Why does nobody talk about using shims to fix uneven countertops in old houses?

I was working on a kitchen reno in a 1920s house last month and the countertops were off by almost 1/4 inch on one side. Tried everything to level it out with screws and brackets but nothing worked. Then an old timer at the lumberyard said just stack some tapered shims under the base cabinets before you mount anything. Did that and it came out perfect. Saved me from having to plane down the whole counter. Has anyone else used this trick for older homes? Feels like cheating but it worked.

3 comments

3 Comments

shane_morgan22d ago

Shims are basically the homeowner's version of a trust fall. You just have to hope they don't slide out when you're not looking. Saved my bacon on a crooked 1930s floor last year, felt like a genius for about ten minutes until I dropped a screwdriver.

charlieh7422d ago

Did you ever see that old This Old House episode where Norm Abram shimmed a whole staircase... I swear I watched it like three times trying to figure out how he kept them from popping out. I use the cedar ones for my own floor patches because they grip better than the plastic ones, but you gotta tap them in just right or they'll slide sideways when you're not paying attention. That feeling when you're on your knees and a shim shifts mid-screw is worse than stepping on a Lego barefoot.

the_mary22d ago

Cedar shims are basically magic for grip, that sliding misery is so real though.