How to Install Kitchen Cabinets – A Complete Guide

(Last Updated On: April 4, 2023)

While installing your kitchen cabinets can usually appear to be a difficult task. But, it is actually pretty simple. It entails screwing the cabinets to the wall in the proper order and ensuring that everything is level.

It’s all about fixing cabinets onto walls in proper sequence and ensuring that all is in a level position.

Custom kitchen cabinets can cost as much as they are made and some installations amount to hundreds of dollars, But, spending this amount of cash isn’t necessary for beautiful outcomes.

Instead, choosing the pre-made cabinets and installing them yourself can keep your budget within the limits without sacrificing style or quality.

Therefore, gather a partner as well as some equipment, as we’ve got all the tools you’ll need to know about how to install a kitchen cabinet with ease.

If you decide to do this work yourself, it could save you on installation costs. Let’s read this article and learn how to install a kitchen cabinet.

However, it’ll require assistance from another person and a cabinet jack in order to move and place higher cabinets.

Remember that the kitchen cabinet must be installed before the flooring is laid, since the movement of cabinets and putting them will probably result in scratches or even cracks on the floor.

Materials Needed

How to Install Kitchen Cabinets

  • Stock cabinets that are pre-made
  • Toe Kick
  • Measuring tape
  • Carpentry Pencil
  • Long-term and high
  • Stud Finder
  • Shims
  • Trigger Clamps
  • Drill and Bits
  • Cabinet screws
  • Hammer
  • Small Nail Finish Nails
  • Holes Saw Bits or Jigsaws
  • Miter Saw

By following these AMAZING STEPS, you can understand how to put kitchen cabinets that are straight and solid.

👍 Ready to begin your project, follow these steps.

Step 1: Set up the Space

How to Install Kitchen Cabinets

With a four-foot level as nicely as a framing yard and directly 2×4, explore the crossroads and borders of the kitchen to be confident that they’re quadrangular, plumb, and straightforward.

Take note of any bubbles, dips, or angles that may require scribe-fitting, shimming or modifications to the wall.

Install the electrical wiring for the dishwasher, range waste removal, refrigerator, and duct hoodlum previous to placing it on the cabinets.
Place receptacles over your countertop backsplash every four feet, as well as anywhere you intend to utilize a portable device.

In-cabinet lighting fixtures as well as their wall-mounted switches and drain and supply lines.
Check that the cap isn’t attached to the drainpipe.

Step 2: Mark the Reference Line and High Point Layout Line

How to Install Kitchen Cabinets

With a level, draw the level mark on your walls around 48 inches above the floor.

Make a chalk line on these points, and take measurements from this line down into the ground in a variety of locations.
The line that you measure the longest is the high spot of the ground.

Just below the mark that marks the high point, you should mark the high point of your base cabinets, which is typically 34 inches higher than the floor.

From that point, draw a line of level layout along the walls. On the top, the cabinets and the bottom will be in line with the layout line.

Take measures of 17-18 inches beyond the structure of the base cabinet and draw the chalk bar level for the leading boundary of the upper cabinets.

Locate the studs, and mark their positions on the layout lines. Make a small hole near each mark to confirm the locations of the studs.
Find the exact locations of all appliances.

Step 3: Join the Upper Cabinets

How to Install Kitchen Cabinets

Take out the drawers, doors, and shelves from the upper cabinets, making them lighter and easier to move.
Label everything using masking tape so that every piece can be placed back correctly.
Set a straight 1Ă—3 cleat in front of and just below the layout line of higher cabinets.

Screws of drywall size 2 inches through it and into each other stud. Connect more cleats along each length.

The cabinets should be placed on the floor, you can align the frame of the upper corner cabinet so that it is flush with the frame of the adjacent cabinet and then secure them.

Make sure the face frame is flush with the straightedge.

Drill counterbore pilot holes along the edges of the frame’s face, at the top and the bottom.
Insert 2-inch screws through these holes in order to keep the cabinets secure.

