Kitchen Wall Cabinet Installation
After Using Home Architectural oftware, Make the Layout and Install
Sep 8, 2008
There are several things to consider in kitchen design and layout – location of major kitchen appliances, location of plumbing fixtures, the location of electrical outlets, and so on. The design step is made easy using home architectural software like Chief Architect, Punch Software, or Home Plan Pro.
This article explains wall cabinet installation. Floor units (how to install base kitchen cabinet units) will be covered in a subsequent article. Why should base units be installed after wall units? Simple, really. If it's done the other way around, the wall cabinets get in the way and headaches will occur!
Vintage kitchen cabinets have special considerations.
Cabinet Installation Tool List
Once the architectural design is done and the cabinets have been delivered, be sure all the necessary tools are close at hand. These should include:
- 4-foot level or Zircon laser level (the laser is preferable)
- Chalkline
- Zircon stud finder
- Electric drill with #2 Phillips screw tip
Establish the Cabinet Layout
The first chore is to discover any high spots on the floor. This can be done with the 4 foot or laser level. Either eliminate the high spot or use it for reference. Measure up the wall, the height of the floor cabinets, and establish a level control line. Use the chalk line for this.
Next, measure up at both ends and strike another control line for the bottom of the wall cabinet units. The distance is dictated by local building code or personal preference (short people/tall people). A generally accepted number is 19 ½ inches.
This allows plenty of space for food preparation, coffee pots, microwave ovens, crock pots, small appliances, etc.
Use a Stud Finder to Locate Wall Studs
The cabinet units will be screwed to the wall studs, so it's important to locate them accurately. In kitchen and bathroom framing, the distance between studs can vary due to plumbing and electrical concerns, so it's important to be careful. Start with a corner unit if applicable.
Using an electronic or magnetic stud finder is far superior to the old method of tapping on the wall. Make a mark on the top inside of the cabinet (as close to the middle of the unit as possible) where a screw should intersect the stud's center point. Have a helper hold the cabinet up and screw through the top back of the cabinet, through the drywall, and into the stud closest to the center point of the unit.
Align the unit with the horizontal control line and secure another screw close to the bottom of the unit on the center of the same stud. The screws should penetrate the studs by 1½ inches.
The unit will now be hanging secure. Add two screws per stud at this point.
Hang Additional Cabinet Units
Now it's time to hang the additional cabinet units. Simply follow the same method of finding the studs and hanging the units. It's a good to screw the subsequent cabinet units to the previous ones. Just be sure not to screw into the shelf peg holes.
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