What size filler panel should I use with blind corner cabinets and why it matters?

A thoughtful and well planned cabinetry installation is key to insuring your cabinets will provide the most storage in an organized and easy to access manner.

Most installer and homeowners want to have as much storage space as possible.  And much like a well thought floor plan for a home, one of the goals in cabinetry is to minimize “wasted space”.  In this particular scenario, we are talking about achieving maximum storage space in your corner cabinetry without creating usage headaches.  All that’s needed is a little additional forethought and planning.

Minor details are important.  When planning a Lazy Susan install or a blind corner cabinet, we focus most of our planning on maximizing the storage and can sometime overlook some key details that may affect the functioning drawers above these spaces.

In the video below, we are demonstrating a blind corner cabinet with drawers above the cabinet openings.  Typically, with similarly located corner cabinets, the larger the opening, the easier it will be to access its contents.  However, if we focus on that too much….bad things can happen.

A properly installed blind corner cabinet will utilize filler panels of some sort.  Many installers will use a 2.5″ to 3″ filler.  And this is the perfect time during the install to STOP, step back, and consider all the future steps of the install and the intended use of the cabinets and drawers in this corner.  The size of this filler panel is the key piece in determining how well the finished corner cabinet will function.

If the width of this filler is too slim, your drawers may not open cleanly.  Too wide, and well…it makes accessing the contents of the lower blind corner cabinet much more difficult.  The key to solving this riddle may sound familiar….”measure twice, cut once”.  This step of the install requires knowing the exact depth of the hardware that will be installed on the face of the drawers.  Measure the depth of the pull or handle and use that to calculate the size or width of you filler panel.

This step will help you achieve the largest opening of the lower cabinet doors for quick and easy access, while maintaining the necessary drawer operation above.  Riddle solved!