What Is a Kitchen Capping Piece?

Where Capping Pieces Are Used

Capping pieces are typically used above tall larder units, fridge housing units or wall units where the unit does not reach the ceiling. Rather than leaving a visible gap, a capping piece (sometimes called a capping panel or light pelmet in different contexts) provides a continuous, finished appearance.

Types of Capping Piece

• Flat capping strips that sit on top of a wall unit rail
• Decorative capping that matches the door profile
• Pelmet pieces that incorporate lighting channels for under-cabinet LED strips

How They Are Fitted

Capping pieces are usually cut to length on site and fixed to the top of the unit or wall with small fixings or adhesive. Where the kitchen has a cornice, the capping piece may be integrated with or replaced by the cornice moulding.

Capping Piece vs Cornice vs Pelmet vs Light Rail

What If the Gap to the Ceiling Is Very Large?

Where wall units sit well below the ceiling — common in older properties with high ceilings — a single flat capping piece can look out of proportion. In these cases, a boxed-in bulkhead or a taller run of open shelving above the units is often a better solution than stretching a capping piece across a large gap.

Are Capping Pieces Cut On Site or Pre-Made?

Most capping pieces are supplied as a length of matching board and cut to size on site by the fitter, since the exact gap to the ceiling varies along the run of units, especially where the ceiling itself is not perfectly level.