(this was done since the Sektion cabinets are 15" deep) The microwave was installed to the bottom of the top cabinet, just like you would if it were over the range. Includes tips and lessons learned – and the one time we don’t want you to follow the recommendations. And while many bloggers will advise you to install a microwave in your kitchen cabinets, we strongly advise against it. Okay, so we decided on 38 inches and then added another 1/2 inch because the directions seemed to indicate it was needed for installation or something. Feb 11, 2015 - Expert, easy-to-follow advice on how to install a microwave drawer in your kitchen. Hook the lower edge of the microwave onto the wall bracket, then tilt the unit so its back is flush against the wall. Matthew Vecera is a gifted procrastinator. The easily accessible microwave oven under the counter is a good example of universal design at work. Tres leches ca, With #ValentinesDay right around the corner, we ar, Our Air Purifiers with Plasmacluster Ion Technolog, Happy #NationalPizzaDay! There was 1/4 inch space created by the wood backing of the upper cabinet left after cutting out the bottom. :), Hi and welcome to Simply Better Living – a blog created for you to explore topics around the air you breathe, the food you eat and the drink you drink. Can I ask how exactly you reattached the shelf so that it was secure enough to support the weight of the microwave? Thank you for this! He also cut out 3 panels to put in glass. My husband would be glad to give you any tips about it. My husband is pretty hand, he’s an electrician so I don’t worry that he can’t do it. If we put the microwave in a cabinet below, can’t we have the best of both worlds? After measuring with our pots, I knew I needed the bottom of the microwave to be 22 inches from the stove top to easily remove jars from a canner, for a total of 38 inches from the top of the stove to the top of the microwave. Fixing it to the wall 5. Follow these steps to retrofit a cabinet for a microwave and then install it over your stove to gain counter space and usability in your kitchen. If your microwave sticks out from your cabinets, record how far it does. He used an electrical box we had that was bright blue, spray painted it white so it would blend, hooked it up, and then attached a white switch plate. In my book it’s better than being too low, because I use the stove A LOT more than the microwave. i think i am good to go now thanks a lot yours looks great by the way. Make a mark at this spot. 9. You could also do the cabinets in bead board and do something else for the back splash. Trim kits make it possible to install certain countertop microwaves into a cabinet opening and achieve a built-in look. Tighten the bolts to secure the microwave onto the cabinet bottom. The shelf didn’t support the microwave – the metal mounting bar on the wall does. view If you go the latter route, place your microwave on a drawer for ease of use. amzn_assoc_linkid = "1d8ec6bbf24b76e8b3f1ee28456bc947"; Measure the distance between this mark and the floor, and the top of your range, to make sure that the microwave will be situated within the acceptable height range. This is the most affordable option for a built-in microwave. Follow these steps to retrofit a cabinet for a microwave and then install it over your stove to gain counter space and usability in your kitchen. I’m pretty sure the directions for installing the microwave will include connecting the existing vent, since that’s what most people have. It is not a secret that a countertop microwave eliminates a great deal of countertop space that would normally be a canvas for rolling dough. With the microwave oven near the opening, plug the microwave oven into the grounded 3 prong outlet. Here are 10 ideas on how you can save space and install your microwave oven under the kitchen counter. Hope that helps! This 24 inch Microwave DrawerTM offers flexible placement options below an island, peninsula or standard cabinetry, or can be installed below your wall oven. How To Retrofit A Cabinet For A Microwave. Your email address will not be published. Cabinet Alterations. So with cabinet hung, we put the microwave in place and plugged it into the outlet that our electrician put in when he was here about a month ago (more on that here). That’s a full 8 inches difference. (Spoiler: it wasn’t.). really glad you posted this i have done this before it has been several years ago and a cabinet man did my cabinets but i am not redoing my cabinets this time just putting in the microwave and i was looking for a refresher coarse. With oven-to-table quality ceramic turntable platter, the Sharp Matte Black Carousel Convection Microwave Oven is a simple, safe, microwave oven that can be built into your cabinets. Copyright Note: While the copyright at the bottom of the page covers everything on An Oregon Cottage, permission is not required to use one image and no more than 2 lines of text IF you clearly provide a DIRECT LINK back to this source wherever the image appears. We live in a tract home/cottage wanna be. In our opinion, the extra distance is negligible. The holes indicates the microwave oven is a mountable model. I would not have been able to lift the lid of my stockpot like I showed in the earlier photo, and can you imagine trying to lift jars out of a canner? Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Our hope is that this page serves as a fresh resource and authentic community for you. How to install a microwave 12 steps with pictures wikihow how to install an over the range microwave and remove old one kitchen update part 5 installing the whirlpool microwave range how to install a vented microwave oven kitchen update part 5 installing the whirlpool microwave range under cabinet mounted microwave with images countertop. Why won’t it go in?” And removing one of the L-brackets like I mentioned. Thank you for sharing…our project is very much like this and we’ve just been scratching our heads trying to think what to do. Our old one vented out the top, through the cupboard. So glad you posted this, it was so nice to see it be done. Disclaimer: All content provided on An Oregon Cottage is for informational purposes only. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; Remove any finish pieces (ours had a 1 x 2 finish piece across the front). Connect appliance to existing utility connections behind appliance. ... Trimkits usa how to install microwave under kitchen counter eatwell101 installing an over the range microwave with vent fan types of microwaves the home depot installing over the range microwave eatwell101 diy microwave stand in kitchen. (Please ignore how awful the wall looks – it’s never meant to be seen…). It is better to be safe than sorry in our book, so we recommend leaving your countertop microwave where it belongs. Looking into doing this in our kitchen as well. In fact, there is even an optional stainless steel trim kit for a modern design. I’d probably do the same thing, but just make a wood cover for the vent pipe to hide it. Then plug it in to the electrical box before mounting on the wall. Did you know our Superhea, Sharp Matte Black Carousel Convection Microwave Oven, SHARP CAROUSEL COUNTERTOP MICROWAVE OVEN 0.7 CU. Today, we’ll do the opposite way: installing the microwave oven under the counter. Home » Easy DIY » Real Life Remodeling » How To Retrofit A Cabinet For A Microwave. Some links in this article are affiliate links and if you click on them I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Getting the microwave off the counter allowed us to have a coffee station in a more convenient area and gave me more room for bigger cooking projects like canning. Keep your scraps! Skip adding the 2-by-4-inch wood board under the cabinet. - Peter, 1.800.BE.SHARP   |  Privacy Policy   |  Terms and Conditions, Working from home + homeschooling + cooking 3 meal, How many #bananabreads have you baked in the past, As talented as we are in the #kitchen, sometimes w, Incorporating more veggies into your meal is alway, This coastal #kitchen by @colmarkitchenstudio remi, Using our induction cooktops not only cooks food m, Baking with #steam is essential when it comes to #, A long weekend AND a #SALE? You might want to consider this product for doing your back splash. Installing a microwave oven over a range typically involves installing a dedicated 120 volt 20 amp circuit, and placing a receptacle outlet in the upper cabinet above the range. I was grateful for this every time I lifted the lid to my stockpot. A microwave oven, designed exclusively for a kitchen countertop, has vents that are built into the back of microwave. Once you determine the height you want, use simple L-brackets to re-mount the cabinet bottom to the new spot. This was when we realized that the extra 1/2 inch wasn’t needed, so our “customized” microwave is actually sitting 1/2 inch higher than we had originally measured. Whether you’ll need an electrical outlet or box 3. HURRAY!! With the microwave oven near the opening, plug the microwave oven into the grounded 3 prong outlet. The cabinets look so professional. So later he stumbled on the idea to use beadboard on the kitchen cabinets. The more tightly the microwave fits into the … He used a product from Home Depot that comes in a package of 4 or 8 pieces. thats a cool way of getting some space for stuff around the kitchen..but! We had turned the electricity off to this before initially removing the hood. Another option would be to use a nail gun from the insides of the cabinets on either side and nail right into the sides of the shelf. I wanted butter yellow walls and white cabinets. Use the saw to cut flush against the side cabinet (as pictured above). Includes tips and lessons learned – and the one time we don’t want you to follow the recommendations. Now, it’s time to install the microwave. Measure from the bottom of the cabinet you will install the microwave below to the height of the microwave. And the key to a successful microwave install is ensuring you’ve chosen a model size that will fit into your cabinet. Brian sometimes calls this tool a “plunge saw” because you can cut right into the wood cleanly in smaller places than a sawzall or jigsaw. She's been featured in Cottages and Bungalows, Old House Journal, and First for Women magazines as well as numerous sites like Good Housekeeping, Huffington Post, and Apartment Therapy. I had seen many examples where the microwave was installed so low that the back range burners were almost useless and I didn’t want that to happen in my kitchen. Con: A low microwave will be harder to reach, especially if the counter has a deep lip. Wiring a Microwave If installed into a cabinet, these vents will be blocked and unable to release steam from the microwave,. Filed Under: Easy DIY, Real Life Remodeling. 