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To assure a
successful installation, please read these easy-to-follow
instructions steps before beginning your installation.
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Remove all Appliances
Stove, oven, refrigerator, dishwasher and other appliances.
It is best to move these out of the kitchen to provide more room to work
while remodeling is being done.
Uneven Floors and Walls
Because some floors and walls have uneven spots which affect
the installation, it will be necessary to locate these uneven areas and
shim or scribe cabinets in order to make the installation plumb, true
and square.
Check for Unevenness in Floors
Using a straight length of 2x4 and a carpenter's level, check
the floor for "high" spots. Check all around the room within
22" of the walls where base cabinets will be installed. Once the
highest point on the floor is located, strike a level line on the wall
all around the room from this point of the floor, using your level and
chalk line (see illustration). We will call this the "Base Level
Line."
Check for Unevenness in Walls
Mark the outlines of all wall cabinets on the wall to check
actual cabinet dimensions against your layout. Using a straight 2 x 4,
check the walls for uneven spots. Wall unevenness can cause cabinets to
be misaligned resulting in "racking" or misalignment of the
doors and drawer fronts. Where these uneven spots interfere, high spots
can be removed by scraping or sanding off excess plaster. Low spots can
be shimmed with thin pieces of wood or shingles.
Finding Studs
Tap on wall to locate a "solid" sound. This
generally will tell you where the wall framing members are located.
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General Soffits Information
If soffits are to be built, they should be constructed and installed
before installing the cabinets. Soffits in a room with eight foot
ceilings are normally twelve inches in height and fourteen inches in
width. The bottom of the soffit should be a minimum of 84" from the
finished floor in order to allow the use of tall cabinets. Make sure
there is at least 84" clearance between the highest point in your
floor and any existing soffit. If there is not, it may be necessary to
start from a point in the floor that will accept this height or cut your
tall cabinet down.
Installation
With an Existing Soffit
If the wall cabinets are to be against a ceiling soffit, the
soffit should be examined to determine if it is a level. This can be
done as finding the high spot on the floor. This time you are looking
for the lowest spot (closest to the floor). Corner cabinets should be
shimmed down to this "lowest" height.
Installing Wall
Cabinets Without a Soffit
Measure up from the base-level-reference line 84 inches.
Place a mark on the wall and with a level and straight edge continue
around the room drawing a line parallel to the base-level line
(previously found by locating the high spot on the floor). This 84"
line will be the top line for 30" standard wall cabinets.
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Next, put the base cabinets in place starting with the corner cabinets.
If a base blind corner cabinet is used, pull it out of the corner to
proper dimension as shown on your kitchen layout. Shim this cabinet up
to the high spot line previously located.
Note: Contemporary
style or no face frame construction corner cabinets with decorative
hardware applied must be pulled out 3" from the corner to provide a
90 degree opening. If no decorative hardware is to be applied, then you
only need to pull a contemporary style cabinet 1 1/2" from the
corner to provide 90 degree door opening. In both situations, the
cabinet adjacent to the blind corner must also have 3" or 1
1/2" filler applied.
Note: If using a
base lazy-Suzan cabinet, apply a 1 x 2 strip to the wall at the proper
height to support the countertop. Apply to both
Once the corner cabinet is positioned properly into
the corner, use the stud marks on the wall to locate the position of the
screws for mounting the base cabinets to the wall. Drill a hole at the
stud location through the back rail of the base cabinet approximately
3/4" from the top and into the stud. Attach the cabinet to the wall
with the screws provided inside each cabinet. Be sure to use the shims
under the cabinet base to bring it up to the previously established
level.
Install the next cabinet in the same manner. Using
your two "C" clamps, clamp the vertical frame members (stiles)
tightly together making sure the horizontal frame members form a level
and straight line. Now, drill a pilot hole through the stile or end
panel of the first cabinet into the stile or end panel of the second
cabinet. Use the screws supplied to fasten each cabinet.
A little wax on the screws will help you to seat them
easily. Draw the two stiles or end panels tightly together then remove
the "C" clamps. After all base cabinets are securely fastened
to the wall, check each door and drawer for proper alignment. If a
drawer front does not lie flush against the front frame pre-check each
cabinet assuring they are both vertically and horizontally level. It may
be necessary to realign the side mounted ball-bearing drawer runners. To
do so, remove the screws which secure the track to the back of the
cabinet and adjust in until the drawer face lies flush against the front
frame of the cabinet. |
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Start in a Corner
Measure from the corner to the first stud mark and transfer this
measurement to inside if the cabinet to be installed in the next stud,
etc. Now drill 7/32" holes through the inside of the cabinet
2" down from the inside top of the cabinet and 2" up from the
bottom at each stud location. Holes can also be marked on back of
cabinets and holes drilled before cabinets are raised into place.
Note: If you are installing a wall blind corner
cabinet (WC), make sure the cabinet is pulled out from the corner the
appropriate distance as called for in your kitchen plan.
