Add a breakfast bar to your RTA cabinet kitchen design

Wouldn’t it be nice to create a little bar to eat while you install your new RTA kitchen cabinets? A breakfast bar is a great place for the family to gather each morning before going to work or school, it is easy to keep clean and if the kitchen opens to your dining room or living room it can be easier to build from what you believe.

Simple steps to build a breakfast bar

1. Place base cabinets in the open space between kitchen and living room. The back of the cabinets will face the living room and provide the base for the breakfast bar. Two 36-inch base cabinets work well or you may want to add a 24-inch cabinet to create an eight foot bar

2. Build a half-timber knee wall that rests on the base cabinets. A knee wall is a short wall that does not reach the ceiling. The knee wall will be the width of the breakfast bar and should extend slightly past the base cabinet with the exposed side. The height may vary depending on the bar stools you plan to use, but in most cases the height that works best is 42 inches prior to installing the countertop.

3. Many building inspectors may consider the knee wall to be a wall space, so you may need electrical wiring for the outlets installed and inspected.

4. Cover the exposed surfaces of the knee wall with a wall covering of your choice, such as gypsum board, paneling, or RTA cabinet end panels.

5. The material of the countertop that is used is usually the same as that of the rest of the kitchen countertops. Opinions vary as to how much protrusion the countertop should be on the side to eat, but you want enough room to be able to eat comfortably without your knees hitting the wall. In most cases, a 12 to 16-inch overhang works well.

6. The cantilever should be supported with supports that are available at most home improvement stores. Improper support can create a safety hazard with heavy materials like granite.

7. Countertop backsplash must cover exposed knee wall on kitchen side.

These are general guidelines and may vary depending on your specific application. If you have any questions or concerns, call a construction professional.