Step 4: Hang the Upper Cabinets

How to Install Kitchen Cabinets

With the help of a second one or an assistant move the cabinet’s upper assembly to the corner, then rest in the corner on the base.

Make sure the cabinet’s face is checked with a level to confirm its level.

If it’s plumb you can go four 2 1/2-inch terrace screws via the back of the cabinet, both lid, and base, and then into the studs.

If the cabinet isn’t explored then glide shims in between the cabinet’s back and separator in the zones of the studs.

If the cabinet is plumb then connect it to the holes. The remaining cabinets should be lifted onto the cleat, place their edges with those already mounted, then secure the edges of the cabinets together.

Change cabinets as needed after which they are secured to the studs with the shims by using the 2 1/2-inch washers and deck screws.

Cover any gaps in between your wall and cabinet by writing its stile or its back edge or by trimming the gap.

Step 5: Introduce the Corner Base Cabinet

How to Install Kitchen Cabinets

Place the corner cabinet in its position. Move it upwards away from its floor till its back edge meets the layout line.

If you see plumbing lines, you can push the cabinet shimmed into them, and then mark the locations on the back of its panel.

Turn the cabinet over and then drill holes in the back using an appropriate hole saw.

With a level, examine the cabinet’s face to see if it’s in a straight line. If not, place some shims to the top of the cabinet in between walls or the cabinet’s back in the locations of the studs.

Verify that your cabinet’s top is even. make sure to add shims beneath as required.

While the cabinet is resting against the shims it will be able to drive 2 1/2-inch deck screws through the cabinet backward and then to the wall studs.
Then, at the shim positions, you can counterbore and attach it to the floor using deck screws.

Read More: How to Clean Kitchen Sink Drain?

Step 6: Introduce the Remaining Base Cabinets

How to Install Kitchen Cabinets

Starting from the corner cabinet, you can shim the cabinets adjacent to it away from the wall at the locations for the studs and upwards from the floor, so that the face frames are straight as well as the cabinets’ tops level, and aligned with the plan line.

Adjust each cabinet to ensure its face is level with its installed neighbor. Connect them, counterbore along the edges of the frame faces, and then secure them using 2-inch screws.

On the shims use your deck screws (with washers) through the cabinet and back into the studs.

Cover any gaps in between wall space and cabinet by writing his stile and the flanking panel or by covering the gap using the trim.

Utilizing a knife for cutting make a score and then cut off any shims or shims which are protruding beyond the edges of the cabinets.

Take off all support for the upper cabinet screws and fill in all the holes in the screws using spackle.

Replace the shelves and drawers in their cabinets of origin.

Step 7: Introduce the Doors and Toe Kick

How to Install Kitchen Cabinets

Replace the doors to the cabinet. If you have overlay doors that cover the frame of the cabinet Adjust the hinges to ensure that the doors are straight.

In the case of inset doors, you can adjust the hinges until the door is in line with the frame of the face and that there’s a visible gap (gap) around the edges.
Utilizing 1-inch brads, attach the trim on cabinet bases.

The longest pieces should be installed first, and then cut and put in smaller pieces. Cover any gaps between the trim and floor by scribing.

You can also cover them with brad-nailing and molding to your floor.

Make sure to remove the nail heads with nail sets and then cover them with wood glue or a color-matched stick of wax.

If you have crown molding to remove from the cabinets above, cut the joints on the corners on the outside, and then work the joints on the inside corners.

The molding’s bottom edge should be aligned by tracing a horizontal layout line, which is marked above both the uppers and lowers of your doors.

Secure it to your cabinet using 1- to 2-inch finished nails. Attach the molding’s end joints.
Remove the nailheads using a nail set. Cover them with wood putty, or a color-matched wax stick.

Final Words

In the end, you’ll be able to add your countertops, and then install your appliances.
Once the appliances are installed and the toe kick is installed, you can install it by cutting it into length with miter saws and fixing it with tiny finish nails.

When everything is installed it is time to attach the doors to your cabinets and attach the hardware that you need to complete your kitchen remodeling.

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