Kitchen soffit removal

[Briolat21]

Originally Posted by eddiehaskell

For me the top shelf in a 42" cabinet is useless for anything other than storing things that are never used. I guess it's kinda good to have though. If you have 8 foot ceilings check how level your ceiling is before running the cabinets to the ceiling. A soffit can hide an uneven ceiling.

that's why super-thin step stools were invented!!



I can't reach the top 3 shelves in my cabinets without the step stool. Still easier to have the stuff within stepstool distance, than having to walk into the basement to pull the item out of long-term storage..

[nybbler]

Originally Posted by rrtechno

Also, years ago we were doing painting to supplement our income. We were painting a kitchen that had no soffits and had to spend an entire day cleaning the area above the cabinets just to get it ready for paint.

If you run the cabinets to the ceiling you don't have that problem.

[eddiehaskell]

I see a lot of people that like open space above the cabinets for displaying stuff, but it seems like a dust catcher and place for the random flying insect to die.

[gentlearts]

I am sorry the former owners did not remove the soffits in my house, because the upper cabinets in my kitchen are too low for taller people. I know there is wiring, and not sure what else, in the soffit, so they went the cheaper, lazier way.

[hotzcatz]

Our 'new' house came with soffits. This is where we started, this picture was taken during the walk through with the Realtor.



We'd not really planned on doing away with the soffits, but the new refrigerator was too big to fit where the old one had been and the cabinets had to be moved up to make room for the fridge.

The soffits had been put across the window trim, too. It was original installation that way, the trim inside the soffit had never been painted. This is Hawaii, we don't have HVAC or other things hiding in soffits, there weren't even any lights in them. A lot of dirt, dust and a gecko skeleton. Ick!



I think it's better with no soffits, although I've still not managed doors yet to cover the holes where the soffits used to be. I'm now thinking for better ventilation, it might be nice to have a curtain across them instead. That would also be a quick and easy fix, too.

[Noccidoggo]

I didn't even know what a soffit was, so I googled it and came up with this link, if it's any help.

10 Ways to Disguise a Kitchen Soffit