Now it’s time for the base and high cabinets. Before you begin, locate all plumbing, power sources and other utilities. Mark around these and using a hole saw, cut the appropriate openings before you install the cabinets. In the following steps, you’ll install the legs at the front of the cabinets and secure a cabinet wall strip to the wall. The wall strip is made of particleboard and comes packed together with the plinths. If you prefer, instead of the wall strip for support, you can put legs on the back of the cabinets.
1. Mark the level lines Using the high point of the floor that you marked earlier, measure 4 inches up the wall. Use a spirit level to draw a line on the wall at this height.
2. Cut base cabinet wall strips Measure the length of the base and high cabinets to be installed. Do not include the wall space behind appliances. Cut the wall strips into corresponding lengths. Cut the strip 1 1/2 inches shorter where a side plinth is planned.
3. Secure the wall strip Align the top edge of the wall strip with the level line you marked at 6 inches. Secure it to the wall studs. Should the end of the wall strip fall between studs, secure it to the wall with a heavy-duty anchor or expansion bolt.
4. Start with the corner cabinet Attach legs to the front edges of the cabinets according to package instructions. If you are not using the wall strip as support, attach back legs as well. Always use a back leg at the end of the run – it makes attaching the side plinth easier.
Tip: Legs can be shared by two cabinets. See the instructions. Place the corner cabinet against the wall so that its back edge is resting on the wall strip. Through the holes at the top back corners of the cabinet, mark where to drill for the fixing screw.
Tip: If there’s no corner cabinet, install the cabinet that will fit against the back and side walls. Make sure there’s enough room between the cabinet and the side wall for the filler piece.
5. Use the right screws and fittings Drill holes at the spots you’ve marked. Be sure to use drill bits and screws that are appropriate for your wall material. If you have a plaster wall and there’s no wall stud where you’ve drilled, insert a heavy-duty anchor before the screw and tighten halfway.
6. Install the corner cabinet Lift the corner cabinet back into place and adjust the legs so that it stands level. Use a spirit level to be sure. Screw in both screws, but don’t tighten them completely.
7. Secure the cabinet to the wall Tighten the screws, but not completely. Be sure the cabinet is level, front-to back and side-to-side. Hint: If you plan to install a corner carousel – do it now. It’s much easier before the worktops are in place.
8. Install the next base cabinet Mark, drill, and insert the screws for the next cabinet. Lift the cabinet into place, carefully aligning it with the previous cabinet. Use a G-clamp to fasten the cabinets together temporarily.
9. Drill through the cabinet walls Using a .2 inch drill bit, drill through the third holes from the top and bottom edges. When installing a drawer cabinet, drill through the fourth hole from the top.
10. Fasten cabinets together Place the connection screws enclosed with the cabinet frames into the predrilled holes and tighten. Remove the G-clamp. Continue in this fashion with the remaining base cabinets.
11. Sawing holes for the plumbing Before mounting the sink unit, saw holes for the water pipes and drains – either in the base of the cabinet (as shown here) or through the back panel.
12. Install the high cabinet The high cabinet should be installed the same way you installed the base cabinets. If you’re using a cover panel on one side, follow the enclosed instructions to mount this before installing the cabinet.
13. Tighten all the screws When all base and high cabinets are in place and aligned, make any final adjustments before tightening all screws into the wall.
14. Measure filler pieces Check the wall with your spirit level to see if it is even and flat. If the wall is uneven, skip to picture 17. If the wall is even, measure the distance from the wall to the cabinet and mark this distance at the top and bottom of the filler piece.
15. Cut filler pieces With a handsaw: draw a line connecting the top and bottom marks on the front side of the filler, and cut it with the face side up. With a jigsaw: mark both sides of the filler. Put masking tape over the line on the front side to prevent chipping. Cut it with the back side up.
16. Install filler pieces Put the filler piece in place with the cut edge against the wall. Attach by drilling a screw through the predrilled holes from the inside of the cabinet. Install other filler pieces in the same way. When you’ve finished installing all filler pieces, go to picture 18.
17. If the wall is uneven If the wall is not level and flat, the filler must be cut to conform to the wall’s shape. To do this, you’ll need to make a template for tracing the wall’s shape onto the filler. A piece of thin plywood or heavy cardboard makes a suitable template. You’ll also need a measuring tape, pencil and compass. Cut the template material so that it’s the same height as the cabinet. Hold it in place where the filler will be installed. Open the compass a couple of inches and place the point against the wall. Holding the compass horizontal and level, follow the line of the wall so that the pencil traces a clear line on the template. To cut the template to the correct width, measure the distance from the farthest point on the wall to the cabinet. Find the same point on the template and mark it. Draw a straight line from this point to the top and bottom of the template to form the flat edge that will fit against the cabinet. Cut the template and check that it fits, then trace the shape onto the filler and follow the cutting directions in picture 15.
18. Prepare the area to be caulked To produce an airtight seal between the wall and the cabinet, you’ll need to caulk around the filler pieces. Choose a well-made latex brand (it doesn’t need to be waterproof.) Tape alongside the area to be caulked. Apply a bead of caulk into the crevice.
You’ve completed this step! And the cabinet frames are in place.
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