How to Install kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets

     This article covers installing kitchen cabinets. The first article in this kitchen design series is Measuring for Kitchen Cabinets. The second is Laying Out Kitchen Cabinets, which explains how to create a diagram of the space. This article will deal with typical cabinet installation considerations.

     This is a general article, but purchasing cabinets from us means that you will get the best information on installing Timberlake cabinets and accessories. In the meantime, keep the following two installation principles in mind:
        • Your cabinets should be installed straight, plumb, and level.
        • Your kitchen, or other installation area, is not straight, plumb, and level.

     So the goal is to use the tips and tricks here, used by professional installers all the time, to combine the individual cabinets into a unified whole. They will appear to be straight, plumb, and level, and all the seams and doors will line up - in fact, a good installation will look as if it was custom built in place.

      A word about fasteners: Cabinets are manufactured with reinforced strips of wood, or "nailers" across the back. Despite the name, do not nail your cabinets up - even the most carefully angled toe nails will work loose over time under the weight of heavy dishes. Use pan head screws, specifically those designed for cabinets. Often called "pan head cabinet screws," these are available from your local hardware store or home center. Do not use uncoated drywall or sheetrock screws - some installers use them, but we don't recommend them. While some installers also use slightly stronger flathead, coated deck screws with washers, there is no doubt cabinet screws made of brass are stronger. Finally, it is absolutely essential that the screws are driven into wall studs.

     Before beginning the actual cabinet installation, be sure the room is properly prepared. Flooring is done first. Your cabinets should sit on top of hardwood or tile floors so that if you, or the next owner, wants to change the cabinet layout or reconfigure it, you will not have to deal with areas that are bare or unfinished. Before cabinets are in the way, it is also a good idea to have the electrical work done. Outlets and switches should be installed according to the layout, including those for stove, dishwasher, vent/hood/fan, garbage disposal, etc. Prepared kitchen for cabinet installation.
     Low voltage lighting wires for under or over cabinet lighting should be run, but left tied off until the cabinets are installed. Plumbing should also be ready, including sink, dishwasher, and any lines for an icemaker or filtered water if the refrigerator is so equipped. Any special appliances, including under sink water filters, wine refrigerators, or garbage disposals should be planned for ahead of time.
     Consider the countertop area next. How thick your countertop will be often depends on the material, and this should be added to the standard 18" of height above the countertop. This will give you the reference line for the bottom of the wall cabinets. For example, a 1-1/2" thick countertop plus the traditional 18" of backsplash and countertop height would be 19-1/2", so mark this height and extend a parallel line above the line for the base cabinets. Note that 18" of clearance is traditional, and allows for most countertop appliances and a comfortable work area, but it is not mandatory. Consideration should be given to the function of a given area of countertop, whether staggered cabinet heights are desired, and the continuity of the tops of the cabinets. For example, an 84" tall pantry would mark the tops of the wall cabinets, no matter what heights are chosen, if there will be continuous molding along the tops of the cabinets. Otherwise, choose varying heights for drama as pictured. There is also the possibility that an appliance garage, bookcase, wine rack, or other cabinet will sit directly on the countertop as part of an interesting design.
     Locate the wall studs. This cannot be stressed enough - screw your cabinets into wall studs. (These are the the vertical framing members inside the wall - usually a 2x4) If the absence of a wall stud forces you to screw one side of a cabinet into an empty wall, any number of different wall anchors can be used to make the screw more secure depending on what material your walls are made of. To install kitchen cabinets, dry fit the appliances and cabinets to be sure there is enough clearance.
Start a kitchen cabinet installation by installing the upper cabinets first.      Hang the upper cabinets first. It will be easier to hang the upper cabinets without the base cabinets in the way. We recommend starting in a corner and working outward where adjustments can be made to compensate for imperfect walls. Square and plumb the corner cabinet and, if possible, consider hanging the corner cabinet with its neighboring cabinets as a unit if you have enough help. If you are working alone, or with one other person, this will be impractical, and you may even consider screwing a cleat or ledger board, (a straight piece of wood), along the chalk line to support the weight of the wall cabinets as they are screwed in.
     To square and plumb the cabinets, use levels and shims. Shims are thin wedges of wood that can be slipped behind the nailers, (the reinforced strips), at the top or bottom to bring the cabinet out. They are also slipped under base cabinets to bring them up. Hold one level held horizontally along the top of the cabinet while simultaneously another level is put up to the side of the cabinet vertically. Use shims to make adjustments and when both levels are centered, screw right through the nailer and the shim. The protruding shims are scored with a utility knife and broken away. In this way, each cabinet will be straight and plumb. If you have enough help, consider joining a few cabinets together on the floor and then raising them into position. In this way, you will level, straighten, and plumb a whole group, or "run", of cabinets together ensuring perfect seams between each. To be sure the kitchen cabinets are installed correctly, plumb and level each cabinet as it is installed.
     Continue installing base cabinets from the corner shimming each adjacent cabinet out from the wall and up from the floor so that the face frames are flush, aligned, and level. As with the wall cabinets, clamp and use the counterbore bit to drill holes and then recess-screw the face frames to each other. Scribe or use trim to finish the exposed edge of the last cabinet in the run if necessary. At this point, remove any cleats or ledger boards used to support the upper cabinets during installation.
     Installing island cabinets is a little different as there is no wall or reference line. Wood blocks, usually 2x4s, are drilled and secured into the floor and then the cabinets are drilled into these blocks through the toekicks. During the dry fit, measure for placement of these blocks according to the layout. (You can actually trace the location on the floor and then move the line over an amount equal to the thickness of the toekick) Use special care if drilling through tile. In larger installations, an entire frame is created and after cabinets are installed, any exposed areas are covered with a thin veneer of hardwood finished to match the cabinets. This is also the technique used to create window seats or other custom structures. Again, screw the face frames together so they are flush, level, and plumb.

     With the cabinets done, the countertop can be installed and plumbing and electrical hookups can be completed.

     Remember, if you purchase your cabinets from us, we will work with you or your installer to ensure that your finished kitchen looks beautiful and the installation is professional and efficient.

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