This is a guest post by Jakob Barry. If you want to guest post on this blog, see the guidelines here.
When designing, remodeling or simply improving your kitchen, ceiling pot racks can be a great way to save space on counters and in cupboards. They also relieve the stress of trying to find what you need when cooking since pots and pans are hanging, literally, at your fingertips.
Until recently ceiling pot racks were probably more often found in industrial kitchens than in homes where wall mounted racks, a similar type of contraption, took precedence. This is probably because mounting something to a wall as opposed to a ceiling is generally easier for most people.
However, wall shelves have their disadvantages:
- On some racks hanging pot bodies can take up space on the rack limiting use.
- The pots can make contact with the wall and cause marks or scratches on the paint or wood.
- Pot bodies can overlap each other and limit accessibility from one pot to another.
- Wall shelves take up wall space. Regardless of the size of the kitchen, this can often remove the aesthetic sound of the room. It also means less wall space for other things like a knife magnet or a spice rack.
Roof racks provide the following:
- Better storage when there is little space.
- Breathing room between pots and pans.
- Good accessibility.
- An opportunity to free up space elsewhere.
- Character for a kitchen.
One of the most important benefits of ceiling pot racks: With wall racks the home cook will never again have to empty a cabinet in culinary frustration.
Factors to consider when choosing racks:
There are many different factors to consider when choosing a ceiling pot rack. Some of the most important points to check are the following:
1. Kitchen layout:
- It may seem smart to put a roof pot rack on a stove-top because the stove is where you use pots and pans but it is a dangerous situation that can lead to burns from the heat generated by the stove below. Also, steam rising from boiling water, food droplets, or other residue can affect the rack and its contents. That’s why for these two reasons a popular place to hang the ceiling pot rack is on an island bench or counter from the wall where the preparation cooking process usually begins.
- When deciding where to hang the rack do not block the light fixtures. Some ceiling pot racks come with their own light fixtures or the fixtures can be purchased as accessories.
- The rack cannot be hung from anywhere. Once a roof location is found the roof joints need to be found. The joints are the safest areas to install the bolts of the rack and its support chain, which will be holding the weight of the actual rack and all the pots. If you are not sure how to do this, hire a professional.
2. Size:
- The width and length of your roof rack depends on the placement decision. This is important because it needs to fit into the space you have chosen and pots and pans should be able to hang and be easily accessed without hitting the walls or cabinets.
- If the ceiling rack is too close to a cabinet, shelf or wall this can create a problem with pots staining woodwork or chipping paint.
- The expectation of how many pots and pans need to be stored on the rack will also affect the choice of size.
3. Form:
- Roof racks can be rectangular, square, oval, semi oval and other shapes.
- Aesthetically, the shape of a rack can depend on other shapes in the kitchen such as if the room has a more square or round feel.
4. Composition:
- Kitchen ceiling shelves are made of any number of materials including stainless steel, metal, wood or iron. Although some seem stronger than others, if the one you choose is professionally made and installed correctly it will be strong enough to withstand the weight of your particulars.
5. Style:
- When it comes to style what is most appropriate generally depends on the type of kitchen and the needs of the home owner. Split roof rack designs can be very traditional and grid-like or vary greatly in presentation. Essentially, there is no right or wrong but personal preference without losing sight of getting the most out of the rack you choose is the key.
Conclusion:
Ceiling pot racks are one of the most useful upgrades a kitchen can receive. They will make life in the culinary environment easier and free up space for other items elsewhere. Choosing the right one for you is not difficult and will be the perfect display for top-notch pots and pans. Just remember, if you decide to buy one it’s a good idea to make sure it’s professionally installed as improper installation can lead to other problems down the road.
Jakob Barry is a home improvement journalist for Networkx.com. It blogs about practical kitchen topics for professionals across the United States like the tile contractors of Salt Lake City, Utah.
