Wall Mounted Cabinets - Installing Wall-Mounted Kitchen Cabinets
Save money and install your own wall cabinets in your kitchen or bathroom. It is easier than you think. With the right tools and some help from a handy friend, you can have new wall mounted cabinets up in no time.
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Installing wall cabinets may look like a job for a seasoned professional, but if you know a few tricks of the trade, you can do a professional job yourself. The first thing you will need to do, after you buy your cabinets of course, is to find a reliable someone who is willing to lend a hand – or two!
Even though installing wall cabinets is not difficult, the cabinets are often large and heavy making the job awkward with one person. Keep in mind that solid wood cabinets and cabinets made of pressed wood tend to be heavier than metal ones. If your cabinets are on the heavy side, you better find two friends.
The first trick of the trade is knowing which cabinetry to install first. It's easier to install wall-mounted cabinets before you install base cabinets because you'll have more room to work and lift the cabinets into position. If you do install the base cabinets first, or they were existing, protect them with drop cloths or cardboard while installing the wall cabinets. And if your base cabinets were installed first you can make the most of the situation by using the base cabinets, with a hydraulic jack on them, to lift the wall cabinets into place for installation.
What you will need to install wall cabinets:
- Time - 2 to 3 hours for a group of six standard cabinets
- Skills - l eveling, drilling, driving screws, shimming
- Tools - l evel, drill with screwdriver bit, clamps
Installing wall cabinets:
- Install a temporary ledger to ensure that the wall cabinets align with each other. A ledger is simply a straight board with its top edge at the point where you want the bottom of your cabinets. This is usually 54 inches above the floor or 18 inches above the countertop. If you are not using a hydraulic lift to hold up the wall cabinets for installation it is a good idea to construct a 2x4 frame of the appropriate height to rest the cabinets on.
- Attach the cabinet to the wall. If the cabinet is heavy, and it probably is, you can lighten it by removing the shelves and doors. With your helper, hold the first cabinet in place and check to make sure it is plumb. Use shims as necessary.
- Join your wall cabinets together, or finish a corner, with spacers. Spacers are pieces of finished wood that match you cabinet and can be used where there are gaps in the cabinetry to create a continuous flow. Begin by attaching the spacer to the cabinet. Then cut the spacer to the correct width, clamp it in place, drill (and countersink if you can) pilot holes, and drive in three screws.
- Fasten each cabinet to another by clamping it in place, drilling (and countersink if you can) pilot holes, and driving in three screws.
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