Step 1

Step Title - The do-it-yourself property owner is remodeling a cabin and installing new cabinets. He has already removed the old cabinetry, refinished the floor, painted the walls, and purchased new cabinet kits....

Step 2

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Step 3

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Step 4

Step Title - Use a level and straightedge to mark the 54-inch elevation on the wall....

Step 5

Step Title - Fasten a temporary one-by-four along that level line for temporary support while you mount the upper wall cabinets. Leave the nails holding the one-by-four slightly extended rather than driving them ...

Step 6

Step Title - Unpack the cabinet kit components on a padded work surface such as the floor in preparation for assembling all the individual cabinets. Carefully read the step-by-step instructions provided by the ma...

Step 7

Step Title - Install the wooden dowels to help strengthen and position the parts for cabinet assembly, first applying glue to predrilled holes. Spread it around with a nail to thoroughly coat the inside surface ...

Step 8

Step Title - Insert the dowels and tap them into place with a hammer....

Step 9

Step Title - Insert the posts (from the cam and post assembly system the kit uses) into their intended holes. This joinery system is a knock-down fastening system, because the cams and posts remove easily (knocke...

Step 10

Step Title - Insert the cams in the intended holes next, ensuring that the opening on the side of each cam aligns with the pre-drilled hole on the edge of the cabinet panel. Tap each cam gently with a hammer to e...

Step 11

Step Title - Fit the panel with the dowels and posts directly over the panels with the cams....

Step 12

Step Title - Gently turn the cams a quarter-turn to lock the pieces together. Use a Phillips-head screwdriver....

Step 13

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Step 14

Step Title - Add the top. The pieces fit snugly, so we use a plastic mallet to tap them into place without damaging the melamine finish. Again, give the cams a quarter-turn to pull the post inward and lock the pa...

Step 15

Step Title - Attach the hinges next, inserting screws in the pre-drilled holes in the correct side panel of each cabinet and in the doors. The predrilled holes make measuring unnecessary. Repeat steps 6 through 1...

Step 16

Step Title - Arrange the individual cabinets that will join to make a wall unit, setting them face up on a flat surface. Our first unit comprises three cabinets. Confirm that the cabinet faces are flush with each...

Step 17

Step Title - Clamp the cabinets together to maintain the flush position of the surfaces while you attach them permanently to each other with wood screws....

Step 18

Step Title - Locate and mark the wall studs in the corner where you are installing the unit of three cabinets. An electronic stud finder simplifies...

Step 19

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Step 20

Step Title - Set the bottom edge of the cabinet against the temporary ledger installed against the wall earlier. Have a second person steady the unit, pushing against the corners of the wall, while the ledger bea...

Step 21

Step Title - Remove the ledger strip and install it in position under the next module to be wall-mounted. Mount the other hanging wall cabinets, repeating steps 15 through 20....

Step 22

Step Title - Mount drawer glides (the first component of the drawer glide system) on the inside vertical edges of each drawer opening before assembling the base cabinets. Use the same dowel-, post-, and cam-assem...

Step 23

Step Title - Install the second component of the glide system hardware, runners that mount on the lower, side edges of the drawer. The drawer runners will rest on the glides, moving smoothly as the drawer opens a...

Step 24

Step Title - Remove the baseboard trim from the area under the base cabinets to install the cabinets flush with the wall. Insert a putty knife between the trim and wall to protect the wall as you use a pry bar to...

Step 25

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Step 26

Step Title - Use a bar level to ensure that the base is level left to right, and front to back....

Step 27

Step Title - Raise the cabinet on the low side if it is not level, inserting a glued, tapered shim underneath until the cabinet elevation is level....

Step 28

Step Title - Use a utility knife to score the shim where it protrudes at the edge of the cabinet and then break off the excess....

Step 29

Step Title - Attach it to the wall studs marked earlier and to its neighboring cabinets after clamping them together to hold them in position. Repeat steps 25 through 28 as necessary to attach other base cabinets...

Step 30

Step Title - Attach short pieces of wood (cleats) to the tops of the base cabinet units where they abut, setting them perpendicular to the wall. The cleats provide a stout surface for attaching the countertop....

Step 31

Step Title - Install the sink and the plumbing hardware in the countertop before your mount it....

Step 32

Step Title - Drive screws through the cleats and into the countertop from the bottom side....

Step 33

Step Title - Install the drawers....

Step 34

Step Title - Attach the doors....

Step 35

Step Title - Nail the toe kick (kick plate) on the front of the cabinets at floor level....

Step 36

Step Title - Trim and replace baseboards where appropriate. If they are scuffed, painting them before you reinstall them will save time and require only a dab of wood putty and paint to conceal nail holes on comp...

Step 37

Step Title - Slide in the appliances, taking care not to scratch the floor or injure your back. Add curtains and some kitchen decorations and your project is complete....