Instructions / Assembly

4 | Installation How-Tos Installation How-Tos | 5
Dry Fit
Perform the dry t of cabinets after you have determined the high point of the oor (see Installation
Requirements). With the cabinets in place, you can see how important the Base Cabinet Top Level Line is.
When installed, all base cabinet tops should match this line exactly.
IMPORTANT: If any cabinet is above the Base Cabinet Top Level Line, then the high point is not
correct. Don’t install until you’ve found the high point and redrawn the Base Cabinet Top Level Line
and Wall Cabinet Bottom Level Line. If any cabinets are 3/4" or more below the Base Cabinet Top
Level Line, build up that area with 1 x 2 furring strips.
Dry tting your base cabinets helps you “visualize” the layout. Check against the project layout to conrm
you have all cabinets needed.
If your layout involves a Base Cabinet in the corner, this is a good time to measure for the length of
Countertop Braces needed; these are described later.
This is also a good time to check to see how cabinets line up for square, in corner locations. Also check
for drawer front clearances and any interference that might occur with drawer pull hardware, doorknobs, or
appliances (reinstall drawers if necessary).
See illustration page 5.
Installing Base Cabinets First
Whether you start at a corner or an end, the general approach with base cabinet installation is to:
1. Position the cabinet
2. Shim and level
3. Attach all the face frames together
4. Predrill the back rail at the wall stud locations
5. Attach all the cabinets to the wall (or oor for peninsulas)
If your project layout has wall cabinets that are to be placed directly on the countertop, you should install
the base cabinets rst. Once base cabinets are installed, you can place a sheet of plywood or particleboard
on the base cabinets and use them as a work bench. You can lift wall cabinets onto the work surface and
use a precise spacer to lift the wall cabinets to the proper height above the countertop.
Installing Base Cabinets to the Floor
Base cabinets that are not secured to a wall stud
(such as a peninsula application) must be secured to
the oor with wood blocks behind the toekick and on
each side of the cabinet. See Fastening Peninsula
Cabinets to the Floor, page 38.
Start in the Corner or at an End
If your project layout does not have any corner cabinets, then start your installation at an obstructed end
that begins at a wall or appliance. Otherwise, start at the base or wall corner cabinet.
See Dry Fit instructions page 4.