Caution: When
measuring the wall space be sure to consider cabinets with front frames.
The front frame of the cabinet overhangs the "box" by
3/16" on each end. Therefore, any measurements on the wall must
coincide with the front frame measurements of each cabinet.
Important: If
decorative handles are to be used, it may be necessary to add a filler
to the wall blind corner cabinet on the adjacent cabinet and
"pull" the WC cabinet further out of the corner. This will
provide 90 degree opening capacity for the adjacent cabinet doors.
Note: Contemporary
style or no face frame construction corner cabinets with decorative
hardware applied must be pulled out 3" from the corner to provide a
90 degree door opening. If no decorative hardware is to be applied, then
you only need to pull a contemporary style cabinet 1 1/2" from the
corner to provide 90 degree door opening. In both situations, the
cabinet adjacent to the blind corner must also have a 3" or 1
1/2" filler applied. If you're installing a wall cabinet, drill
holes 3/4" down from the inside top of the cabinets at stud
locations. Raise the cabinet in place up to the line on the wall. Next,
open the cabinet door and drill pilot holes into the wall (through the
previously made holes on the inside of the cabinet). Using the screws
furnished with the cabinets and a Robertson screwdriver, fasten the
cabinet to the wall.
Do not thoroughly tighten the cabinet to the wall until
the next cabinet in line is fastened to the first one and proper
shimming has been accomplished. When several cabinets in the line have
been fastened together, the screws holding the cabinets to the wall may
be thoroughly tightened. Take the next wall cabinet and repeat the
installation previously outlined. Once the two cabinets are mounted to
the wall, use your "C" clamps, clamping the stiles tightly
together, being careful to line up the bottom horizontal edges. Now
drill a pilot hole through the stile or end panel of the first cabinet
into stile or end panel of the second cabinet. Use the screws supplied
to fasten each cabinet. A little wax on the screws will help you to seat
them easily. Draw the two stiles or end panels tightly together then
remove the "C" clamps. Continue installing the wall cabinets
next to one another in a similar manner.
Important:
When installing wall cabinets not fastened to a wall, it is
important to secure all cabinets together. For all wall cabinets, it is
necessary to secure each cabinet to the ceiling or soffit studs with two
(2) screws or two lag bolts (not provided) through the top panel and/or
front frame firmly into a stud. If there is no soffit or ceiling above
the cabinets, a support or decorative leg must be installed from the
bottom of the cabinet to the counter top on all open ends to support the
open ends. Failure to follow securing instructions outlined in this
paragraph could result in cabinets falling.
Fillers or Cabinets With
Extended Stiles
If it is necessary to use a filler, it is preferred to place the
filler or fillers at the ends of the cabinet runs or next to the blind
corner cabinets rather than between cabinets in the middle of the run.
Fillers or extended stiles should be cut to fit the space required.
Valances
Valances must be cut to fit the space left between the cabinets. If
you have a scalloped valance find the center and mark 1/2 of the space
required between the cabinets and cut from both ends to maintain the
same measurement on each side of the center line. Attach valances by
drilling and screwing through the stiles or end panels of the adjacent
cabinets.
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Common Service Problems You Can Handle
As a do-it-yourselfer, you have assumed the role of the contractor. In
assuming this role, there are certain responsibilities that at times
become necessary to "tune-up" the job once installed. Even
though these cabinets must pass rigid inspection procedures, there can
be certain irregularities that happen in the shipping and handling
procedures, such as minor scratches, nicks and dents. Also, during the
installation, problems may arise which are not the fault of the cabinet
manufacturer. Listed below are several conditions and causes followed by
typical remedies for those conditions.
Caution:
Self-cleaning appliances generate intense heat during a cleaning cycle
and the integrity of the appliance seal or gasket may be compromised
with age, improper installation, etc.
We recommend the removal of doors and/or drawers from the cabinets
adjacent to, or directly above, an appliance during a cleaning cycle to
prevent possible finish or surface damage.
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| Condition |
Possible Cause |
Remedy |
| Double doors on
cabinet do not line up. |
Cabinet not set
level and square (racked). |
Loosen screws
and use shims to make cabinet plumb.
Loosen hinge screws and readjust.
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| Door does not
fit up to cabinet face frame at either top or bottom. |
Hinge
out-of-adjustment or cabinet racked.
Door warped due to insufficient humidity.
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Make sure
cabinet is plumb and level. Then reset hinge.
Relative humidity level should be at
least 35 percent. Install proper control in home. If the door has
already warped, leave door partially open and it should adjust itself.
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| Drawer face does
not fit flush with cabinet. |
Drawer glide out
of alignment. |
Pull out drawer.
Adjust drawer tracks to compensate
Reinstall drawer
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| Scratches, nicks
and dents. |
Mishandling. |
Touch-up Kit |
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