Bulkhead to hide ductwork over range hood

[branimal]

I believe I need to build a bulkhead to hide the ductwork over my range hood.



Stage: The kitchen hasn't been built yet, but the plumbing has been set. All the walls are wide open.



The kitchen is in an area where there is a transition in ceiling height from 10' to 12'. (See blue ceiling lines)



The range hood center is about where the transition in ceiling height occurs. So I cannot run my 6" ductwork straight up. I need to run the ductwork up and then cheat it left (45 elbows x 2) to get into an open space. See green lines. From there I can run rigid pipe straight up and through the roof.



My plan is to build a sort of symmetrical box (red lines) over the range hood and overlapping the adjacent wall cabinets by 3" or so.



Is this plan aesthetically pleasing? Or does someone have a better idea.



Another option: I could swap the range and the sink (3 -4 hours of work). Supplies are on hand more or less.

 

[The Cobbler]

If you matched the material and style of the range hood so it looked like it belonged ... but it still may look odd with the rise in ceiling .
I think I'd be inclined to do your option 2 and move the range

 

[branimal]

Didn't think to make it stainless. Could get pricey. Need to make those bends.

Maybe some finish panel from the cabinet maker. That can get pricey. And getting those finished panels squared up is going to take time.

I could make it out of metal studs and sheetrock. But then I have to tape and paint.

I suppose moving the plumbing isn't so bad. arggh. either way its work.

It does look odd. I think.

 

[Slowbuilder]

From a usability perspective, I don't think you want the range next to the sink. Having some counter top on each side of the sink is a good thing.

 

[branimal]

From a usability perspective, I don't think you want the range next to the sink. Having some counter top on each side of the sink is a good thing.

Here's the swap I Was considering. There is space on either side of both the sink and the range.

 

[ripperd]

Is it an exterior wall behind the range and hood? If you go out the wall, you will have very little piping or resistance, and it can be hidden pretty easily. That is how ours is done.

 

[jbwilkins]

IMO....Swap the range and the sink.......

The various vertical lines (hood venting, ceiling change, bulkhead) seems 'busy' and distracting since they're not aligned.......

I'd personally lose the wall cabinet to the right of the range hood for the same reasons.....It looks to be a 12 so you're not losing much....

Looking at the overview of the fix, make sure your range door and fridge door are not going to conflict when open, same goes for the dishwasher and the cabinets on the peninsula...

Small kitchens can be difficult to 'fit' everything in so that nothing conflicts....

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I'd build a soffit above the cabinets. It's the most asthetically pleasing and quite honestly, usually how it's done. The big issue you have is the change in ceiling height.

Tommy

 

[Scotto]

I'd either change the configuration around so your vent isn't going directly up into that area. Or extend the 10' ceiling maybe 2 feet out and 2 feet to the right. This would be less obvious then a random soffit over the range. Then you'd have a straight area to have the range hood go up into.

 

[paredown]

I'd build a soffit above the cabinets. It's the most asthetically pleasing and quite honestly, usually how it's done. The big issue you have is the change in ceiling height.

Tommy

I thought soffit as well--but it is hard to tell what that looks like extended into the higher ceiling section.

I think if it were mine to do, I would swap the sink and stove per the OP's second sketch that shows the wider seating area/peninsula...

--and then I would finish the end of the upper cabinet line with open shelves (maybe even over the end of the peninsula?) so that your eye reads better from open/high/light to the business side of the kitchen.

 

[PassnThru]

I would drop the ceiling all the way to the right of that last cabinet and then everything is solved. In other words, move the transition to the right. Bonus is more symmetry above the cabinets.

 

[branimal]

IMO....Swap the range and the sink.......

The various vertical lines (hood venting, ceiling change, bulkhead) seems 'busy' and distracting since they're not aligned.......

I'd personally lose the wall cabinet to the right of the range hood for the same reasons.....It looks to be a 12 so you're not losing much....

Looking at the overview of the fix, make sure your range door and fridge door are not going to conflict when open, same goes for the dishwasher and the cabinets on the peninsula...

Small kitchens can be difficult to 'fit' everything in so that nothing conflicts....

Yeah you're right. The swap will take way less time than building a busy bulkhead.

So once the swap is done and the sink is on the right, do you suggest ending the wall cabinets with the wall cabinet above the sink?

 

[branimal]

I thought soffit as well--but it is hard to tell what that looks like extended into the higher ceiling section.

I think if it were mine to do, I would swap the sink and stove per the OP's second sketch that shows the wider seating area/peninsula...

--and then I would finish the end of the upper cabinet line with open shelves (maybe even over the end of the peninsula?) so that your eye reads better from open/high/light to the business side of the kitchen.

good idea on the shelves at the end of the wall cabinet line!

