[Joshcube]

I'm having new kitchen cabinets installed a week from Monday. They are going to complete the tear out on a Friday and start the following Monday which only leaves me two days to tackle a couple big projects. One of those is installing a tap for the fridge icemaker. Currently I'm running a 25' fridge line hose from a tap in the sink (18' away) through holes drilled in the back of the old cabinets, but that doesn't fly with the little lady for the new cabinets.

There is an outside spigot in the wall next to (but perpendicular to the wall the fridge is on). I plan to tie into this line. I live in Southern California and all the plumbing (copper) in the kitchen comes in through the attic and then down through exterior walls and the house sits on a concrete slab. Here are the options I've come up with.

1. Tie in the pipe in the attic and then come down the wall. This seems to be the most "proper" option, but the kitchen is next to a great room with a vaulted ceiling. The kitchen has a soffit above it, but I'm not sure if there is room to crawl across the vaulted ceiling to drop into it. I'm also not sure if I have the fortitude to try it. There is ample evidence of an animal living up there years ago and don't want to come face to face with a possum skeleton in the process.

2. Run the line through the wall studs. I would have to go through 3 exterior studs, which seems like it would be okay if I use stud shoes, but I would also have to turn a corner and drilling in an exterior corner doesn't sit well with my common sense detector. This would be the easiest way to do it and the cabinets would cover up any shoddy drywall repair on my part.

3. Run the line through the soffit. This sits better with me, but means punching a lot of holes in the soffit and a lot of drywall work that will be very exposed. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and seeing my inevitable seams in the drywall will bug every time I walk in the kitchen.

Also, I wanted to get opinions on using PEX instead of copper for the run. I would love to save the time of not having to solder (the other projects to complete same weekend are moving electrical outlets and running electrical to the island), but I don't like the idea of having the copper to PEX coupler in an inaccessible place.

Any thoughts? Thanks in Advance!

 

[porchmonkey]

No. 2 with a simple option.
Cut a channel in the drywall just big enough to accommodate a 1/4" pex line. That's as big as needed for an ice maker line. It should recess enough to not protrude past the surface of the wall. Run it continuous with no joints. Tape over it and if you want, add a little joint compound. The new cabinetry will hide it.

 

[Joshcube]

That's a really good idea. I should probably find some kind of nail plate for where it passes over the stud though. With my luck, the cabinet installers will get lucky and put a screw right through the line.

 

[Chemist1961]

Have you thought about where to locate your shutoff? 1/4" line could also feed below the cabinets, behind the kick plate unless code prohibits. Also 1/4 should be easy to fish.
I run 2" centarl vac line inside finished plaster walls so to me this doesn't sound too tough.:thumbsup: Drop a floor plan sketch on here with fridge and cabinet layout and current water supply marked. Then we can look at it