Are wall space receptacles required for a kitchen Island

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Re: Are wall space receptacles required for a kitchen Island

Originally posted by don_resqcapt19: The island is an item that is "such as freestanding bar-type counters", and as such is wall space. . . . I don't think that the code intended to require receptacle outlets in that area, but the wording does.
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I don't agree, Don. An island is nothing like a bar. A bar is nothing but a wall with a narrow counter surface on top of it. An island is a box filled with cabinet space, and perhaps including a sink or a range. I see an island as being essentially the same as the kitchen counters: they too are boxes filled with cabinet space and including the occasional sink or range. We do not have to put receptacles on the sides of kitchen cabinets. If the set of kitchen cabinets includes one cabinet at the end that has its side accessible to the cook, then why is that side not a "wall," and why do we not have to put a receptacle on it? After all, they are typically 25 inches wide, and that is more than 2 feet. The answer is that kitchen cabinetry, including the island, is all about countertop space. It is all about plugging something in, and setting that something on the countertop.
 
Re: Are wall space receptacles required for a kitchen Island

By the way, look at the verbs in each of the three sub-paragraphs (I had to insert the "understood" verb in the first one):
As used in this section, a wall space shall include the following:
(1) Any space THAT IS 600 mm (2 ft) or more in width (including space measured around corners) and unbroken along the floor line by doorways, fireplaces, and similar openings
(2) The space OCCUPIED BY fixed panels in exterior walls, excluding sliding panels
(3) The space AFFORDED BY fixed room dividers such as freestanding bar-type counters or railings
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Why three different ways of stating a requirement? More to my point, what is meant by "afforded by"? Does that mean space on the divider itself, or does it mean the space into which the divider divides some other space? :confused:
 
Re: Are wall space receptacles required for a kitchen Island

don, you and still agree. In my jurisdiction, an island which serves as a room divider will have receptacle outlets on the room side (in my mind per 210-52A).
 
Re: Are wall space receptacles required for a kitchen Island

Originally posted by augie47:
don, you and still agree. In my jurisdiction, an island which serves as a room divider will have receptacle outlets on the room side (in my mind per 210-52A).
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I tend to agree that if an island is a room divider then by 210.52(A)(3), it provides wall space. But, if it is a room divider, there must be two room sides, no?
 
Re: Are wall space receptacles required for a kitchen Island

I shall muddy this up even further. Not only are some of the Islands I get to wire set such that they become fixed room dividers, but they also are constructed with a support "wall" made of 2"x4" construction, covered on one side with drywall and paint. This wall is there to help support the weight of the granite overhang. So now we have drywall, paint and joint compound. The only thing now missing is the word "island" in 252.(A)(3), but I believe that the word "such" included in that sentence includes the word "Island" when it is a room divider. That's my opinion anyway.
 
Re: Are wall space receptacles required for a kitchen Island

The thing you described is not an island. If you can't walk around it without bumping into something, if it has any type of support structure connecting it to a wall, then it is not an island. I agree that that will put it in the same category as other room dividers.
 
Re: Are wall space receptacles required for a kitchen Island

If the back of an island serving as a fixed room divider has bookshelves, will it need receptacle(s) on the room side? :)
 
Re: Are wall space receptacles required for a kitchen Island

I guess I failed once again to describe this properly Charlie, here goes try #2. Picture a 35" high x 5 foot or so long 2/4" wall finished on one long dimension side (living room side). Now add base cabinets to the unfinished long dimenson side, top it off with a flat granite countertop, add sink or cooktop if you wish. You can walk completely around it. Its an Island, but it is not totally inside the kitchen.Part of it is in the kitchen. It sits sort of at the open end of the kitchen to allow lots of kitchen floorspace. Usually the ones set up by my regular contractor customer's have the granite overhanging the living room side way past 6" so the required counter serving outlets have to go on the sides of the island. That leaves the back wall under the overhang. To plug or not to plug that is the question. Some say just the one or two serving the counter space, and some like myself see the rear of this island divider as a regular wall. The humbug part is that it requires running two circuits out to this if you see it my way. One circuit is S.A. and the other is for the low wall receptacle which faces the living room so it can't go on the S.A. circuit. About the only thing it is good for is plugging in a vacuum cleaner so I agree its sort of goofy, but code is code so if you guy's are unable to convince me that it is definitely not required than I will still be sticking them in until I get re-educated.
 
Re: Are wall space receptacles required for a kitchen Island

dining room; if it's under the kitchen counter overhang, with chairs to sit and eat, it certainly sounds like a dining room/area to me, same circuit if you so choose.

paul
 
Re: Are wall space receptacles required for a kitchen Island

OK Mike (or is it Mac?). I think I understand your situation. The way I see it, the thing you described is not an island. To be a "real island," a chunk of land would have to be surrounded by water. To be a "kitchen island," the cabinet would have to be surrounded by kitchen. I can't use a code definition to back up my view, but that is how I see it.

So IMHO your situation involves a fixed room divider, not an island. I agree with you that the rear surface is a "wall," so it needs one receptacle (for a 5 foot wide wall). I agree with Paul, in that that particular area of the house is a dining area, and not a living room area, so you can use an SA circuit for the wall receptacle.

I think the problem is how to treat the counter top that is accessible from the kitchen. Clearly, it needs at least one SA receptacle. But if (as I have said) this thing is not an island, and certainly it is not a peninsula, and just as certainly it is not a wall counter space, then none of the rules for receptacles apply.

I suppose you could call it an island, from the kitchen perspective, and a fixed room divider, from the LR perspective. But the truth here is that there is no truth here. You have an anomaly on your hands. All I can say is that the way you are handling it is about the best available option.
 
Re: Are wall space receptacles required for a kitchen Island

Charlie, it's Mike. This macmike thing started way back when I was an AOL customer and they would not let me set up an e-mail account the way I wanted because the name was already taken by others. AOL suggested macmikeman as a possible name choice. Thus macmikeman came about.
 
Re: Are wall space receptacles required for a kitchen Island

posted December 24, 2005 11:02
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You guys are killing me. Next you'll want receptacles in the back of a couch that divides two rooms.
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yep! for those floor lamps the misses puts at the end of that couch.
otherwise she's gonna run an extension cord under the throw rug to feed them cause if mama wants the lamp.........
 
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