Purlin height for overhead cabinets?

[ManCave]

Hi Guys,

Tuesday we're putting metal on the interior walls of my pole building. Before skinning it I'm going to run some purlins to have something to screw into when I hang my overhead cabinets. What height should the top and bottom purlins be run at?

 

[rieferman]

Good thinking. This is what we'd always recommend to customers before closing in walls (that they should consider finished use, and add some extra horizontal studs where they might be hanging things). Nice thing in your case is that metal wall covering can easily be removed and reinstalled to add another later if you make a mistake.

In any case, to answer your question.. In a kitchen, top of "standard" counter is 36". Typically, there's an 18" space from top of counter to underside of upper cabinets. I would want a fastening point for the underside of the upper cabinets, and then again for the top of the cabinets (that measurement depends on the cabinets that you select... browse a few options online and you'll see many/most are standard dimensions).

If in doubt, it's easy to add a couple extra horizontal studs on that wall now before the metal goes up.

 

[Wingnut65]

It depends on several factors...
- Are you using standard 30" high kitchen wall cabinets over standard base cabinet with 18" between, then 7'-0" is about right.

- If you have 8' ceiling and don't want 12" gap above the cabinets, then go with taller upper cabinets and raise them to 8'

- If you have power tolls below the wall cabinets, measure the clearance you need to open the doors and mount accordingly.

- If you have base cabinets with power tools - grinder, lathe, miter saw, etc - then upper cabinets may need to be mounted higher to have adequate clearance to use the tools (and change blades, belts, etc.)

There are many things you need to consider for your final layout. Wall cabinets are usually fastened thru the top cabinet frame into the wall. They can be fastened at the bottom as well, but cabinets come with a 1x across the inside top to mount while the bottom only has the 1/4" cabinet back to screw through. And usually that is a fiberboard and not structural.

For prepping your walls and making them future-proof, it wouldn't be a bad idea to run a couple 2x's across the wall to allow for adjustments in the cabinet spacing. I'd suggest 2x6's at 16-18" on center vertically and you can have plenty of flexibility.

Good luck on your project and post progress pix along the way!

 

[ManCave]

Thanks guys. My walls are 11 1/2 feet tall. I've got a stack of 2 x 6's and I think I'll use those instead of 2 x 4's to get a little more adjustment room vertically with the cabinets. I may go taller overhead cabinets and put stuff high that I don't use often.

 

[DangerousDan55]

Mine is mounted high for clearance when working on the bench. Sometimes you may need some swinging room for a bit long item. Also allows for mounting frequently used tools under the cabs.

 

[pinebarkauto]

I wish I could have thought far enough ahead to do this. Do you know exactly where you are putting cabinets? Do you plan to cover these purlins with raised rib metal before mounting the cabinets? If so, know that you will need spacers to fill the voids between the ribs. If I had been thinking, I would have built a stud wall between the posts in the area I wanted to put wall cabinets or anything heavy mounted to the wall. I would then mount a 2x board to the face of the studs and bring the metal up to the 2x, leaving it exposed. I have mounted some smaller items in the "flats" between the ribs and into the purlins used to mount the metal, but for cabinets I have to use stand alone pieces. Chip.

 

[teal95]

You could leave yourself a lot of adjustability and double up some 3/4" plywood or OSB. Even if you ripped the sheets in half you would have 2' to work with.

 

[teal95]

You could leave yourself a lot of adjustability and double up some 3/4" plywood or OSB. Even if you ripped the sheets in half you would have 2' to work with.

 

[evildky]

The top of a standard 30" tall wall cabinet is usually right at 7" off the finished floor.

 

[ManCave]

They hang from the top, don't they? So I don't need a 2 x 4 for the bottom?