3 You get to customize your microwave! This allows you to move the microwave off the work surface. What did you do for venting tho? Really think about how you use your stove top and not just where others put theirs. We will need to build something similar to get our new microwave up..this is exactly what I need to show my husband. We don't use it much anyway, just smaller dishes and reheating. I appreciate all honest shares and features! That we took the time to raise the cabinet instead of just attaching it at the recommended lower height. But my point is to talk about it and customize it for you. The kit is usually installed first and then screwed into place. This is exactly what I am needing for my kitchen remodel! 38 inches from the top of the stove to the top of the microwave. They were kind of an ash color. The first consideration when replacing a microwave is size. FT. 700W BLACK, 24 IN. We had the standard yuck cabinets that came with our home. You really could not tell that they did not come from the factory that way. It was SO worth measuring. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. Even with the electrical box painted white it didn’t look too great on the newly created shelf with the visible cord and unfinished wood that was always meant to be inside cabinet doors. Learn from our mistakes: See that L-bracket towards the back? DON’T just go by the general recommendations. A microwave oven, designed exclusively for a kitchen countertop, has vents that are built into the back of microwave. This is a question we hear time and time again at Sharp. How To Install An Under Cabinet Microwave. Attach the microwave’s metal mounting plate that it will sit on according the the directions. amzn_assoc_asins = "B00FQ8OHWI,B07TYGKHHS,B07Y1K2M41,B01HD4EOTS"; How to use an oscillating tool to cut out the shelf: Our goal was to be able to cut the bottom out cleanly and then be able to just move it higher and create a new cabinet shelf. The island turns out to be a logical and convenient location for a microwave oven. If you try connecting the microwave oven onto a shared circuit you risk overloading the circuit and tripping the circuit breaker. Install a microwave with range hood features, like the fan and light, to help filter the heat, smoke and other debris coming up from your stove. One more weekend project…..! amzn_assoc_search_bar = "false"; And while many bloggers will advise you to install a microwave in your kitchen cabinets, we strongly advise against it. This solution is very practical and aesthetic but it needs to be planned ahead during the design phase. Hope that answered your question! However, whether it’s a Saturday night and your fridge is begging to be cleaned out, or you want to make your leftovers into a whole new meal, your microwave is hands down the tool you’ll need. What sort of blade did you use on the plunge saw. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "anorecot-20"; We are just about to do the same thing, except we need to find out if there is a vent behind the current exhaust hood, and whether or not it is hard wired. I needed this great visual confidence booster – wish us luck! Need to add an over-the-stove microwave to already existing cabinets? No content on this site, including text and photos, may be reused in any fashion without written permission. Its small footprint fits just about anywhere, while its roomy 10″ Carousel(R) turntable is big enough for a full-size dinner plate. How to Install a Microwave Drawer Selecting the Right Size Microwave. For this part, it’s really handy to have people and a screw or stepladder so you can get up to the top cabinet. The frame can be painted or stained to match the cabinets or wall. It was great, Jennifer – truly just like a built-in cabinet. Next up, you’ll need to drill a hole through the shelf bottom that’s big enough to get the microwave cord plug through. Either way, I am looking forward to seeing how your kitchen turns out. Thanks for this! Most of the OTR microwaves I have installed have a metal track at the bottom that screws to the wall first that the microwave hangs on and two screws at the top that connects it to the upper cabinet. But ever since microwave ovens were made to be installed over the range, that dilemma has ceased to exist. Make sure the correct blade is on the tool, one specifically for cutting wood (we had the wrong blade on our borrowed tool and it smoked and created a black spot, so always check). UPDATE: The finished beadboard cover for the back of the shelf: A few months later we created a simple false back to cover the electrical out of scrap beadboard and picture molding. This is the one tool you really need for this project, though you can borrow one like we did at the time (though we bought one not long after because they are so handy for lots of other DIY projects like this). I wasn't concerned about the smaller size, I just wanted it to heat stuff up as quick! While holding the microwave in place, reach up and insert the mounting bolts through the cabinet into the top of the microwave. Construction considerations: If your island is being built out of lower cabinets, a microwave cabinet won’t cost much extra, but you will need electrical run to the island, making this tricky to add to an existing island. Secure appliance to mounting hardware and verify operation. Our morning project progressed to nightfall (granted, pre-daylight savings), as DIY projects often do, right? There is plenty of space behind the microwave for ventilation and some on the sides as well.