kick bases. I can see that the legs could be useful, though. Builder's choice, I think. Both systems work.

Gene-- do you attach the clips to the kick while the unit is on it's back on the bench (so you can access everything)?

[Gene Davis]

With those Blum legs, the toe boards are measured for and cut after basecabs installation is complete. One just lays a toeboard along the floor and marks where the leg clips are to go right off the leg feet locations. Precision not needed, as the clips permit adjustment. Then the clips are screwed to the backside of the toe boards, and the boards are snapped on. Click!

The pic I posted shows the clip engaged to the leg. Clips are available as screw-on type (which I like) or with double sided tape.

A nice benefit one gets with snapped-on toe boards is that the boards snap off readily and give one a nice secret storage place for anything at all one can fit there.

Let's think. What kind of stuff might one hide in a space about 3-3/4 inches high? Do burglars quickly go to one's kitchens and baths and snap off all the toekicks?

[John Roth]

My hesitation in using legs is a worry about the strength of the unit. The legs support the bottom, while a traditional ladder base supports the bottom and the sides. The sides carry all of the load, of course, including the weight of the countertop, people sitting on the countertop, etc. With legs, the only thing carrying the weight are the screws holding the sides to the base; with a traditional base, the load goes straight to the floor. I have had pretty good luck leveling the bases, then dropping the cabinets on and securing them with a couple of screws.

[Jerry Hankins]

Europeans and Canadian Mfg's big on the legs. Personally prefer conventional build with 34.5" sides to floor. Level, shim, add toekick. Sure the legs are perhaps quicker for install. One CDN company we used to sell used plastic legs. I thought they were cheap and sometimes easily snapped during install - often when moving/sliding. Again, prefer 'Ols School'.

[Robert Engel]

What Gene ^ said. It can be useful to be able to remove the base, for example when we decided to put a wall oven in the base it was easy to run the power.

There is no issue with support. We have granite countertops no problems.

Word of caution: Be sure bases are removed when installing floor. Have the floor installer extend flooring to about 1/4" of the legs.

[Victor Robinson]

I really like the adjustable style legs, but any comments regarding toe kick drawers? They seem like they would be easier to implement with a ladder-style base, but would certainly complicate the layout/building of the base.

[Robert Engel]

I really like the adjustable style legs, but any comments regarding toe kick drawers? They seem like they would be easier to implement with a ladder-style base, but would certainly complicate the layout/building of the base.

Yes that would. Curious why you would you want them?

[Victor Robinson]

Yes that would. Curious why you would you want them?

I'm not sure if I'd personally want them, but they seem to be all the rage in "smart" kitchen design. My wife really really likes the idea for storage of things like baking sheets/racks (which she has a ton of), textiles such as placemats, cleaning supplies, pet bowls, small stepladder, even pull out steps for kids at sink, etc. I can see how it's a fair amount of additional storage if added kitchen-wide and will probably be forced to implement in our next kitchen. Anyways, don't mean to hijack the thread, just a major consideration with respect to base cab support. But I'd imagine it turns what would otherwise be a slap-together 2x4 support into something much more precise and planned/designed as part of the cabinet layout.