Kitchen Home Improvement - How to Install Kitchen Cabinets

Installing your own kitchen cabinets is not the daunting task that many believe it is. Even if you’re new to do-it-yourself home improvement, the following tips can help you to install kitchen cabinets that a professional would appreciate.

Knowing the proper tools required to complete the job will go a long way in helping you be successful. There are a few specific tools that are essential to install kitchen cabinets. First, to make sure they are level and secure, you’ll need some way to support the cabinets.

Most of us would have a hard time talking our friends into holding the cabinets up for an hour or so while we work on them. This being the case, you’re going to need some type of jack to hold them in place.

You could use something as simple as a wooden T-shaped brace to a standard car jack as your support. There are also a number of jacks available that are designed specifically for this purpose. Basically, you’ll need something to hold the cabinet firmly in place while you secure it.

Make sure your support system is stable and secure. Slick floors may cause it to slip. You may need to use several supports to limit the possibility of the cabinet wobbling or falling over.

You can use the base cabinets to your advantage, if they are already installed. A few short jacks with wide resting areas should provide a stable support. Use whatever is necessary to keep the cabinet stable and secure, such as tall metal stain cans with a thick phone book on top.

The next thing you’ll need to do is locate the studs (2 x 4 support beams) in the wall. These are what you will fasten the cabinets to. If you try to secure your cabinets to drywall or wood panels alone, they will never hold. A variety of affordable, commercial stud finders are available. Use this to locate the first one. 16 inches is the standard stud spacing for most homes, so measure down the wall until you find the next one.

After locating the studs, mark them on the wall with a pencil. Use a drill bit that is slightly smaller in diameter than your support screws, and pre-drill your screw holes. This will make for easier installation.

You may require holes in the bottom of your cabinets for things such as, wiring, plumbing or under cabinet appliances. Make sure these holes are drilled before you place the cabinets.

Once you are sure of all of your measurements, you can lift the cabinet into place and set it on the supports. 18 “ of clearance from the countertop is recommended.

Secure the cabinet into the studs using 3” support screws. If possible, fasten the cabinets through the trim or corners, instead of the thin back wall. The location of studs in relation to the cabinet may not allow this, though.

Take a 1 x 2 block of wood and screw it into the studs under the cabinet. This will give it some extra support.

You may wonder why it wouldn’t be easier to place the support strips on the wall and then place the cabinet on top. Even if your measurements seemed perfect, there is always some adjusting and repositioning after the cabinet is in place. There is no way to know exactly where the support strips will end up.

You can then install any handles and other hardware necessary.

Congratulations! You just did it yourself.