How to Install Kitchen Cabinets |
| The following information is meant as a general guide for installing kitchen cabinets. If you are not an experienced carpenter, contractor, builder, remodeler, or seasoned DIY person, we strongly encourage you to seek out a professional to install your kitchen cabinets or at least have one assist you during this process. |
- Here’s what you will need to get started:
- Tape Measure
- Carpenter Levels (12” and 48”)
- #2 Phillips screwdriver
- Phillips Screw gun
- Chalk line
- Extension Cord
- 2 C-clamps or Rubber Padded Furniture Clamps
- Hammer
- Electric Drill
- Drill Bits (At least 3: 1/8”, 7/32” & 3/16”)
- Step Ladder
- Handsaw
- Carpenter’s Square
- Patching plaster
- Pry bar
- Wood shims (For shimming cabinets up from floor or out from wall)
- Stud Finder (Optional)
- Circuit Tester
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| Step 1 - Before you begin |
- Check your order This should have been done
upon delivery (See our Shipping Policy section) but it’s
imperative you have a complete and accurate order before you
begin the installation. Make sure the contents of the cartons
match the product numbers on your order and kitchen plan. If
there are any damaged, incorrect, or missing cabinets
immediately contact Customer Service at 888-860-3252.
- Turn off gas, water, and electric. If you’re installing your
cabinets in a new home, ensure the utilities are roughed in and
turned off.
- Shut off the water line to your sink. Open the faucets to
drain the water lines. Disconnect the water and waste lines.
Unplug the garbage disposal. Remove the sink if you plan to
reuse it. (It also reduces the weight of the countertop)
- Pull the refrigerator away from the wall. If it has an
icemaker, be careful not to kink the tubing. Shut off the water
supply to the icemaker. Disconnect the water line and unplug the
electrical. Move the refrigerator to an out of the way location
and near an outlet not affected by the reconstruction. Make sure
the outlet you choose can handle the circuit load of the
refrigerator. Plug it back in.
- If you have an electric stove or oven, shut off all circuit
breakers for these items. Test it by trying to turn on the
appliance. Unplug and remove the appliance(s). For gas stoves
and ovens, the gas source will need to be shut off prior to
disconnecting the appliance. Note: Natural Gas and
Propane are highly explosive! We recommend this be done by a
qualified contractor or local gas company representative. Once
this has bee done, disconnect and remove the appliances.
- Shut off the valve that supplies water to the dishwasher.
Disconnect the waste and water line. Shut off the power supply
at the breaker box. Remove the dishwasher.
- Shut off power to the kitchen in areas where a lighting
fixture or outlet might need to be moved during reconstruction.
Use a circuit tester to make sure the power is off. Check both
receptacles in a duplex outlet because they each could be on a
different circuit.
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| Step 2 - Cover up and protect items |
Before you begin removal of your old cabinets, if you’re not
replacing the floor cover over it with heavy cardboard or old
carpeting to protect it.
- Remove the contents of your existing cabinets. Organize them
in small boxes so you can find items when you need them.
- Remove the upper wall cabinets first. Remove the counter
top. Remove the base cabinets. Remove any mouldings or trim that
may interfere with cabinet installation.
- If you are relocating the sink or appliances, you will need
to move the plumbing, gas, or electric services.
- Patch and repair the walls and/or floor. Complete any
reconstruction and finishing (i.e. painting) before you start
installing your new cabinets.
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| Step 3 - Checking for uneven floors and walls |
| All home walls and floors shift and settle over time. Even new construction does not guarantee that your walls and floors are plumb, level or square. Your cabinets must be shimmed and adjusted to account for this unevenness. Before you begin cabinet installation, remove all cabinet doors, drawers, and shelves from cabinets to lessen the weight and enable you to clamp stiles together for installation |
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| Floors |
| First check
for unevenness in floors. Locate the highest point on the floor.
Place one end of a straight 2 x 4 at the end of the cabinet run.
Place a carpenter’s level on top and check the bubble. Check all
around the room within 22” of the walls where base cabinets will be
installed. Raise either end of the 2 x 4 until it is level. Mark the
floor at the end that makes contact with the floor. This is a high
point. Once the high point is located, strike a level line on the
wall all around the room from this point of the floor using your
level chalk line. (See figure 1)
Figure 1
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| Walls |
| Next check for unevenness in walls. Mark the outlines of all
wall cabinets on the wall to check actual cabinet dimensions against
your layout to ensure your design will work. (See figure 2) Using a
straight 2 x 4, check the walls for uneven spots. Wall unevenness
can cause cabinets to be misaligned resulting in “racking” or
misalignment of the doors and drawer fronts. Where these uneven
spots interfere, scraping or sanding off excess plaster can remove
high spots. Low spots can be shimmed with thin pieces of wood or
shingles.
Figure 2 |
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| Step 4 - Find the Studs
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| Typical wall
construction places wall studs on 16" centers. This means that every
16" you have the center of a 2 x 4 wall stud to support your
cabinets. To locate a wall stud, there are wall stud finder tools
available or you can tap on the wall and listen for a “solid” sound.
