Base Cabinets Installation

The upper cabinets are up. Now it's time to tackle the base cabinets. Their instillation is basically the same except these units need to sit leveled to the floor as well as plumb to the wall. It's good to inspect the cabinets as soon as you take them out to the box. Look for any damage that may have occurred in handling. Remove all the doors, drawers and shelves. This will make it easier for you to reach the back of each cabinet as you attach it to the wall. Tape the numbers on them so you can identify which doors and drawers go with the appropriate cabinet. You may also want to protect your floor from getting scratch or dented from the cabinets and tools as you work.

The best place to start is with the corner cabinet. That way if you need to adjust your spacing later on, you can do it in the middle of the wall where it's easiest. If needed, wedge wood shims under the cabinet to bring it to level, using a level to check as you go. The importance of this cannot be underestimated as it will keep your cabinets leveled even if your floor isn’t. And if the cabinets are not plumb and leveled, the drawers and doors will not operate smoothly. Attach the cabinet to the studs with wood screws. The screw should be long enough to go through the dry wall and into the stud for a secured bond. Two and a half inch to three inch screws, should do the trick. Okay with the corner unit secure, you’re ready for the next one.

Align the face frames and clamp them tight together, wedge wood shims where there are gaps at the floor and the back wall. Drill pilot holes and the face frame and attach the unit to the cornered cabinet with wood screws using adjustable clamps to hold the cabinets together. Double check the cabinet from level, front to back and side to side, then for plumb and secure it to the studs in the wall. With the cabinets secured in place, you can undo the clamps and move on to the next one following a same procedure. If you have any gaps between cabinets, you can close them with matching wood filler strips that came with the cabinets. Measure the gaps and ripped them to fit, then attach them with wood screws to the adjoining face frames. There your upper and lower cabinets look great. Just add hardware and your job will be complete.