Floor Cabinet Height? What's too high?

Floor Cabinet Height? What's too high? · 10-23-2009, 09:20 PM

Hey NCWWer's,

I am building three floor cabinets for storage mostly and will use them a little as a work surface, as I am going to build an 8 foot work bench x 34" high X 22" deep after this project is done, for a work surface.

Question's What's too high? too Deep? and too wide?

The size I have now (which can be altered) is 39 1/4" Tall x 38" Wide x 30" deep.

It seems high to me,

but then again I look at all the storage underneath and like it.

What's some your thoughts, ideas, opinions?

JackLeg · 10-23-2009, 09:24 PM

I like it a bit higher, so I don't have to stand bent over. My old back just won't handle it any more. It's really a personal thing. If you're gonna put casters on them, then I'd work toward the height of my table saw or other benches. Then you can use one for an outfeed table. I built two for my shop that way and really like them.

MrAudio815 · 10-23-2009, 09:35 PM

So how high do you have the ones you like for you back?

Even though these are just going to be mostly for storage. And no Casters. And I already have an out feed work bench, 30" X 42" X an 1/8 lower than the tablesaw.

Jeff Mills · 10-23-2009, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by JackLeg

I like it a bit higher, so I don't have to stand bent over. My old back just won't handle it any more. It's really a personal thing. If you're gonna put casters on them, then I'd work toward the height of my table saw or other benches. Then you can use one for an outfeed table. I built two for my shop that way and really like them.

How's Mrs Jackleg?

Travis Porter · 10-23-2009, 10:43 PM

Question is, how tall are you? What is going to be comfortable for you is going to be dependant upon your height primarily.

I am a little tall (6' 5"), so I like stuff up a little higher.

For counters and such, I go the standard 36". It is the standard in Kitchens, so I figure why not. I have my work bench at I believe 34". Higher than most, but again, I am tall. A lot of people (self included in the past) will make stuff the same height or slightly less than a tool is, for example your tablesaw. That way it can double as an outfeed and/or not get in the way when you are trying to cut something large/long.

eyekode · 10-24-2009, 12:38 AM

I am a fan of shallow cabinets. Most of my 24" deep cabinets contain 12" of stuff I use and 12" I cannot reach...

reprosser · 10-24-2009, 02:13 AM

Originally Posted by eyekode

I am a fan of shallow cabinets. Most of my 24" deep cabinets contain 12" of stuff I use and 12" I cannot reach...

Amen, brother...

One of my pet peeves is having to move something to reach something else in a cabinet.

Sometimes it can't be helped, but that does not mean I like it.

MrAudio815 · 10-24-2009, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by eyekode

I am a fan of shallow cabinets. Most of my 24" deep cabinets contain 12" of stuff I use and 12" I cannot reach...

Humm that is something to consider for sure....

I was going to use one of the cabinets for Bowl blanks in the range of 10" to 12" square as I have quite a few. The other lower shelfs I was going to put my shop vac and Porter Cable 6 gallon pancake compressor. One will have a drawer with random stuff.

Humm

.

I am 5' 8" and also have my lathe the same height DaveO had it and I believe he is 6' or so.

So I do like things higher.

Again.... I already have a Workbench Outfeed table. And will be building a work bench close to 8 feet long by 22"deep and just shy of the tablesaw height at I belive 34"

Travis Porter · 10-24-2009, 04:23 PM

39 inches is going to be too high. For me, deep cabinets (up to 24") are ok as long as you maximize drawers and minimize cabinets.

Burt · 10-25-2009, 12:13 AM

Building a cabinet at kitchen cabinet height and depth usually works out well. That is 24" deep and 36" height. That 36" is a little high for some and a little short for others but in general it is a god compromise height.

Recently, I eliminated a huge cabinet and repaced it with two cabinets about 24" high, 24" wide and 36" high. I sat the cabinet on a moving dolly from lowes - the ones covered in carpeting and cost about $28. That makes moving the cabinet a dream and you can stack and move parts on top of the cabinet. I believe those dollies are suppose to handle 900 pounds.

To make the cabinets really usable, I used drawers in cabinets and all the glides were full extension with 1" overall travel. That means the entire box comes out of the cabinet - nothing can hide. These ended up being a bit expensive, but they sure are nice. I even mounted outlets on the side of the cabinets just in case I decide to use their tops as work benches.

Burt