[happamaki]

The 3' x 8' cover panel that will be on one side of our fridge (the other side will be a 15" x 88" pantry) is back ordered and no one can tell me when it will be in. Meanwhile, everything else is ready to go and lots of arrangements have been made to start soon. Is there any reason we couldn't install the over-the-fridge cabinet (30" x 15" x 24") and everything else and do the fridge cover panel later? Does it play an important supporting role to that cabinet or does the rail take care of most of that?

I've tried to read all of the threads about this topic and can't come up with a definitive answer, although it does seem like at least with the shallower OTF cabinets, some people seem to treat the side panels as optional.

[Chuck]

Ready? Set? GOI!!!

No need to wait for the 3x8 - you can certainly get started and add it in at a later date. It does play a "supporting" role, so I wouldn't go completely without it.

[tumbilli]

we had the same problem and were without a 3x8 for a year-yes a whole year-in fact we were without many pieces for a year because of colour match issues!!! you can definitely wait and install later

[happamaki]

Ok, thanks for confirming my suspicions. So now the question is - what are the right words to use with my contractor who says that he has to wait to start until the panel is here? We scheduled everything around the original timing - we made arrangements to leave our dog with someone, and they'd be done enough so that we would have Christmas break to do the painting, etc. So throwing everything off schedule at this point for no good reason bothers me quite a bit.

So the panel is attached to the fridge cabinet from the inside of that cabinet, right? And we're doing click flooring, so they could install that without the cover panel in place, too, right? Does it attach to the wall at all or to the floor, or does it just sit on top of the flooring? And would worst case scenario be that it takes a year for the panel to arrive and we put the fridge in place and maybe put a block between the top of the fridge and the fridge cabinet to provide extra support? I mean, I can live with that!

We are not the handiest of people - evidenced by the fact that we've hired a contractor. So I know he will try to tell me why this $%#@ panel is such a big deal, and I need to be armed with all the info to back up my position. Thanks!

[tumbilli]

The fridge cab is supported by the suspension rail and the cover panel attaches to the cab from the inside. The panel is not required to support the cab. The panel sits on top of floor. We attached the panel to the floor with two L brackets at the base to keep it straight but you can easily roll out your fridge later and place the L brackets when the panel is installed. No reason that I can think of to wait.

[happamaki]

Thanks everyone - this information was helpful. My kitchen is back on schedule!

[fisheggs]

Maybe he is concerned about getting exactly the right fit between the panel and the cabinets? i.e., if he moved the base cabs too far over, there wouldn't be room for the panel? If that's true, he should just need exact measurements of the thickness and the willingness to measure a bit more carefully than he might have if he could have just stuck the panel in there, checked it for level, and then mounted everything around it.