Cabinet install: common mistakes?

[reader4]

We will be having cabinets delivered in a couple of weeks that I will be installing myself. The kitchen is fairly small, galley style, and only uses cabinets on two of the walls. The space was measured and designed professionally (and we verified everything ourselves). I have never done cabinets, but have a good feel for the general process for putting them up. However, I have also done many other projects and know that what is supposed to happen rarely does...

If anyone has stories to share or advice about things to look for during the install, I would very much appreciate it. Things like "don't forget to..." or "once the ___ is in, make sure that..." or "the ___ has to be ___ before..." would be infinitely helpful to me and anyone else in the same boat.

Thanks in advance!

[thedcdude]

A couple of suggestions for wall cabinets.
Before you start, check your corners and walls for square and plumb and also check the middle for any belly. If you're hanging against a bulk head, make sure it doesn't run up or down hill too much. If they are significantly out, it's best to have a plan before you start.

Mark stud locations. I find it easier to remove all doors.

The first cabinet you hang is the most important, as all others in that row will be affected and any error will be magnified as you work down the line. Have a helper and take as much time as you need getting it level and plumb before you screw it in. Clamp the next cabinet to the first and use a rubber mallet to tap it into alignment. Check again for level. If you need to make an adjustment, you can probably just loosen the first cabinet a little to bring both of them back to level. I attach the two together by drilling a 5/32 pilot hole through the inside frames and drive in a 2-1/2 inch drywall screw. It's easier to drill/screw from within a larger cabinet than a smaller one if you have a choice.

For base cabinets it's important to have them tight against the wall as well as level. If you have to shim between the wall and the cabinet, keep it to a minimum because the amount you shim out reduces your counter overhang. If you have a separate back splash, you'll need something to brace it to the wall while your adhesive sets. If your backsplash is part of the counter, I hope your walls are straight, scribing isn't easy the first time you do it. I would consider taking out a little drywall to get a tight fit if necessary. It's best to do as much plumbing work as possible before the cabinet or counter goes in.

I use a one inch dryall screw to mount the counter--they'll never pop through. A 1-1/4 is safe on the no-drip part. 1-5/8 is dangerous. It's easy to pierce your top so set your driver to the low speed and use extreme caution with longer screws. Also be carefull drilling your door pull holes. It's easy to mistakenly drill on a hinge side when you're looking at row of doors. Always beware of any wires and plumbing lines when driving screws into the wall.

good luck with it

[reader4]

Thanks for the tips. The home is mid-1920s era. Some plumbing, electrical and wall patching will definitely need to be done before the cabinets go up, but things look fairly plumb and true so far.

We are having a granite counter installed and will not have a separate backsplash - just tile between the wall cabinet and counter. It seems like a better idea to wait until the counter is in before installing the backsplash, but how is the junction between the counter and tile handled?

Thanks again!

[HayZee518]

I would think that the grout used to finish the tile can be applied to the gap between the bottom tile and counter with a rubber float.

[reader4]

One more question... if we have already removed the flooring, would you install a new tile floor before installing the cabinets or after? I think installying the floor first makes sense and is more common, but have heard several people (few of which do this work themselves) that think I should install the cabinets on the subfloor before installing the tile. Thoughts?

[HayZee518]

depends if you want the floor tile to be seen inside the cabinet bottoms or if they come with a manufactured floor in them - would be a waste of tiles. its really your call, but I would install the base cabinets first making sure they are straight and plumb. many times shimming is necessary to bring them up level.

[reader4]

depends if you want the floor tile to be seen inside the cabinet bottoms or if they come with a manufactured floor in them - would be a waste of tiles.

True, but I was thinking more along the lines of counter-top height above the floor, how well the kick plate matched the tile, etc. We installed tile without taking out the cabinets at a previous house and did not like how the grout interfaced with the kick plate. Other issues are that if the cabinets go on the subfloor, and the appliances on tile, then the appliances might sit too high in relation to the counter... especially a problem for the dishwasher. On the other hand, if the appliances also went on the subfloor they would have to be moved in/out over a tile-edge which could cause breaking/chipping.

Other than not wasting tile (at $1-2/sq ft, I think we can waste a few tiles) what advantage is there to putting in the cabinets first? Is there an issue with using shims on tile... I can see where the pressure on the shims caused by a granite counter might create a high-pressure point that could crack a tile. The solution would be to use more shims, but I have never heard anyone discuss this.

[HayZee518]

I custom built my own cabinets so precise levelling was not a problem and I don't have a tile floor neither. Standard counter height is 32 inches. A dishwasher is commonly fastened to the floor and the bottom of a countertop, but yours is gonna be granite, so fastening to the countertop wouldn't be possible. You'll need to locate where the dishwasher will be mark the holes, drill through using a masonary bit, shove it back in place and use lag bolts through to the wood subfloor. your base cabinets usually fasten by the rear straps to the 2X4 studding through the finish wall surface and also to each other through the stiles.