Studs will be located near outlets. Mark location of all studs on
wall surface. (See figure 3)
Figure 3 |
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| Step 5 - Install the Corner Wall Cabinet |
Nail a 1" x 2" wood furring strip with its bottom edge on the
tall or wall cabinet line that you previously marked. You must begin
your installation in a corner. Measure from the corner to the first
stud mark and transfer the measurement to the inside of the cabinet
to be installed. Repeat this step for each and every stud. Now drill
a 3/16" hole through the hang rail inside of the cabinet 3/4" down
from the top and 3/4" up from the bottom. Raise 1" x 2" the cabinet
up into place against the 1" x 2" wood furring strip and support it
underneath with a wood t-brace made from scrap lumber (See figure
4). Fasten the cabinet to the wall with #8 x 2 1/2" wood screws. Do
not fully tighten the screws.
Please note: When installing a blind wall cabinet, make sure
the cabinet is pulled out from the wall the appropriate distance as
called for in your kitchen plan.
Figure 4 |
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| Step 6 - Install additional Wall Cabinets |
| Follow instructions in Step #4 to hang the next wall cabinet. Do
not fully tighten the screws. Using two C-clamps, align the vertical
stiles of the adjoining cabinets and hold tightly together. Drill
pilot holes at hinge level through the stile of the second cabinet
and just barely into the stile of the first cabinet. Using #8 x 2
1/2” wood screws, tighten securely (See figure 5). Then, after
making sure both cabinets are plumb and level, shimming where
necessary, tighten all screws securely to the wall. Now continue
this procedure around the room. It is important to secure all
cabinets together before shimming for plumb and level. Screw the
cabinets tightly to the wall once they are plumb and level.
Figure 5 |
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Step 7 - Install Fillers and Valances |
| Fillers are needed to take up odd dimensions when cabinets are
installed next to a wall. They also allow clearance for doors and
drawers to operate properly when turning a corner with a blind
corner cabinet. A filler may have to be cut to size when used to
take up an odd dimension next to a wall. Hold the filler in place;
turn it over and on the backside make a pencil mark at top and
bottom where it should be cut. Join the two marks with a pencil line
and saw along that line. Put the filler in place and drill a pilot
hole at hinge level through the cabinet stile and into the filler.
Attach filler to the adjacent cabinet by fastening together with
three #8 x 2 1/2" wood screws (See figure 6). Valances are installed
in a similar manner; however, if trimming is necessary, you should
cut from both ends equally so the valance design remains
symmetrical.
Figure 6 |
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| Step 8- Install Base Cabinet |
| Corner Blind Cabinet First, put the base cabinets in
place starting with the corner cabinets. If a base blind corner
cabinet is used, pull it out of the corner to the proper dimension,
as shown on your kitchen layout. Shim this cabinet up to the high
spot line previously located. Attach loosely to the wall by screwing
into the wall studs through the hanging rail with #8 x 2 1/2” wood
screws as previously described. Attach filler to the adjacent
cabinet and fasten the two cabinets together also using the same
procedures (See figure 7). Base blind corner cabinets may be pulled
out as necessary. A 3”filler is included with each base blind corner
which must be used as an extension of the adjacent cabinet to
provide necessary door and drawer clearance.
Figure 7
Easy Reach Corner Cabinet
If using a base Lazy Susan cabinet, apply a 1 x 2 strip to the
wall at the proper height to support the countertop. Apply to both
walls at right angles. These strips should be screwed to the studs
and will provide support for the countertop once it is installed
into the corner. It is usually better to fasten at least one cabinet
in both directions to the Lazy Susan and be sure they are shimmed
properly, attaching the countertop brace described above.
Once the corner cabinet is positioned properly into the corner,
use the stud marks on the wall to locate the position of the screws
for mounting the base cabinets to the wall. Drill a hole at the stud
location through the back rail of the base cabinet approximately
3/4” from the top and into the stud. Attach the cabinet to the wall
with the screws provided inside each cabinet. Be sure to use the
shims under the cabinet base to bring it up to the previously
established level line.
Figure 8
Corner Filler Cabinet
When using a base corner filler cabinet fasten the two adjacent
cabinets to the filler by drilling through the stile at hinge level
of the cabinets into the base corner filler. Screw them together.
Place the three pieces into the corner as one unit and attach to the
wall though the cabinet hanging rail as previously described. Now
make sure all cabinets are plumb and level. Shim where necessary and
tighten all screws (See figure 9). Install countertop braces as
shown on the wall at the 34 1/2” horizontal base cabinet level line.
Figure 9 |
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| Step 9- Install Remaining Cabinets |
| The remaining base cabinets are installed in the same manner.
Using two C-clamps, align stiles, drill and screw together as
described in Step 5. Proceed around the room making sure all
cabinets are plumb and level, shimming where necessary. Then tighten
all screws. (See figure 10)
Figure 10
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