Although as we looked into starting the project, we thought it would be tediously fiddly, in the end, installing the microhood wasn't so bad.As we looked it over, we realized that this model of hood is designed to sit flush against the wall; the power cord emerges from the top of the machine and plugs into an outlet placed
above the machine. Hmm, that was a problem.Behind that particular wall are the stairs, which made placing the outlet, done a year or so ago, very tricky. The outlet was not moving. Thus we decided to build a chase to give us room to plug the microhood into the outlet. We found the
studs -- never quite where you'd expect them to be in an old house -- and screwed 2x4s onto the studs over the drywall after removing 2 rows of the world's ugliest ceramic tile backsplash.We cut a piece of remnant 3/4 inch plywood left in inventory from a previous project to go over the 2x4s. The microhood would hang from this, so we wanted sturdy 3/4' plywood securely attached to the wall. This left a gap of about 1 1/2" between the plywood and the drywall.
We also had to build a shelf from which the microhood would be bolted into position. The shelf had to be
pre-drilled with holes for the bolts and an access hole for the power cord to snake through. Dan handily cut the plywood with a circular saw, and we screwed the plywood on with large, heavy wood screws and plenty of them.Next, we attached the bracket which would support the microhood. Then the microhood was set onto the bracket --no photos since it
took both of us to manage that. I held it in position while Dan secured the bolts and snaked the cord through the access. Ta daaaaa, it is installed. Dan removed the plastic and plugged it in --lights, power, fan!.Tomorrow we install a false back to hide the outlet, and begin work on the narrow tea cabinet planned for the left side of the microhood.
3 comments:
A. and D.
It's looking fabulous! And it seems to have gone pretty smoothly so far, too. Great job!
O.
I envy you! We're all thumbs around here when it comes to home improvement and do-it-yourself projects. We're still loathe to allow anyone in our bedroom: we tried to build closets that are so crooked you must consume a dangerous amount of alcohol to believe they are level or straight!
Dan and I come by handiness genetically and environmentally. His dad was a carpenter, my dad owned a hardware store. We both grew up in fixer-uppers, Dan's dad actually converted an old carriage house to become their home.
I will say, though, having the proper tools makes a huge difference. The projects undertaken before we got the compound mitre saw demonstrate the need for it!
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