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Is it possible to remove a shelf in rangehood cabinet?

Hi all,

Just moved into a new place and the rangehood has died so need to replace with a new one. Only thing is that most new rangehoods are 175mm in height but this old one is 300mm, so the new one will leave a considerable gap between the top of the rangehood and the permanent cabinet shelf.

Is it feasible/advisable to somehow remove or move this permanent shelf to sit flush on top of a new rangehood or should I just deal with any gaps for the time being? I'm not sure if the shelf is glued in or screwed/nailed in, and don't like the idea of taking down the cabinet to check at this point in time.

Note that the duct cover is removable, I think it was put together using some spare MDF boards.

Appreciate the advice!

remove-move-permanent-shelving-in-rangehood-cabinet-v0-esxguop8l8sd1.jpeg

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EricL

Hello @sarzc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your rangehood shelf.

The shelf is screwed into the cabinet and is helping to hold the rangehood in place. If you wish to remove the shelf, I suggest using a multi tool in combination with a Full Boar 32mm Wood And Metal Plunge Cut Multi-Tool Blade that will allow you to cut through the screws holding the shelf in place.

I'm aware that you're not keen on removing the shelf from the wall. But the advantage of removing the cabinet from the wall is that it allows you to install a new shelf that is in line with your new rangehood height without having to add brackets or drill on an angle.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

sarzc

Thank you Eric for the quick response!

If I was to take the cabinet off the wall to remove/relocate the shelf inside, how would I go about this? I am fairly new to these bigger DIY projects so want to make sure I don't damage anything!

EricL

Hello @sarzc

Before you begin, please double check that there is a rangehood cabinet and not just panels placed to create a rangehood space. Just a friendly reminder that any electrical work must be carried out by a registered electrician for safety and compliance. If you are having an electrician over, please ask them to remove the power point inside your cabinet before you disassemble it.

Your first order of business is to locate all the mounting screws on the cabinet and the screws holding it from the sides. It's likely that the screws are either on the other side of the cabinets or inside the rangehood cabinet itself. Please make sure that the rangehood has been disconnected and removed before you attempt to remove the cabinet. Please note that this is a two-person disassembly job. One person to hold the cabinet to prevent it from sliding down and one person unscrewing it from the wall.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @Nailbag for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

Nailbag

Hi @sarzc

This looks exactly like my project several months back. Getting the cabinet out is very difficult because your overheads were assembled from one end to another. This central cabinet is sandwiched in and not intended to comet on its own. That central shelf is screwed in from the left and right outsides of the cabinet.

As @EricL mentioned the first thing we need to see is if the range hood caucus is standalone which we can tell from the photos. It's highly likely that it is. So, clip the doors off from the rear of each hinge and retake a couple of wider angle ones.

I can already see screws holding it in place as per the arrows marked potentially there will be a couple more. But before you do that, the range hood has to come out first and it will be heavy.

Un-tape the flue pipe from the top of the range hood. Then pull the power plug out. Are there any screws on the top of the shelf holding the range hood in to it? If so remove them

Rest a large plastic tub on your stove as this will be used to lower the range hood on to. Pull the filters out and see if there are any screws deep up to the top securing the range hood to the shelf? There are two bolts I can see highlighted with yellow arrows. These need to be removed. Hopefully this allows the range hood to come out.

You will need a sparky to make safe the powerpoint as that can't come out with the cabinet. He will tuck the wires in. Then under the cabinet screws and then its a matter of using some muscle twisting it up/down until it slides out.

The new range hood will be nothing like the old one. I spent a long time diffusing out how to repurpose the cabinet and support the new range hood. Then get it back in and fit the new range hood and be mm perfect.

My photos below show my steps.

Home this helps. Nailbag

Screenshot 2024-10-02 at 5.18.16 PM.png

Dave-1

Evening @sarzc

Mmmm Going through the suggestions and having put together a few kitchen carcass (cupboards) Id go for the easier option.

Id 'write off" the space in your mind and install a piece of melamine across the width of the cabinet. (think kickboard) Fixed in place by top down screws from the shelf above into the horiziontal piece and also two pieces of timber either side of the cabinet below the shelf to give it stability.

Just had a look for a piece that height and width and Kaboodle Gloss White Base Filler Panel is just an idea of what I am describing as I dont know the colour/type of doors you have 🙂

Enlarging the space will give back 120mm ish in height and the effort involved may make it tip to an easier option.

Dave

sarzc

Thank you Eric and Nailbag! This information is all super helpful and it's given me hope that the job can be done!

I am in touch with a sparky who is going to assist with the new rangehood installation. Perhaps while it's getting installed I may as well make some adjustments to the cabinet itself to make it look nice on the inside, taking some inspo from Nailbag's project as that looks amazing!

Here's some photos of the cabinet without the doors attached. Hopefully it indicates that it is standalone like you mentioned? I can see places where it's screwed into the wall behind, and what seems to be the cabinets that are sandwiching it:

Thanks again for the advice!

sarzc

Thanks Dave for the advice! I'm having trouble visualising what you've described, would the filler panel essentially just hide the gap that the new rangehood would create? Something like what I've drawn on the image attached? White box with black outline is the panel and the red lines are the screws.

Screenshot 2024-10-02 190305.png

Dave-1

Morning @sarzc

Yep, you have nailed it 🙂 Its relaly to make that area look tidy and stop grease/dirt from settling there.

Just a caution note, depending on how whomever installed the cabinets into the studs behind the wall you may want to support the cupboards from underneath if you go down the route of removing that section and modifing it before putting it back in place.

Dave

sarzc

Perfect, thank you @Dave-1 !

Do you have any tips on supporting the cupboards from underneath or is it just a matter of finding a random piece of material for support?

Dave-1

Morning @sarzc

Can can purchase plastic wind up stands from Bunnings

you could go the route of using a timber support.

If you go the route of a timber support remember not to put all the weight onto a point on the bench especially if you have a stone or fake stone benchtop. Id use a larger flat plate under the timber you have for the support to spread the weight. Think like an over sized capital I You would need minimun of two supports and more depending on how long along the wall the cabinets go. (and this is just a caution, just in case type deal)

Dave

Dave-1

Afternoon @sarzc

Just found the ones from Bunnings for supporting cabinets while you install them.

Tradesman Stan The Stand Cabinet Levelling System

Dave

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