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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:
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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.
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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. |
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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. |
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To
begin, establish reference lines. Start by using
a four foot level or other straight edge to find
the highest point of the floor. Measure up 34-1/2"
and mark the wall for the height of the base cabinets.
(An alternate method is to snap a chalk line along
a level line 4' off the floor. Measuring down from
this line in various places will reveal the high
point in the floor - ie. where the measurement is
shortest. Now measure up from this point 34-1/2"
and extend this reference line as the height of
the base cabinets.) |
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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. |
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Now
do a rough layout. Determine the location of
appliances and unpack and position all cabinets.
Remove the inner shelves from the bottom of the
cabinets and at this point some installers will
remove the doors to avoid scratching them. Now is
the time to consider where the fillers will go and
to "dry fit" any complicated areas. For
example, if you are stacking cabinets in a certain
area, or you need to check clearances, now is the
time - not after some of the units are in place.
Some people will transfer the widths on the layout
directly onto the walls at this point. Check for
all of the electrical and plumbing clearances as
well. |
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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. |
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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.
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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. |
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Each
cabinet must be joined to the one next to it.
This is done by screwing the frames together. First,
align the face frames flush to one another and clamp
as pictured. Use a "counterbore" bit,
which is narrow like a regular drill bit in front
and wider at the base, to drill the pilot hole and
a recessed area for the head of the screw at the
same time. (The counterbore bit size and the screw
size must be close) The drill should be kept level,
and held inside the door opening. Two holes, top
and bottom, should be drilled from one face frame
into the other. Wood putty can fill the holes later. |
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Continue
in this way until each run of wall cabinets is complete.
Give careful attention to differing heights. In
this layout, the corner cabinet is higher, but equal
in height to a higher end cabinet with moullion-frame
glass doors. Across the way, heights are varied
to balance the design.
The edge of the last
cabinet ideally will fit squarely to the wall. However,
if it does not, consider use of a trim piece of
molding to hide any gaps. An end cabinet can also
be "scribed," which entails contouring
the back edge to match the dips in the wall. First
"bevel away" the edge to be scribed with
a plane about 3-5° being careful not to bevel
the finished edge. This will make it easier to scribe
the finished edge to the wall's contour. |
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Install
the base cabinets.
Starting in the corner, position a base cabinet,
using shims if necessary, so that its back edge
meets the chalk reference line. Check for level
across the front and from front to back, shimming
if necessary. Remember to screw through the reinforced
nailer strip, then through any shims, and into the
studs. As above, score and break away the protruding
portion of any shims.
Check for plumbing
and using a drill and jigsaw, or a hole saw, create
openings. Most commonly this is needed on and near
the sink base. |
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word about filler strips.
Filler panels in various thicknesses and widths
are available to complete your installation and
create a custom, perfect fit. When we review your
layout we will recommend you order extra fillers
in the same finish as your cabinets to cover gaps,
just as the pros do. These fillers are "ripped"
to the correct width using a table saw or a circular
saw with a rip fence to ensure a straight line.
They are then attached by screws through the face
frames as shown. |
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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. |
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Cabinet
accessories can be installed at this point.
Pictured at left is a pantry multipurpose kit being
installed. This is an option instead of stationary
shelves. All accessories will come with instructions,
and we can provide guidance for installation of
cabinet accessories and special purpose configurations.
After all cabinets
are installed, shelf pegs can be positioned and
all adjustable shelves can be put in. If doors were
removed, these can be reinstalled and adjusted.
Full overlay doors that cover the cabinet frame
must be straight, and standard overlay doors can
be adjusted at the hinges to ensure an even gap
all the way around. Drawers should also be put back
in and hardware can be installed at this stage.
Glass inserts should be added last to avoid accidents
with the included clips. |
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final step is to install any valences and moldings.
A compound miter saw is used to trim the length
of valences and matching toekicks, and to create
the angles and compound angles of molding and crown
molding. For crown molding, a level line can be
drawn along the top of the cabinets above the door.
If space allows, finish nail into this and glue
the corner seams. With crown molding, you will miter
the outside corners and "cope" the inside
ones. (A process, similar to scribing, of cutting
back from the outside edge with a thin saw blade.)
To mount moldings flush, nail a block behind the
top or bottom edge and nail the moldings to the
block. |
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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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