[limelight]

We are installing the 30 x 15 cabinet that accomodates the OTR microwave beneath it. Beside this cabinet and microwave there will be a 12 x 30 (height) cabinet.

The problem is that there is only one stud behind the range, and even the one, appears to not be in a straight line. For the cabinet it is in one position, then further down where the support for the microwave support should go , it is further to the right. Yes, we are wondering what's going on behind the wall.

If it were just the cabinet I wouldn't be as concerned about just using the one stud and toggle bolts but I'm really worried about the weight of the microwave.

What next? I guess I'm looking for validation when I tell hubby he has to tear out the wall.

Also, would a 16" clearance between the surface of the range and the bottom of the microwave be adequate?

We had all the cabinets up and the above the range was the last one to go, when we realized that at the height we had positioned the cabinets we would have only a 12" clearance between the range and microwave. So we are currently in the process of taking all of the cabinets down so that they can be moved up 4" which is about the max we can go to make it look okay and also function for me (vertically challenged).

If 16" is not enough I'll have to do a re-design and try to come up with something for what was supposed to be the eating area of the kitchen....and I really don't want to do that.

When will it be fun again??? LOL As you can see this is my first visit to the forum......I hope I did this properly.....thank you in advance for your thoughts on our dilemma.

	LOL definition LOL means Laugh(ing) Out Loud

	OTR OTR means Over The Range, usually in reference to a microwave

[ikitchensetc]

Is I understand you corrrectly, you have 42" of wall cabinets (30 +12). And there is only one stud for the hanging rail? At a minimum, there should be two. How did you locate the studs? Stud finder? You should double check you findings by pushing an awl into the places that you think have studs and seeing if you hit home.

The appearance of studs being offset may indicate that the wall you are working on has pipes in it. Is there a bathroom of the other side of the wall? Weird confirgurations of studs are often necessary to accomodate a wet wall or even a medicine cabinet in a bathroom wall. As much as I hate to say it, you might need to strip drywall off the wall. You don't want to run a screw into a pipe.

Gas range or electric? In most states, there are minimum clearances for a gas range to surface above. Look at the range manual. I personally think 16" is too low to have good functionality. A tall pasta pot can easily be a foot tall. We shoot for a minimum of 18". The only other trick is to put a 12 x 30 horizontal above the range. It gains you 3" and looks really cool.

[limelight]

ikitchensetc.........Thank you for your quick response.
Yes, you are correct the total width of the cabinets is 42" with a wall to the left and a window to the right.

The stud finders proved useless so basically it became a process of putting holes through the drywall until a stud was found. There is absolutely no rhyme nor reason to where the two studs were found and not found. We even tested the theory of them running horizontally but that pattern didn't exist neither.

I think we are resigned to having to pull the drywall off to see what's going on behind the wall. It is not located in line with any plumbing, nor venting etc.

The range in question is electric....my dd just bought a new home and as you said her microwave is 18" above the rangetop. Another idea that I thought of is if there is a more compact (with regard to height) microwave. The one I have is just over 17" .......if I could find a 15" that would give me the 18" clearance.

I like your idea of the 12" cabinet but the ADEL white cabinets are not in stock here......it was a three week delivery on the cabinets....I hope (haha) to have this finished by then.

So I guess as much as we were hoping to avoid it, we are faced with tearing out the wall and building up the support behind it.

Thanks again, for your answer.

	DD definition DD can mean Dear Daughter, Dishdrawer(s) or Design Diva