# Forum Home Renovation Kitchens  Enclosing the area above kitchen cupboards

## Hybrid

I am after some tips on enclosing the space above the upper kitchen cupboard (is this area called a bulkhead?). How do they attach the gyprock to cupboards? I imagine there must be some 90 degree bracket screwed to the tops of the cupboards and then somehow gyprock is then attached to these brackets??? 
Any tips or pics would be most helpful  :Smilie:

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## CHJ

> I am after some tips on enclosing the space above the upper kitchen cupboard (is this area called a bulkhead?). How do they attach the gyprock to cupboards? I imagine there must be some 90 degree bracket screwed to the tops of the cupboards and then somehow gyprock is then attached to these brackets??? 
> Any tips or pics would be most helpful

  If this is what you are after, I just fitted a 25mm X 50mm battern along the top of the units set back the thickness of the plaster board (plus a bit for the plaster skimming) and secured the platerboard with bugle headed plaster board screws.

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## Hybrid

That is exactly what I am talking about. Well that sounds relatively simple (even for me  :Tongue:  )  
Thanks for the tip!

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## Gaza

You can even use MDF as it is easyer to get in place and screw, just make sure you get your framing right.

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## CHJ

> You can even use MDF as it is easyer to get in place and screw, just make sure you get your framing right.

  ? Plasterboard if skimmed does not have to fit accurately in fact small gaps are desirable to increase adhesion and provide continuity of structure. MDF will always result in cracks reappearing at joins due to dissimilar expansion if skimmed with plaster. If however it is to be finished by some other method, papering over for instance, I see no problem other than having to have much closer fitting tolerances. Not criticizing the MDF suggestion, It may well be an easier option in this case, just making observations on its use.

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## seriph1

there are a range of methods for doing this nicely - let me know what height your ceilings are and what general style your home and kitchen is and I will dig out some pics for you to use as reference. 
have fun

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## Gaza

I would not skim the MDf with plaster i would just no more gap the joins and bog any butt joins up.

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## darrens

i might chip in here mate as i do this for a living, 
              simply get some pyne board 16 or 18mm get i about 100 - 150mm wider than the cupboard to ceiling gap.  measure the smallest size, if it's only about 10 -20 mm difference thats fine.   cut the board to that size and use the bit thats left for the 'cleat'. 
        screw the cleat to the top of the unit, if you have room or have a cool festool screw gun like me,lol. screw the face plate to the cleat and just support the joints with a spare piece on the back, screwed to both. fix your gyproc to that with screws very top (to be covered by cornice) and at the bottom (less visable)   fix your cornice to that, and when the cornice cement goes off, it will be solid. 
                make a decent job of scribing round the old cornice your probably butting up against to save hassle later when you fill the screw holes or skim the job, and  in your set up, set it out so that finish of the gyproc is about 3mm back from the carcase, so you can 'no more gaps' it. 
           may sound a bit ruff, but it works well and looks good when finished.

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## Nicole1983

Which one is structurally more superior than another,Bulkhead above 
the kitchen cupboards is MDF or Plaster boards (frame) ? 
2550mm ceiling height and this is new construction. Originaly my Builder has done Bulkhead above 
the kitchen cupboards using Plaster (Frame). After Pre plaster inspection done by private inspector, his report says, 
"There have not been any noggins installed between the wall studs under the bulkhead/drop ceiling trimmers to the Kitchen to pick up and support the edges of the plaster wall sheets.The relevant Australian Standard AS/NZS 2589.1 Gypsum Linings In Residential and Light Commercial Construction  Application and Finishing , clause 7.6.2 Spacing, requires that Plasterboard shall be fastened at a maximum of 300mm centres for internal angles, external corners and around openings.
Given the spacing of the existing studs, noggins will need to be installed so that the edges of the wall sheets can be securely fixed to the wall framing at their required centres." 
So what my builder did was he removed whole bulk head done by Plaster  and he is telling me he will do it using MDF . 
So i don't know which method is good. Please help me on this. 
Thanks.
Nicole   

> there are a range of methods for doing this nicely - let me know what height your ceilings are and what general style your home and kitchen is and I will dig out some pics for you to use as reference. 
> have fun

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## Godzilla73

G'day, 
Get your cabinet maker to make up the bulkheads out of anything and then plaster the faces and either cornice or square set them, best way to go. MDF with cornice attached will crack quite quickly.

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## Pitto

MDF has been used for years, even in my kitchen [ builders kitchen mob, not me] has MDF bulkheads with cornice and have not had any drama's and it was built 10 years ago. 
Cracking, thats what No More Gaps is for.  :Biggrin:  
if you go the gyprock way, i think its alot of work for little gain. you will still have issues with movement. the only bonus is that gyprock wont suck up paint like raw MDF does.

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## juan

Our kitchen and laundry cabinets are getting installed at the moment and Complete Kitchens are using MDF for the bulkheads in both.
This photo shows a section of the kitchen bulkheads.

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## Gaza

> G'day, 
>  MDF with cornice attached will crack quite quickly.

  why?

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## Godzilla73

Cornice adhesive doesn't stick to well to MDF, you can put screws thru the cornice but it'll still let go... There is nothing wrong structurally with using MDF, just the end result is poor imo. 
I worked at the same place for 20+ years and they relied almost solely on word of mouth advertising, and cracks that need constantly filling with no more skills 'aint a good business card.

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## Danny.S

Mine are MDF.  Simple, cheap and the cornice has stuck just fine. 
Danny

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