There are always hiccups in kitchen remodels
Even after checking the room carefully, marking all of the cabinet locations on the wall, and snapping a level reference line around the room, surprises can sneak in.
Here are some field-modification solutions to common problems that can arise during cabinet installation.
PROBLEM 1: Wide casings can interfere with cabinet doors and drawers
PROBLEM 2: A corner in the kitchen is not square
PROBLEM 3: Unexpected hump in the floor
SOLUTION: For big humps, consider trimming instead of shimming. Shimming all adjacent cabinets up to match a corner cabinet that sits 3/8 in. high means some pretty serious shimming by the end of the run. Alternatively, you can cut the toe kick down to accommodate the hump — a good choice in this case.
PROBLEM 4: HVAC supply register in floor under cabinet
Forced air systems include supply registers in each room. In the kitchen, sometimes the registers need to be located along walls with cabinets. If floor registers are placed in front of cabinets, then food and liquids can spill in, decompose, and contaminate air quality. Besides, they just don't look as good as when they are hidden.
SOLUTION: A simple way to redirect the air is to build a box that sits in the toe space under the cabinet and directs the air horizontally out of the cabinet.
Make sure to seal the seams of the box and to seal the box to the subfloor to reduce air leaks in the system. John seals the inside and outside of the box with construction adhesive.
Toe kick supply registers don't always work out, though. Read this mystery tale of the Energy Vanguard: The Case of the Duct That Wasn't There.