Learned a new trick for scribing cabinets that saved me an hour on a kitchen install yesterday

I was working on a kitchen remodel in an old house in Minneapolis and the walls were so wavy I wanted to tear my hair out. I always just used a compass to scribe my filler strips and countertops but yesterday I tried something different. A buddy of mine told me to use a long level as a straightedge and a sharp pencil with the lead sanded flat against the wall. You just run the level along the wall keeping it tight and the pencil marks the cut line perfectly for every gap. I was skeptical because it sounded too simple but it worked way better than fighting with a compass on every single cabinet. The filler strips on the end cabinets fit so tight I barely needed any caulk. Has anyone else tried this method or got a better way for really messed up walls?

3 comments

3 Comments

craig.mila1mo ago

Have you tried using a scrap piece of 1/4 inch plywood as a spacer when you do the level trick? I keep a 2 foot level in my bag for this exact thing and it works fine in tight spots around sinks and cooktops. The key is to make sure your pencil lead is sharp but flat against the wall, otherwise you'll get a wobbly line. I also hold the level with my hip when I'm working alone and that frees up both hands to guide the pencil steady.

the_elizabeth1mo ago

Why would you want to use a long level when a compass gives you the same exact line without having to hold a giant tool tight to a wavy wall? The level method sounds like it would be a pain if you're working alone or have tight spots where you can't fit a 4 footer. Plus a compass is way cheaper and easier to pack around than a level you gotta keep clean and straight.

noahmartin1mo ago

Three bucks at the hardware store gets you a little compass that fits in your pocket, and you're done. Meanwhile that 4-foot level costs what, 40 bucks, and you're trying to balance it against a wavy wall while holding a pencil? That's just begging for a crooked line and a bruised hip. I get that levels have their place for plumbing and leveling cabinets, but for scribing a counter line every time, it feels like overkill. It's a pencil line on drywall, not brain surgery, you know?