Installing Kitchen Cabinets
Original article by JWP Incorporated, reprinted with permission.If you are the type of person who likes to do things yourself, you will probably want to know how to install cabinets in your home. In this article, I will go over installing base cabinets and and single wall cabinets. Understanding how to do these things yourself will save you a lot of money, but you will also need to have a lot of time on your hands. I will first start this article by teaching you how to install base cabinets. This article is designed for those who want to install cabinets in their home.
Even if you have made a computer blueprint of the area where you want to add the cabinets, you may find that they are not 100% accurate. The very first step of adding cabinets is to find the highest point in the area where you want to install the cabinets. You will want to choose the highest point because all of the cabinets will need to be shimmed to a higher level. For this tutorial, we are going to begin in the corner, and I will be using a Lazy Susan base cabinet. You may need to use a few scraps of tile to make sure the floor is level in all areas. You will need to check the level of the floor in all directions and add shims to places which need it.
The Lazy Susan that we are using has a cover panel which conceals the side. Your cabinet may have this as well, or it may not. The stove will sit next to this. The next thing you will want to do is put together the base cabinet to test how the parts fit. If your base cabinet has a cover panel, you will want to clamp it to the face frame of the base cabinet. For this example, we used holes which were drilled for 2 1/2" deck screws. You may be working with a different cabinet, so you can adjust the size to fit whatever specifications you need. You may also need to use 2x4 cleats to support the counter, but it should only be done if it is necessary.
For some base cabinets, cleats must be used, but this may not be necessary depending on the model you’re using. The cover panel of the cabinet will need to be attached to the cleat with nails. Using a cleat to connect the cabinet to the wall will keep it from moving while you construct it. After you’ve installed the first base cabinet, you will next want to look at the other side of the areas where the cabinets will be placed. If you need to level the floor, you can use more shims or tile. After this is done, you will want to add the next unit. After it has been added, the cabinets will need to be connected.
The next thing you will want to do is connect the cabinets together. Now that you’ve added the first two cabinets, you will want to add the sink base cabinet. As the name implies, this is the cabinet that will hold your sink. You will need to cut open holes for the pipes which will bring you water. The holes which will fit the pipes will need to be cut at the bottom, while the holes for the drain will need to be cut in the back panel. You will need to measure the size of your pipes and drain to make sure it is correct. Once this has been done, you will want to connect the two cabinets. I used mounting screws which were 2 1/2."
When you install cabinets, you will want to connect them together in what is called a face frame. This should only be done with cabinets which are adjacent to each other. You will want to connect them and adjust the frames of the face so that they are perfectly aligned. You will also need to make sure holes are drilled with long screws, and 2 1/2" deck screws should be perfect. You will need to make sure the face frames are connected tightly. After this, you will want to fasten the cabinets to the wall. The screws can be pushed inside of studs. All you will need to do is repeat this process with the other cabinets.
You will need to make sure you leave space for things such as your dishwasher and fridge. The standard dishwasher will fit into a space which is 24" wide. I will next show you how to install a single wall cabinet. The first thing you will want to do is draw a line on your wall to mark the very top of the single wall cabinets. After this, you will want to add a bottle jack on top of the counter below where you will be installing the cabinets. You will now want to place the cabinet on top of the bottle jack. Make sure the back of the cabinet is against the corner.
After you’ve done this, you will now want to jack the cabinet up into the desired position. The jack should be placed in front of the center of the cabinet bottom to keep it from tumbling forward. You will now want to drill holes in the studs and add 3 1/2" screws. Make sure you don’t screw them in too tightly. You will want to purchase screws that have wide heads. Even though they can be expensive, they will hold the wood tightly. You will now want to look at all sides of the cabinet to make sure it is level. You may have to add some shims to the back. Once you’re certain it is level, you want to push the screws in.
Once all the screws have been placed in the panel, and the cabinet is set in place, you will want to test it by grabbing the cabinet. You will now want to hang from it. If it has been installed correctly, it should be able to support your weight. This should only be done by people who weigh no more than 150 pounds. If too much weight is added, the cabinet can collapse. You just want to make sure it can support the weight of more than 100 pounds of canned food. Once you’ve done this, the cabinet is complete.
