A well-rounded kitchen needs to be both functional and beautiful. For those who prefer the look of built-in appliances, custom microwave trim kits are quick and easy solutions to create the perfect look to finish your kitchen. 

This article will cover everything you need to know about custom microwave trim kits, including the benefits, ordering, and installation process to help you make the best decision on how to move forward with finishing up your kitchen. 

Custom microwave trim kits add a seamless look to your entire kitchen

Key Takeaways

• Custom microwave trim kits help blend your microwave into cabinets and other appliances to provide a seamless look to your kitchen. 

• Save counter space by creating an alternative location for your microwave.

• Measuring and installation can be intimidating, but everyone can easily do it with a tape measure and a screwdriver. 

Why a Custom Microwave Trim Kit?

While a microwave trim kit can seem like an extra addition to the kitchen, they have the potential to completely overhaul the look and function of your kitchen. By adding in a trim kit, you can move you microwave away from precious counter space into a cupboard space. The microwave trim kit transforms that space with a sleek and seamless design, making the microwave appear as if it was built-in from the very beginning. 

Replacing an old built in microwave

Many of our clients who need to replace an existing built in microwave find it difficult to find a suitable replacement.  Many microwaves either don't come with trim kits or the stock trim kits do not fit the cabinets properly.  With a custom trim kit, you get to specify exactly what size you want the trim to be.  In addition, the quality of the trim kit is going to be a notch above what you would receive from the manufacturer.  It's a win-win.

Optimizing Counter Space

In a smaller kitchen, counter space is valuable real estate that doesn’t need to be taken up by a microwave. By moving your microwave, you can free up a lot of space to be used for just about anything. 

Adding in the microwave trim kit means that moving your microwave won’t look poorly done. Instead, the right trim kit makes it look like the entire kitchen was built around the built-in look that you immediately get. 

Overhauling the Kitchen Look

That’s right. A microwave trim kit has the power to totally overhaul your entire kitchen. 

The sleek look that comes from adding in a trim kit is directly from the uninterrupted flow that you get from the appliance to the spaces around it. Without the dead space in between, you get the appearance of a seamless kitchen without having to worry about a full remodel. 

What to Know Before Purchasing a Microwave Trim Kit

Buying the right trim kit is an important step to achieving the look you’re after. We work hard to build custom kits that fit any opening, and we need your help to make sure we deliver exactly what you need. 

Measuring for a Custom Trim Kit

The most important step in the process is measuring the space accurately. Luckily, this is incredibly simple as there are only three essential measurements that we need:

Measure (to the nearest 16th of an inch):

• The width of the opening

• The height of the opening

• The depth of the opening

Other than these three measurements we need to know the following:

• The make and model of the microwave

• The desired outside measurement of the trim kit if what you want is different than the standard one-inch extension on either side of the opening. 

• The height of the lip underneath where the microwave is placed (not all spaces will have this)

The measuring process will only take a couple of minutes, and this video is a great way to get clear on what exactly is needed.

Installing a Microwave Trim Kit

Installing the trim kit once it arrives is likely the most intimidating part of the process for any of our customers. Fortunately, the products we make are designed to be installed with no more than a screwdriver and a measuring tape. 

Our trim kits come with:

• The riser system to center the microwave in the opening

• The hardware to stabilize the microwave in place

• The decorative face frame with mounts

Installation is as simple as:

1. Installing the Riser System - Using your tape measure and screwdriver, center the riser system in place and fasten it into place with the stabilization hardware included. 

2. Installing the microwave - Next comes the microwave! Place the microwave on the riser system and be sure to plug it in!

3. Installing the decorative face frame - Installing the mounts around the opening is easy to do. All you need is your tape measure and screwdriver to measure the spacing and fasten the mounts in place. Once you've installed the mounts in the corners of the opening, it's as easy as popping the frame in place. 

4. Adding the decorative face frame around the opening by screwing the mounts in place and simply sliding the frame in place

We make our trim kits simple because we know how tricky it can be at times to take on DIY projects. This is made for everyone so that you can get that look all on your own. 

We made this video to help everyone get a good grasp on how to install their own kit, so check it out and follow along!

Check out this video on all of the commonly asked questions we get regarding our microwave trim kits!