I initially purchased the smaller sibling of this rack J.K. Adams PRC-24 Mini Ceiling Oval Pot Rack, Natural but found it a bit too small for my needs.The larger model turned out to be more suited to the quantity of cookware I had accumulated over the years.
The mounting points for this rack are on 11-1/4" by 32" centers.For those of you who will be mounting the rack across your joists, this should make installation fairly straightforward, easy, and quick, assuming your joists are on standard 16" centers.If, like me, you are mounting the rack running with your joists, things get more challenging.And, when you are also mounting the rack over a counter whose relationship with the joists can only be described as "unfortunate", it gets slightly more complicated.
I solved my problem with two 34" long 3.5" wide oak planks, fastened into three joists, using 3" #12 brass wood screws, countersunk into the oak.The three joists were made necessary because of the relationship of the rack to the counter, and the fact that it was important to keep the rack mounting points between joist attachments to prevent the weight on the rack from being out on a "lever" with the last attachment point acting as a fulcrum.Without the need to line up favorably with the counter, a pair of 18" boards, attached at two joists would have been just fine.I mounted the rack offset, 4" from the back of the counter.I chose this offset to keep the pans out of my face when working at the counter, as I need all available workspace in my galley style kitchen.
Working on the ceiling is always a treat.I transferred the exact location of the back edge of my counter to the ceiling by clamping a board along the counter's curved edge, and using it as a reference rail.The actual transfer was done using a Bosch plumb laser Bosch Self-Leveling Laser Plumb Bob (GPL2) .To find the joists I used Zircon 60276 MultiScanner i700 OneStep Wood, Metal, and Live Wire Stud Sensor, however, there were some "mystery boards" in my ceiling that cast some doubt as to whether I was correctly identifying the joists, and I finally had to resort to using a fiber optic camera Ridgid 31123 SeeSnake Micro 9.5mm Inspection Camera to identify what was what.The "mystery boards" run back among some cabinets, and I'm still not sure why they were put there, but at least I was able to properly identify the joists.For placement of the first plank, measurements were made to a nearby wall, and the second plank was placed by measurements to the first, along with the use of the stud-finder and a square.I fabricated a small drilling template from some scrap aluminum I had on hand to insure consistent hole placement across both planks.Other tools used included a Makita circular saw Makita 5008MGA Magnesium 8-1/4-Inch Circular Saw , Skil 3400-12 10-Inch Table Saw Kit with Stand (both equipped with a Freud "fine" blade Freud TF1061 10-Inch 60-Tooth Thin Kerf Fine Cut Blade) and a Milwaukee Drill Milwaukee 2601-22 18-Volt Li-ion Compact Drill Kit .Also used were misc. drill bits, including a #12 countersink; a screwdriver, screwdriver bit, a 24" square, a 36" "story stick", a 36" steel rule, (2) 12" "rapid clamps" and an ancient Porter Cable router.
Once everything had been mounted to the ceiling and I had a good "test fit" trial with the rack in place, I pulled it all back down.I then "dressed up" the oak planks a bit using a router. Finally, I sanded and finished them, using a natural finish Minwax Natural Finish, 1 Qt.Once dry, it all went back up.While not an exact match, by any means, the naturally finished oak blends well with the wood and metal of the rack.The woods I found at my local "big box DIY" which might have been a closer match to the wood in the rack, did not offer the strength of the oak, and I find I like the resulting aesthetic, right down to the accent of the brass screw heads.
Although the particulars of my situation made this into a bigger installation task than I anticipated, that will certainly not be the case for everyone.I do wish J. K. Adams would wise up and offer both an 18" and 34" adapter board set - we aren't all going to be mounting across the joists.And please, no matter how tempted you may be to cheat, make the effort (or hire the effort) to be sure this thing is solidly fastened to your joists. Do not let anyone convince you that some gadget will let you use the sheet-rock.That patented miracle-anchor may let you attach a Volkswagen to your sheet-rock wall without a problem, but this is a ceiling, not a wall.Not only do you need to avoid the sickening sound of a hole being torn in your ceiling, and your expensive cookware crashing down on whatever is below, but you also need to consider the real risk of someone being injured.I have no doubt my Le Creuset Dutch Oven could seriously injure, perhaps even kill, when falling from a height.Especially if it squarely struck a small child on the head.
Overall, I would strongly recommend this rack.I have ordered more hooks for mine, and look forward to years of having my cookware properly stored, a nice contrast to the years of cursing and swearing, digging around in dark cabinets while crouched on the floor with a flashlight.
So, enjoy your new rack if you buy one, and Bon Appétit !
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J.K. Adams PRC-02-N Ceiling Oval Pot Rack, NaturalProduct Description: The J.K. Adams Ceiling Pot Rack: display your attractive pots on a rack equal in quality and design to the world's best cookware. A combination of wood and brushed chrome with a heavy metal grid, this rack holds a surprising number of pots, pans, lids and utensils. It arrives fully assembled with all the necessary hardware and hooks. Installation instructions and hardware are included. This Pot Rack is 39-Inches by 13-Inches by 12-Inches and has a natural finish. Also available in a metallic gray finish. Must be suspended from solid wood.
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I could not tell from the picture on line the strength or durability until I opened the box when it arrived. It was excellent to handle all my cast iron pots and pans and looks great in my kitchen.
