Kitchen Cabinet Installation Tips for DIY

If you purchase your cabinets directly from HD or Lowe's first thing you should do is check everything when kitchen arrives, to make sure that they match your order, make sure cabinets are not damaged and everything is there.

First is the measurement stage. Before you mark the wall, try to find the "high spot" on the floor where the kitchen cabinets will go. Some floors in older homes are not level and cabinets must be adjusted to the condition of your home. Check walls for plumb and square, because even in new construction they could be out.

Next mark out your studs. Use a stud finder to locate all the studs and mark them with a pencil. Take a small nail and double check to make sure your mark location right on the center of the stud.
Wall cabinets always installed starting in a corner, and working them outward according to kitchen layout and cabinet sizes marked on the plan. When cabinet is being installed,check to make sure it is level,plumb,and square.

The base kitchen cabinets before installation, they should be lined up against the wall and connected to the wall and one another. They should be clamped together so they aligned perfectly and then connected through the sides by screws. Be sure you use proper screw sizes so they will not penetrate the surface of another cabinet.

You will need a bundle of shims because shimming will be necessary, if something need to be aligned properly or leveled.

In some cases hanging rails must be used, they get screwed to the studs and you will be provided with a cabinet material to cover the gaps between the cabinet and the wall.

After everything is installed and leveled, you install your toe kicks that will come with the cabinets, they can be brad nailed or glued in place, crown and scribe moldings for finishing touches.

To install kitchen cabinets you will need a helper, 18 or 23 gage brad nailer,air compressor,miter-saw, screw gun, drill bits, level, square, screws, glue, shims and other various basic carpentry tools. It is good to have advanced carpentry skills doing this type of work.

Good luck