unifrom counter receptacle height

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electrofelon

electrofelon

Senior Member
Location
Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
Occupation
Electrician
What do some of you guys do during a kitchen rough in to ensure the counter receps end up being a unifrom distance above the counter? Run a level all the way around the room and hope the cabinet maker/installer comes up with the same plane? Leave your level behind with a note:

"Kitchen cabinet installer, please use this level for your work, oh and make sure that piece of electrical tape is on the left end, thats the way i did it"? :D

Regards.
 
Re: unifrom counter receptacle height

Level and a string.Also avoid be just above the backsplash.If the gap is only an inch it will show badly if your off 1/4 inch,but if your 4 or 6 inches above a small mistake wont show.
Then again a laiser it not a bad idea

[ April 04, 2005, 06:08 AM: Message edited by: jimwalker ]
 
Re: unifrom counter receptacle height

New work...jus cut a piece of strapping to desired hieght and rest the box on top of the stick...nail in.


Old work...find desired hieght and snap a level chalk line.

shortcircuit2
 
Re: unifrom counter receptacle height

Originally posted by jimwalker:
Also avoid be just above the backsplash.If the gap is only an inch it will show badly if your off 1/4 inch,but if your 4 or 6 inches above a small mistake wont show.
Then again a laiser it not a bad idea
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I put boxes in at 44" to the bottom on switches/counter recep's, and 13" to the bottom on receptacles. That puts me about right. I've always marked each box's height on the stud as I layout, but I'm gonna go back to the stick, as my kitchens have suffered a little bit.

I go 13" on the low stuff because my hammer happens to be 13", if I forget a box I can nail it up without a tape measure. :D

I've seen a nifty laser a guy was using to install a grid ceiling, he set it at the desired height, turned it on, and the lazer spins, giving him a line on any wall in sight. I think it might be too much setup for small kitchens, but larger ones would probably be perfect with it. :cool:
 
Re: unifrom counter receptacle height

I use a laser. All your boxes will be at the same level and as long as the cabinet guys use a level too it all works out. Never measure off the floor new construction or old.
 
Re: unifrom counter receptacle height

I agree with Scott that a laser is the way to go. The last kitchen that I roughed had a floor that was out over an inch from one end of the counter to the other. This would really show after the tile backsplash is installed. And lasers are so cheap now that even a basic one will be accurate enough for setting boxes on a counter top.
 
Re: unifrom counter receptacle height

I mostly use a string or laser.

My laser is too cheap to self level and it can be more difficult to use than a string sometimes. I like the laser but, at least mine, isn't any better than a string and isn't easier to use. Still cool though.

Because I do mostly remodels a lot of the time the counter's already there (stripped) and if I can lay a straight edge on it and it's good I might measure up from the surface. That can be a better aproach if I'm working with the tile guys to get the receptacles to align with the grout lines or something else.

I'm usually right where I should be, but it seems like there's always someone involved to make sure something doesn't come out right.

Edit: I never doubt my string. Can't say the same for the laser. Still cool though.

[ April 04, 2005, 11:44 PM: Message edited by: physis ]
 
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