How Are Kitchen Cabinets Attached To The Wall?– DIY Hacks
Kitchen cabinets are a must-have to spice up your kitchen and form an essential part of your cabinetry and organizing process. It comes in various shapes and sizes and is commonly used to display or store pertinent kitchen tools and equipment. They are generally very bulky and often support a lot of weight. With this, it is crucial to install/attach kitchen wall cabinets correctly and adequately, following builder-standard methods. You don't need to be a carpenter or a builder to know how are kitchen cabinets attached to the wall. Read on and follow these steps on how to attach kitchen wall cabinets like a pro!
Steps on How to Attach Kitchen Cabinets on the Wall
How are kitchen cabinets attached to the wall, you ask? Check out these simple and easy-to-follow steps on how to attach or install kitchen wall cabinets like a pro.
1. Prepare and plan your space first. The first step on how are kitchen cabinets attached to the wall is to measure the height of the base cabinets. Draw a standard, to-scale floor plan first to plot out the exact area where you want to install your cabinets. Most kitchen cabinets are 34-1/2” high. Add 1-1/2 inches for a standard countertop and add 18 inches for a standard backsplash, (though some owners want a 20-inch backsplash to make room for their small appliances). With an 18-inch measurement backsplash, the total length should be 54 inches from the floor to the bottom of your overhead cabinets.
2. Check whether your floor is level or not.
3. Measure and put a mark or a label 54 inches or 137 cm from the floor. If your floor isn't level, make a measurement from the highest point of the floor.
4. Draw/trace a horizontal line where you put your mark. Use a level to draw a straight and even line.
5. Locate all wall studs with a stud finder. Mark all stud locations along the horizontal line. You can have a more detailed visual illustration if you mark the layout of your wall cabinets and appliances.
6. Secure the ledger board within the hanging line. The ledger board will help support your cabinets throughout the installation. To do this, screw and secure the ledger board to the wall where the studs are located.
7. Remove all doors, knobs, and handles from the cabinet. Removing all the doors, knobs, and handles from the cabinet will ensure the lightest possible weight while you are installing the wall cabinets.
8. Clamp as many cabinets as you can carefully lift. Use clamps to join vertical cabinet walls side-by-side. Once they are attached together, make sure that the cabinet faces are flush.
9. Attach/connect the cabinets. Pre-drill the adjacent cabinets together then screw in four places (two on top and two at the bottom, on far-right and far-left).
10. Hoist the cabinets and hold them on the ledger board in their assigned spot. Make sure that the cabinets are level and straight before moving on to the next step.
11. Pre-drill and securely screw the cabinets using wall studs. Make sure to screw through the thick framing along the top of the cabinets accurately.
12. Plumb and level cabinets. After hanging, check that the wall cabinets are plumb and level before moving on to attaching the next set.
13. Repeat this method for each cabinet until all the wall cabinets are attached.
14. Don't forget to remove the ledger board and reinstall all cabinet doods, handles, and knobs after you install the cabinets entirely.
Additional Tips Before Installing Kitchen Wall Cabinets
Some people usually ask tips on how are kitchen cabinets attached to the wall. But, before installing kitchen cabinets to the wall, consider some of these tips before you proceed.
- Repair any damage to your kitchen walls before installing the cabinets. Furthermore, finish all electrical and plumbing work before cabinet installation.
- Paint the cabinets with a semi- or high-gloss finish, while you are still able to turn them to various directions to reach all sides.
- Mark the locations of electrical boxes and plumbing pipes at the back of the base cabinets, then boreholes, or create appropriate-size cutouts, so the parts fit correctly against the wall.
- It’s usually smart to install your kitchen flooring before putting the cabinets. Working in this order means that you won’t have to modify your floor materials to obtain a seamless look.
- Are you planning to put peninsula or island cabinets? You have to install two 2 x 2 cleats on the floor. Make sure to distance the cleats so the cabinets can slide over them. Complete by fastening the cabinets to the cleats.
Conclusion
If you're skillful with DIY projects, then you may be able to do this project. But you have to make sure that you have all of the necessary tools and supplies you will need—and a reliable helper—before you begin.
If this project looks a little too complicated for you, know that there are a lot of dealers that offer installation. Either by their personnel or by another independent installer.
Installing kitchen cabinets does not necessarily require hiring a professional to do the job—but bear in mind that it does take an adequate amount of DIY skills and essential tools to do the task. The key is to place all cabinets flawlessly level and plumb—or else these cabinets may look tacky, doors and drawers won't close properly, and kitchen appliances may not fit suitably. You will need at least one person to help you in lifting and holding cabinets in place for you to complete and finish the project. We hope that we were able to answer your query on how are kitchen cabinets attached to the wall and made you learn how to do it like a pro. Doing DIY projects are fun and satisfying. Just make sure to be extra careful while doing so to prevent any injury.
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