Three Easy Step By Step Parts To Install Upper Cabinets
If you want to install upper cabinets yourself, then here are the three easy step by step parts that you need to follow carefully:
Part 1: Outlining The Wall Space
- First of all, you need to measure up from your floor to find the area where your upper cabinet will rest. Hold a level on your ground & against your wall to find the floor's highest point. Measure up your wall about 48" inch (120 cm) or 19 1/2" inch (50cm) above a lower cabinet. Mark the spot by using a dark pencil & draw a straight line all the way across your wall.
- Outline where your first cabinet will hang. By using a measuring tape, note all the dimensions of your cabinets. The line you draw earlier represents their bottom edge, measure up to make a sketch of your cabinet's height. Then, use your ruler to make a second straight line all the way across your wall so that you can keep your cabinets level later.
- Now you need to mark your stud locations on your wall. Your cabinets need to be screwed into the wood studs in your wall. The uncomplicated way to find them is with a stud finder(buy from home improvement store). Using a pencil, mark all the spots so that you will come to know easily that where to hang your cabinets.
- Mark all the length betwixt studs on your cabinet's backs. First, measure the length betwixt the studs and then transfer this onto your cabinets. Your cabinets will have a thick support rail on the bottom & top. You will see one mark on each of both rails.
- Now you need a 1 x 4" inch( 2.5 cm x 10.2cm) wall cleat or ledger board(available at home improvement store). Line your board's top edge up with a bottom line that you draw before and then use 1 1/4 in (3.2 cm) drywall screws to secure it to your wall. This ledger board ensures that your cabinets are level upon installation.
Part 2: Hanging The Cabinets
- Remove all the doors with shelving or other things, that will make your cabinets a lot lighter. Make sure to label all the parts with tape after removing all the parts to reinstall them properly later.
- Simply, drill the holes, making holes about 2 inches (2.1cm) wide. Be sure that the holes are about 3/4" inch(1.9cm) from your cabinet's edges.
- Then make sure to screw the cabinet to the wall starting from the corner cabinet. Rest the bottom of your cabinet on your ledger board. Line it up with studs, then fasten it in place with 3" inch(7.6cm) cabinet screws in each hole. Shim your cabinet until its level. Check over your upper cabinet for uneven spots. Slip shims behind your cabinet sides to raise them.
- Now hang your second upper cabinet next to the first one. Secure all the two cabinets to your wall before trying to fasten them.
- Pre-drill holes from your one cabinet to the other. Pick your cabinet where all the screws will be least noticeable.
Every hole should be inside your cabinet on the edge of your frame. Be sure not to drill where the hinges lay. Drill a 1/8" inch (3.2cm) hole below the top hinge and then another hole above the lower hinge. - Now you need to screws all the cabinets together, slide a 2 1/2" inch (6.4cm) screw into each hole. Use your cordless screwdriver to secure your cabinets together and then remove all the clamps & check that the cabinets appear level.
- Finally, hang & secure the other cabinets together. Repeat this process with the other cabinets you want to hang. Hang them next to your last cabinet and secure them to your wall first before screwing them together.
Part 3: Finishing The Cabinets
- Cut your filler strip if there is a gap betwixt your cabinet & wall. Spare filler strips or molding (available at home improvement store). Lay some masking tape over the strip and then pencil on the gap measurement either by using a measuring tape or ascribing block. Cut your filler strip to size by using a jigsaw.
- Secure all the strip to your cabinet with screws. You now need to drill a pair of 1/8" inch (3.2mm) holes from your cabinet's frame to your filler strip. Stick 2 1/2" inch(6.4cm) screws in your holes and then tighten them by using a cordless screwdriver.
- Remove all the ledger from your wall. Be sure that all the cabinets are tightly screwed to your wall first. Undo all the screws in the wall cleat or ledger to remove it.
- This is your final step, you need to hang doors on the cabinets. Reattach your doors, shelvings and other types of hardware. Line the cabinet’s hinges up over your cabinet's frame. Place all the screws & tighten them to finish cabinet installation work.