 

[branimal]

I'd build a soffit above the cabinets. It's the most asthetically pleasing and quite honestly, usually how it's done. The big issue you have is the change in ceiling height.

Tommy

So I've heard.... That soffit's are going out of style. I dont know if this is true or not. But the evidence provided to back up the claim was that all the renovation shows are taking down the soffits.

 

[branimal]

Is it an exterior wall behind the range and hood? If you go out the wall, you will have very little piping or resistance, and it can be hidden pretty easily. That is how ours is done.

There's another building behind that wall.

 

[slater]

Many people don't like cabinets directly above their sinks, usually preferring windows or open space directly behind the sink.

An option would be to move the DW and sink to the countertop island, and elevate the eating area to a bar top height. This would allow you to move the range to the center of your wall, and create a more flowing work triangle with plenty of counter space for cook prep on both sides of the range.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

So I've heard.... That soffit's are going out of style. I dont know if this is true or not. But the evidence provided to back up the claim was that all the renovation shows are taking down the soffits.

I get it. It's your place. In the long run, you're really the only person that has to be satisfied with it. On a separate note, most of the reno shows are hackwork, IMO... Smashing perfectly good cabinets, fixtures and wood trim with sledgehammers just for TV appeal is retarded. No real contractor does half the BS the TV guys do.

Tommy

 

[branimal]

I get it. It's your place. In the long run, you're really the only person that has to be satisfied with it. On a separate note, most of the reno shows are hackwork, IMO... Smashing perfectly good cabinets, fixtures and wood trim with sledgehammers just for TV appeal is retarded. No real contractor does half the BS the TV guys do.

Tommy

Yeah I haven't seen any recent reno shows. IT's probably all reality style TV.

I used to watch This Old house when Bob Villa was on it. This was probably 25 years ago.

 

[branimal]

Many people don't like cabinets directly above their sinks, usually preferring windows or open space directly behind the sink.

An option would be to move the DW and sink to the countertop island, and elevate the eating area to a bar top height. This would allow you to move the range to the center of your wall, and create a more flowing work triangle with plenty of counter space for cook prep on both sides of the range.

Yes that was one of my original layouts. I might play around with that one again. Though lots of folks prefer the range on this island with a island duct.

Idea being that cooking is a more social thing and the cook gets to face the guests.... blah blah blah.

 

[branimal]

An option would be to move the DW and sink to the countertop island, and elevate the eating area to a bar top height. This would allow you to move the range to the center of your wall, and create a more flowing work triangle with plenty of counter space for cook prep on both sides of the range.

You got me thinking here.... With a bar top height extension / addition to the countertop, people can have adequate plate space, while the countertop can still house an appliance. Slide in range on the countertop, and duct it with and island mounted duct.



That would put range and hence the duct in the 12' ceiling area. I can have a stainless steel chimney running to the 12' ceiling.



This solves a lot of problems for me. Duct placement solved. Kitchen is shorter by 2'. (NYC - every inch counts).









I'm thinking something like the pic below. Quartz for the countertop and butcher block for the bar top extension.

 

[slater]

If you prefer to have the range in the island, you can avoid hanging a conventional hood from the ceiling by using a down draft range hood. Many have a retract option to hide into the counter when not in use also.

You haven't mentioned if you're on a budget, but expect island hood designs to generally have a significant price premium versus wall mounted variants.

 

[bradleykd]

Do you know what hood blower you are getting yet?

I bought mine with a rear exhaust blower so I could run the duct inside the wall and up through the ceiling. Instead of one 10" round duct, I had two 4x6" rectangle ducts.

 

[branimal]

A friend drew some possible soffit options for me. They dont look terrible.

@slater - I've heard the downdraft style range hoods are very ineffective.
@bradleykd - this is an attached building so I dont have the option of running inside a wall first. I've got to go up with the vent.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I like the second one. It's a lot like what I envisioned.

Tommy

 

[Worsedog]

Looking at the sink/dishwasher relationship, are you left or right handed? I know it seems trivial, but I rented a house long ago that had the dishwasher to the left of the sink and it drove me nuts.

 

[Scotto]

I like the second one. It's a lot like what I envisioned.

Tommy

Yea, thats what I was thinking as well. You extend the soffit a bit and the symmetry is better.

 

[branimal]

Looking at the sink/dishwasher relationship, are you left or right handed? I know it seems trivial, but I rented a house long ago that had the dishwasher to the left of the sink and it drove me nuts.

Ha great point. Most people will be righty's. My parents are both righty's and their dishwasher is left of the sink, but they don't complain.

I'm a born lefty but my Mom tried to make a righty so I'm sort of ambidextrous.