The kitchen is the heart of your home! Give it a warm and inviting makeover by learning how to install kitchen cabinets yourself, instead of hiring a carpenter. Get useful DIY tips for professional results on half the budget.
Staring at a gutted kitchen can intimidate even the most accomplished of DIYers. Planning is key to a successful kitchen cabinet installation. Some simple steps to take before plunging in:
- Using a stud finder, find the studs and draw a line through their middle. It’s important that you mount your cabinets directly in the center.
- Make note of where plumbing, gas, and electrical outlets are.
- Repair or paint walls as needed.
- Measure and mark the diameters of the new kitchen cabinets, making sure the new cabinets fit correctly.
Once measuring and markings are complete, it’s time to install your base cabinets.
- Start in the corner. Always install the corner cabinets first.
- Measure and make mark the stud location on the back of the new cabinet. It’s important to anchor your new cabinets to the middle of the stud.
- Pre-drill holes in the back of the new cabinets according to the stud locations.
- Move the cabinet into place. Use a level to check that your cabinets are straight, shim under and behind the cabinet if necessary.
- Screw the cabinets into place using a power drill. Don’t tighten the screws too firmly yet, you will go back and tighten everything when the installation is complete (see step 7).
- Repeat with the next cabinets. Install more cabinets by repeating the above steps. Clamp two cabinets together, and attach them to each other per the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Tighten screws after all cabinets are in place.
- Install countertop according to manufacturer’s instructions.
If you have uneven walls and gaps, it’s recommended to glue shims into place on the walls. This will prevent the cabinets from warping.
Filler strips and toe kicks can be used to fill gaps between the walls and floors. You can attach them with nails, or an all-purpose adhesive like Loctite Power Grab All Purpose Express Pressure Pack.
To achieve seamless transitions between the counters and backsplash, it’s recommended to use an all-purpose adhesive caulk to seal the seams. Loctite Polyseamseal All-Purpose Adhesive Caulk is the go-to product for jobs both in and around the house.
