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| Installing New Kitchen Cabinets |
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 Most Common Mistakes
- Not installing level or plumb,
- Not attaching to studs,
- Damaging or marring cabinets,
- Not aligning cabinet doors,
- Damaging the walls during installation,
- Not cutting sink opening to proper dimension,
- Drop-in appliances not properly fitted and installed,
- Not making exact fits and cuts, or
- Not installing all needed utilities.
Whenever installing stock cabinets, accurate measurements are
critical to assure a snug fit. Custom made cabinetry is usually sold
with a warranty conditional on having the cabinets installed by the
dealer. In fact, the dealer will probably send someone out to make
their own measurements.
Most ready-made cabinets come with a scribe allowance at the
edges to allow you to adapt them to irregular walls. Scribing simply
involves running a strip of masking tape along the side to be
scribed; then, positioning the cabinet. (See Fig. J) Set the points
of a pencil compass to the width of the widest gap between the side
of the cabinet and the wall. Run the compass down the wall and the
irregularities will be pencil marked on the tape. Now you can plane
or sand down to the line so the cabinet will rest flush against the
wall. If the scribe edge is not included on your cabinets or if your
cabinets go all the way to the ceiling, plan on trimming the edges
with a small piece of molding.
It is easier to install the upper wall cabinets first because you
have room to work with them. Since they will hang from the wall, you
must make certain they are securely attached.
Before installing any of our new cabinets, remove all the
drawers, doors and hardware and label them as to their original
locations for quick reassembly. This will make the units much
lighter a n more manageable.
- Use a chalk line to mark the position of the wall studs on the
walls from ceiling to floor.
- Measure the height of the base cabinets. If your floor is not
level, measure from the highest point. Add to that measurement the
thickness oft e counter top. Measure this distance up from the
floor and draw a horizontal line across the wall. Use a level to
assure this line will be true horizontal. This will indicate the
surface of the counter top.
- Measure to another point above the line to where the bottom of
the upper cabinet will rest (usually 18' to 19" above your 1st
line) and draw another horizontal line across the wall. This line
(approximately 54 inches above the floor) should also be made with
a level to assure it is true horizontal and parallel to the line
for the counter top.
- Nail a temporary l x 2 ledger board to the wall so that the
top of the board is even with the line for the upper
cabinets.
Be sure you are nailing into the studs. Now mark the
cabinet widths along the length of the ledger strip.
- You will need to make a few temporary jacks to support the
wall cabinets while you attach them to the wall. The total length
of the jack should reach from the floor to the bottom of the upper
cabinets. Wide blocks of wood nailed to both ends of a 2 x 4 work
well for this purpose. Put the jacks into position near the
ledger.
- Attach the cabinet units together so that the faces are flush.
Slide a level down the entire length of the cabinets, adding a
shim where there is a gap or to bring it up to level. Place your
level front to back on the top of the cabinet to check for plumb -
a again shimming if necessary. Then, screw the entire length o
cabinets into the wall with the 2 - inch screws through the top
cleat and into the wall studs. often, due to some unevenness in
the wall, there will be gaps between the back of the cabinet and
the wall. To avoid pulling your cabinets out of kilter as you
position them to the wall, shim the gaps at the fastening point
(where the stud is located) before screwing the cabinet into
place.
- Island cabinets must have the individual units screwed
together and laced into position before leveling and plumbing on
all four sides. I the base is separate, level and plumb it. Then,
fasten it to the floor With toe nails or angle brackets. Place and
anchor the cabinets to the base. When installing an island unit,
it is important to square it to the cabinets along the wall and to
the wall itself, as well as lining it up properly with the
overhead fixtures (stove vent or lighting). Measure off on both
ceiling and floor to determine the exact location.
- When readying the cabinets for installation, we recommend you
first prepare those cabinets that will house a hood/vent, ducts
and plumbing: Place the cabinet upside down on the floor with the
hood in position upside down on the (bottom of the) cabinet. Trace
the outline of the vent hole onto the base of the cabinet. Drill a
starter hole for your sabre saw, then, cut around the outline and
remove the cutout, Next, make a paper template of the ceiling or
wall where the cabinet will be placed that shows where the end of
the duct will enter. Place the template into position on the
cabinet top or back and outline the duct hole. Again, drill a
starter hole and cut out the circle with your sabre saw. Mark the
location of the Wall studs on each cabinet's hanging cleats; then,
drill pilot holes for screws at these points. Self-drilling bugle
head screws can also be used. These require no pre-drilling,
except when using at face frames. With the doors removed, lift the
first cabinet into position onto the ledger board and the
temporary jacks. Check to see that the cabinet is both level and
plumb in position and, if needed, add shims at the back of the
cabinet to bring it into a plumb position.
- Screw the 2-1/2 inch No. 8 flathead wood screws through the
cleat at the back of the cabinet and into the wall studs - two at
the top and two at the bottom. Use longer screws if needed to
assure at least 1 -1/4" to 1-3/4" penetration into the studs. Each
unit should be attached to a minimum of two studs. If only one
stud is located behind a unit, add a toggle bolt as an additional
fastener.
- Attach each of the upper cabinets in this manner. Then, go
back and screw the adjacent units together. When connecting
adjoining cabinets, it may be necessary to loosen wall screws to
allow the faces of the cabinet to be attached flush to each other.
Use hand screws or a C clamp with soft wood screws between the
jaws of the clamp and the face frame often cabinet to hold the
units flush while you screw them together.
- Recheck all for level and plumb.
- Remove the jacks and the ledger board and repair any holes in
the wall.
- If your lower cabinets have freestanding bases, set the bases
in position and level them, shimming if necessary. Also, use a
framing square to square them where your base cabinets meet in a
comer. When placing shim material, place a block of wood between
the shim and the hammer so as not to damage the flooring. Then
anchor them to the floor and place the cabinet units on top of
them. Those cabinets without freestanding bases must be leveled
and anchored in position as a unit. As you set the base cabinets
in place, measure and leave room for our appliances, adding a 1/4
inch for clearance - more if you will be adding end panels. Check
the position of your base units against the line on the wall,
making certain the tops are equally below the line by the
thickness of your counter top.
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