Stewart Creek Somethings

Cooktop plans for oak countertop.  upside down.

I went shopping today for all the things I thought I would need for the cooktop cupboard.  I went to the flooring place and found 15 square feet of oak flooring to use as the countertop.  I went and picked up the actual gas cook top.  I then went to the hardware store and picked up a pipe clamp and three 5 foot sections of iron pipe so I can glue the oak flooring together and then once dry use a router to cut the center hole for the cooktop and downdraft fan.  Next was a trip to the lumber store for a piece of 3/4 inch plywood for the top of the cupboard.  I will attach the oak to this.  It will make a nice stable top.  Especially, since I am going to cut out most of the both of these.  At home I had to unload everything.  The cook top was manageable for one person.  The appliance store owner warned me that I would need help with the oven.  She said it weighs almost 200 pounds.  No way I can move that into the house by myself.  I may very well make the shell of the oven cupboards out of 2×4 material.  I think I need to for the weight requirements.  I am just going to use 1×4 for the cooktop. 

I dug through and found the instructions for the cook top and the downdraft fan and sat down and started to draw up a set of plans!  I never do this but combining multiple pieces together and getting them to fit and look good means I actually need a plan with some accurate measurements.  I kept going back and measuring each appliance to make sure I was getting things right.  A few problems arose. The floor is not level where the stove is currently sitting.  We knew this but there is a 1/4 inch difference from the front to the back.  Eventually, we want to tile the kitchen which will change the height of the countertop.  I am accounting for this by cutting the counter 1/4 inch short and then installing and shimming it up and screwing in a 1×4 along the length of the floor, this allows me to correct the height difference and remove this and adjust it at a later date.  Both items are equally important when building this cupboard.  I did get a pleasant surprise the custom cupboard will be shallower than our current oven so I think our doors on the left side will be more easily accessed.  I cannot really figure out where the drawers storage will go until the stove top and fan are installed.  It looks like I am going to have to cut down through the floor to vent the down draft fan.  There is no other good way to do it.  On the plus side I can cut a square hole which will make it easier.  I just need to find an outside vent.  I am going to look for a square one.  I have only found round ones in my internet searches to date.  Once I get this all installed we will not have an oven.  This will really put a squeeze on that project.  There will be some added pressure to get it done!  I will start taking measurements so I can purchase the wire, breaker and 220V outlet.  I have a line on the boards from a local custom cutter.  Using a 2×4 frame will make it easier.  I will just build a box out of them and then side it and line it.  I won’t worry about it collapsing if I do that.  The bonus will be I can have the oven in a frame and fully functional!  That will give me some time to sheath it and make it all pretty.  I will also make it freestanding so when we redo the floor it will be self adjusting with the other two cupboards.