RV Kitchen Cabinet Toe Kick

[jrclark]

Has anyone modified their kitchen cabinets to add a toe kick board? Most of the RV kitchens I have seen, the base cabinets do not have the toe kick board. Whereas in a sticks and bricks home, the kitchen cabinets all have the toe kick board. This makes it easier to stand at the counter.

[Ron3rd]

Toe kick would not work in my trailer due to the way the cabinets are installed.

[Almot]

There isn't any in mine, this doesn't bother me much. Most of trailer cabinets are like this.

Some cabinets are easier to replace than to fix it - and new cabinet will be a better design and quality. Mine doesn't have any shelf where the top of toe-kick would've been. Replacing a cabinet will be bit of work. They are nailed to the floor and walls - probably with ugly split-end #10 screws, so you'll have to mark locations of the old holes to make sure you don't hit the same hole again because floor is usually a particle board, not a real wood. Fill the old holes with wood and glue, leave the flooring. Sometimes they drive the screw from the other side of the wall or from underneath where it's difficult to access. I removed one of dinette torture benches and put a proper chair, benches are attached similarly to cabinets. Chair has made a world of difference, btw - more space, more comfort and very versatile.

While you are at it, consider replacing a cheesy RV plastic sink with stainless (if this is the case) and move it left or right. My sink was in the middle of 36" counter, leaving a useless 6" counterspace on either side, now I have a decent 1ft space and don't have to use flimsy sink cover as a counter.

[bpounds]

There are all kinds of cabinet construction out there, and without photos of your sink cabinet this is just a shot in the dark. But using mine as an example, I think it would be quite easy to add a toe-kick in front of the sink. I would cut out the horizontal board below the sink cabinet door. There is an inner shelf at about the same level as the top of that horizontal board. I would take that same board, or probably a different one, and move it inward about 2", and screw through the lower shelf into that board. Cap the ends off with a couple of short pieces. If there are screws into the floor, it won't be difficult to disguise those. I might choose to raise the door by a half inch or so, but probably not. A standard toe-kick is 3" high, and I don't think the bottom of that door is 3" from the floor, but probably not a big deal. An easy alteration if it was.

The female anatomy puts the toes further forward than a male. As I worked at the sink boning chicken at home last night, I thought of this thread and paid attention to where my toes felt comfortable. I was never close enough for my toes to be into the toe-kick. I am NOT going to bring this up to the wife, but I will have to watch and see how different her footwork looks.

Our trailer and our home both have corner sinks, coincidentally.

[myredracer]

Besides the major cabinet surgery, you're probably going to have a bunch of screw holes through the flooring material to deal with as well. We haven't found the lack of a kick space to be an issue but might be nice to have.

[jrclark]

Thanks for all that responded to my post. My wife would like a toe kick especially where the sink is. But it is major surgery on the cabinets. But she has lived with it for 15 years and a few more years won't matter.:B

[bpounds]

Never thought about it, and I've built many a cabinet in my time, all with toe kicks.

Now I feel like my trailer is cheap junk. Thanks.:)

Seriously though, we don't spend enough time in front of a counter or sink while camping for it to really make any difference.

[goducks10]

My Northwoods 5er has a tow kick in front of the sink.

[beemerphile1]

My cabinet doors barely clear the floor, adding toe space would be major surgery.

[ScottG]

I've done a lot of cabinet surgery on resi kitchen cabinets and looking at the RV side, it doesn't llok like a difficult job - depending on the impediments.
Worst part would be matching finishes depnding on what they are. Oak would be a piece of cake..

[doxiemom11]

We have a toe kick recessed area on our cabinets in our motorhome. It's a 2000 though - maybe newer doesn't have it anymore. Never thought about it, had to look.

[HadEnough]

Hmmm. My Arctic Fox has them. They're critical to good design.

[downtheroad]

Our cabinets came with a toe kick recess. It's only in the kitchen...sink and counter area and only about 1" deep...but, I guess it qualifies as a toe kick.

I think I still have kicked my toe at time or two.....:S

[Dusty_R]

I have put toe kick heaters in our last 2 mh, the only problem is in the second one running thermostat wire.

Dusty

[Gdetrailer]

Take a good hard look at the general construction a a "RV" base cabinet..

You WILL end up having to cut up to the point of nearly destroying the integrity of the cabinets and then have to figure out just how to reinforce every single base cabinet.

You would be better off just completely ripping them out and building your own, would be easier, faster and cheaper..

Then you will have screw/nail holes that was used to hold the cabinets in place in the floor that you would have to fix, that would most likely begat a complete flooring replacement..

The flooring replacement then will begat another "project" and so on..

For the very little amount of time we spend standing at a RV kitchen cabinet, I find no earthly reason is needed for a toe kick.. The slight amount of "discomfort" does not make it worth it to me.

Unless you are "fulltiming" leave it be, don't open the can of worms.