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Removing kitchen cabinet above sink area
Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2022 1:54 pm
by chuckster
My wife has been patient For a couple of years now since we bought our ‘01 Safari Zanzibar 3646 with a mid entry door and we have had a kitchen cabinet that comes across the kitchen sink area and blocks all view when you’re in the kitchen from seeing TV or conversing with anyone. I removed that today and I have posted a couple of pictures of what it looks like without the cabinet and we have plans to update our paint flooring and wood cabinets soon and was wondering about whether any of you folks have ideas for how to make the wood trim that goes across the top flow nicely as well as maybe what I should put in that area and as you can see at the bottom of the cabinet there is a hole with a couple of wires where I have 12 V available that I can run some 12 V scones or something of that nature there.
Re: Removing kitchen cabinet above sink area
Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2022 11:42 am
by glennsheating
I would go online to the RV wrecking yard sites and find one that is parting out a Safari to find that trim board. We have a 1998 Serengeti that has the same trim. Safari probably used it as their go to trim in all their models. For the cabinet wall area, I'd go online and buy a piece of wood veneer. If you want to match your cabinet stain take a door to a quality paint store (Not a box store like Home Depot etc) and they can match your stain color. You could then use the stain to cover up existing scratches. The stains on the ceiling can be removed by making a paste of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda and wiping it on with a damp sponge, let it dry and vacuum off. It's a messy job but really works. Darker stains make require more than one treatment. I cleaned my entire ceiling this way including by the stove area where the previous owner must have cooked with a lot of grease. It took me a while but the outcome was worth it.
Jan Zurfluh
1998 Serengeti
Re: Removing kitchen cabinet above sink area
Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2022 9:25 pm
by astrnmrtom
Another alternative is to do something completely different with that area, like making some small nick-knack shelves or a spice rack. The sides of the shelves could extend up and cover the ends of the trim and the back could cover the wiring. You can even us the 12V to add some lighting on the shelves.
When I removed the factory convection microwave and replaced it with a smaller standard microwave, I went to the fabric store and picked out some "Safari" looking fabric - a leopard print - and covered a thin plywood panel that fit the opening and covered up all the holes from the original bracket. The new microwave being smaller, left a gap at the right side. I considered trying to make a matching panel and trim to cover the recessed area, but then got the idea of turning that part into a spice rack. Made some shelves to cross between the trim pieces and a couple fronts, wired in a LED light and it looks great. Made it easier than trying to make things match existing stains. We now use that extra space to store a few things like sugar container, and out air fryer. The shelf I made across the bottom is a fine grained fir that looks very similar to the existing cabinets. Found a stain that was close, and it's hard to tell it's not an exact match.
In other words, sometimes it easier to do something different, instead of trying to make an exact match. You could even do a chalkboard, whiteboard, or cork bulletin board. It's a neat way to put some of your personality into the coach. Good luck.
Re: Removing kitchen cabinet above sink area
Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2022 9:41 pm
by TDJohn
Nice job, it looks real good.
Re: Removing kitchen cabinet above sink area
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 2:48 pm
by chuckster
astrnmrtom wrote: ↑Tue Jul 19, 2022 9:25 pm
Another alternative is to do something completely different with that area, like making some small nick-knack shelves or a spice rack. The sides of the shelves could extend up and cover the ends of the trim and the back could cover the wiring. You can even us the 12V to add some lighting on the shelves.
When I removed the factory convection microwave and replaced it with a smaller standard microwave, I went to the fabric store and picked out some "Safari" looking fabric - a leopard print - and covered a thin plywood panel that fit the opening and covered up all the holes from the original bracket. The new microwave being smaller, left a gap at the right side. I considered trying to make a matching panel and trim to cover the recessed area, but then got the idea of turning that part into a spice rack. Made some shelves to cross between the trim pieces and a couple fronts, wired in a LED light and it looks great. Made it easier than trying to make things match existing stains. We now use that extra space to store a few things like sugar container, and out air fryer. The shelf I made across the bottom is a fine grained fir that looks very similar to the existing cabinets. Found a stain that was close, and it's hard to tell it's not an exact match.
In other words, sometimes it easier to do something different, instead of trying to make an exact match. You could even do a chalkboard, whiteboard, or cork bulletin board. It's a neat way to put some of your personality into the coach. Good luck.
That looks quite nice, Tom. Tell me, how do you keep the microwave in place?
Chuck
Re: Removing kitchen cabinet above sink area
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 7:14 pm
by astrnmrtom
Securing the microwave was fairly easy. I drilled four recessed holes on the top of the shelf for each foot of the microwave to sit down in, then went to Ace Hardware which carries assorted nylon web strapping sold by the foot. They also sell buckles and other fittings. I purchased a buckle and enough strapping so I could make a strap that goes over the top of the microwave side to side and fastened the ends of the straps down with a screw going through a fender washer. We do remove the turntable plate and rollers and stick them in a drawer before travel.
If I need to remove the microwave, I just undo the buckle and it's free to lift up and out. The feet aren't very deep, maybe a 1/4" - 3/8". I just wanted enough of a recess to prevent the microwave from sliding out from under the strap when braking, or from vibration bouncing down the road. Worked well so far in two years of full timing, 28 states and 10,000 miles.
Re: Removing kitchen cabinet above sink area
Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 7:27 am
by chuckster
It looks real nice, Tom. We had to replace our microwave glass turntable when some heavy bouncing around dislodged it and caused it to bump the microwave door hard enough to pop it open and send it crashing down to the hard tile floor and shattering it. We had it wrapped in a kitchen dish towel to keep the rack and the turntable from clattering against one another but in doing that caused it to not sit properly and allowed enough movement. LESSON LEARNED. We now store it in the thin cardboard box that the new one came in when we travel and keep it in the closet while we are sailing down the road.