Installing Kitchen Cabinets Series – Part 8

Finally, it’s time to install that 1st cabinet. I usually like to start in a corner or at one end if there is a tall cabinet there. The first thing I do is locate the studs on the wall. I use a stud finder, a relatively inexpensive tool you can get at any home improvement store. Once the studs are marked I install the filler trim onto the side of the cabinet adjacent to the wall. Your cabinet package may not use fillers if you purchased “face frame” cabinets. (Check with your cabinet dealer) Now I locate the point inside the cabinet where the screws will attach to the wall and I drill a hole there. (The hole should be the same diameter as the screw.) I insert the screw in the hole just far enough that the screw won’t fall out. Next I position the cabinet in it’s location. It’s important to correctly position this 1st cabinet as it will impact the positioning of the other cabinets attached to it. To get the cabinet height correct, put wood shims under each corner at the base and adjust them until the top of the cabinet matches the line you drew there in the previous step. Put a level on the cabinet and adjust the shims until the cabinet is plumb while maintaning the height. Now check that the cabinet is square to the wall by checking the distance from the face of the cabinet to the wall on each side. Once square, recheck the cabinet for height, plumb and square and then sink the screws into the stud. Put a shim between the cabinet and the wall at the screw location if there is space between the cabinet and the wall. This will keep the back of the cabinet from deflecting when you tighten the screw. Viola, you have just installed your first cabinet!
Milwaukee Sawzall