Countertop Measurement /Applied Panels and Mouldings

Yesterday the countertop contractor field measured the walls and base cabinets in a very unique way. He used a laser beam light that was reflected on metal plates strategically located on the wainscot walls and in the front top lip of the base cabinets. I have never witnessed this procedure personally, but have seen it on "This Old House" programs. The older method I remember was that a cardboard template was made and the counters were fabricated from the template. This newer method is more accurate for determining the wall surfaces. These captured laser points are then recorded in the mounted receiver unit and this info is then sent to the quartz plant in Indiana.
The remaining wood top and botttom moulding installation is almost completed.

Top moulding installation being completed


Wood moulding being fitted and applied to cabinet
bottom

Laser beam unit and computer setup on the tripod for the countertop measurements


Laser beam reflected on the metal plate and wall


Measurements by hand as well as digital pics are taken
to double check all conditions

Closure piece between wall cabinets cut and inserted

Finished applied end panels then installed to look like
doors

Installation of Remaining Cabinets - Adding Trim Mouldings

Yesterday and today the contractor continued with the installation of the remainder of the kitchen and dining room cabinets, along with the wood moulding trims that will run the entire top and bottom of the upper cabinets. The living room side went pretty smoothly, but the dining room wall side was a little more difficult, being that the wall was not perfectly level in both the horizontal and vertical planes. In the end though, the cabinet installation is coming out almost perfect and we are very pleased on how they look.
Tomorrow the cabinets will measured for the quartz countertops and the rest of the cabinet mouldings installed. Thursday the exposed wood floor area in the living room where the base cabinet was located will be refinished to match the existing floor.
We did not want the whole floor area to be refinished because of the mess it creates......we are hoping that it can be matched as close as possible.

The oven cabinet in place


A plywood and stud wall projection to receive the end
wall cabinets return closure panels


Wall cabinets above cooktop and oven cabinet beyond

Dining room cabinets being leveled and anchored to the wall

Dining Room wall cabinets with glass paneled doors

Installing the kitchen cabinets on the dining room wall

The existing wall base and moulding are being removed for
preparation of the new wall cabinets in the dining room

The base units being installed on the
dining room side

The coming together of the dining room base cabinet
with the kitchen base cabinet

Corner detail with base cabinet units almost finished
between the dining room and kitchen


Contractor installing the top wood mouldings

The upper moulding applied on top of the cabinets and
refrigerator enclosure


Corner detail view with applied upper moulding on top of
the cabinet. The same moulding detail also will be applied
at the bottom of the cabinet.

Finally It's Looking Like A Kitchen

The contractor today had to plumb up the dining room wall....sort of twisting also.
Since the prefinished floor was back ordered and we wanted to continue with the work, we decided to put plywood under the base cabinets, the thickness being the same as the finished floor between them. Normally the finished floor is installed first from wall to wall before the base cabinets are installed. Seems to me that your paying for flooring that you will never see, unless you make changes down the line. We are hoping that all the cabinetry will be in by next Wednesday and the countertop contractor installing the quartz counters can measure for fabrication, which will be done in the manufacturer's main plant located in Indiana and they said that would be 14 working days for that process.


The dining room wall was not plumb and level
and was also twisting. The contractor set up some
bracing so he could fairly level the wall for the new
cabinetry


The dining room wall brace stud went
thru the floor and was rebraced to the
floor joist to adjust the twisting
of the wall

Guess what folks, the first piece of
cabinetry is being installed..... the
finished tall enclosure panel enclosing
the refrigerator. Got to get out and
enjoy the day, so I decided to go for
an afternoon swim at our local pool




The dishwasher, sink, microwave base and wall
cabinets along with one of the tall panels for the
recessed refrigerator were installed while I was out
swimming at the pool and about 3 hours later this is
what was installed....everything nice and level

Preparing Floor and Priming Walls

Yesterday the existing kitchen vinyl tiles along with the plywood underlayment and wood sleepers were removed. Concrete was formed for the closure of the outside exhaust duct opening.
Today new 3/4" plywood underlayment was installed for the new prefinished tongue and groove oak flooring. Tomorrow the installation of the kitchen cabinets begins.



The outside duct enclosure was formed up and
fast setting concrete was poured


The contractor is removing the existing kitchen
flooring, plywood underlayment and wood sleepers



Making sure that the subfloor is level




New 3/4" plywood underlayment glued and screw
fastened to the existing subfloor.

The new plywood floor had to be cut for the existing
conduit feed running on the subfloor to the cooktop wall



Contractor priming the walls


Walls ready for cabinetry and or paint

Drywall Patching

Yesterday we passed village inspection and today the walls were closed up and patched with new drywall. The existing wallcovering was removed around the kitchen wall area and patched and ready for paint primer.


Drywall subs measuring and closing
up the interior kitchen walls


Closing up the exhaust duct wall

Contractor washing down the walls
after the wallpaper was removed


Wallpaper came off very easily from
the walls....thank goodness


Closing up the plumbing wall



Papering and joint compound for a
smooth finish


Contractor closing off the outside area around
the exhaust duct penetration thru the
crawl space and foundation wall. Area to be
filled in with concrete.


Plumbing wall taped and sanded

Oven wall taped and sanded

Walls ready for cabinetry and paint primer

Kitchen Exhaust Vent

Thursday the existing ventilation ductwork was removed and new ductwork was installed down through the floor, into the crawlspace and to the outside.

The building department will be making an inspection for the plumbing, electrical and ventilation on Monday before the walls are to be closed up with new drywall.



New ductwork in kitchen.


Ductwork down through the kitchen floor


Had to revise the existing water supply line
in the basement to accommodate the new
duct.

New duct going into crawl space.


Contractor working in the crawlspace looked
like fun.....right.


Duct in crawl space


The end of the line...out through the
existing crawl space vent to the out-
side.