A friend called me and asked if I would install cabinets in his kitchen that he had custom ordered.
The cabinets were all custom made to fit his kitchen and the guy that was supposed to install them isn’t returning his calls.
All of the work I have done has been built in case work, but I do have a little (stress little) experience with cabinets. I start with the upper cabinets first then do the lower (to avoid damaging the lower ones and to give me room to work). To do this I hang a furring strip, rest the bottom of the cabinet on it, then muscle it against the wall while drillling the screws through the back.
Recently I saw in a catalogue the “T-Jak” for installing cabinets. Is any one familiar with this? Is it helpful?
Are there any tricks or concerns I should be aware of to installing custom made cabinets?
Replies
Hi Kaleo ,
There are certainly some variables and options when installing cabinets.
First question I would ask , do the cabinets go to the ceiling ? if so no furring strip will be needed . If they do not go to the ceiling and depending on the layout a strip at the top line would be more helpful in most cases at least to get them started , and the screw holes will be out of sight .
There are different types of cabinet lifts and cabinet jacks , depending on the size of the boxes a helper to hold the other end may be all you need .
Locate the studs by marking the wall and a or transfer the locations to the screw rails inside the cabinets if you can't see the marks .
Most truly custom made kitchen cabinets are made in longer than modular widths , 48" being an industry limit in width for most modulars , which basically means with custom you have fewer boxes to make the run , less work and less time and fewer if any fillers and face frames coming together or fastened .
Remove any doors and drawers to keep the weight down , check the walls and floor before you begin to find the low and high spots especially if you have a corner unit you may want to start there .
I hope with what you already know some of this will be helpful
regards dusty
Kaleo:
I was interested in your question because I will need to attach the upper cabinets to the wall. Being an older house, the studs are not always in the "right" place so I am considering cleats. The disadvantage is that one must allow for the thickness of the cleat.
I recently came across this metal hanging system:
http://www.monarchmetal.com/pages/panelclip.html
I have no idea if it's any good, but I thought I might try a sample with one cabinet.
Regards,
Hastings
Hiya Hastings ,
Cleats surely work well in many ways but in my experience of installing many kitchens the cabinets depending on layout may need to be tweaked form the ceiling and wall to get that just right fit . Sometimes you have to pull them out of plumb and such to look right .
Find the studs take you time test nail behind where the back rails will go . See if there is a top plate maybe double ? Look next to the elec outlets .
Even the metal cleat needs to be fastened to studs I would hope . For a recessed cleat use the back rails for support .
regards dusty
Amateur here. I'm building a wall of cabinets for my garage--three tiers. My research led me to this hanging system (okay I admit--I first heard about it in BreakTime):
http://petermeier.com/kitchen-cabinet-hardware-products.asp?ProductGroupID=2&ProductCategory1=6&ProductCategory2=44&page=1
and
http://petermeier.com/kitchen-cabinet-hardware-products.asp?ProductGroupID=2&ProductCategory1=6&ProductCategory2=45&page=1 for the rails.
I have purchased the rails and clips, but have not yet hung the first box (still making them), but these critters adjust in and out, and up and down. Sorry I can't give you a first-hand review, but everything I could find made them sound good--other than some folks complain that they're not as cheap as long cabinet screws.
HTH
Been using the Camar universal for years. If you don't mind them being visable in the upper corner. I build flat back uppers and using Camar the cabinet will protrude about 3/8" from the wall when pulled tite. You may have to modify the design of the box depending on the look you're after, scribe or moulding. After you hang the first box you will appreciate the system.I hang a rail the length of the cabinet run with 1/4" lag scrwes.
DJK
Thank you for the 'support' regarding the system. Everything I could find made them sound good. I'm going with the flat back concept, planned to put a strip, or maybe wedges on the bottom edge to get to plumb, and then will put molding on the box ends to hide the gaps.
I was interested with your comment regarding lag screws--I hadn't thought of lag screws to support the rail. What length penetration into the stud do you try to get, and what size pilot hole do you drill? Do you use any fasteners between studs? Thanks in advance for your answers; apologies to Kaleo if this feels like a thread hijack.
Bob
I like about 2" into the stud. The force applied is straight down. No fasteners between studs. I use wedges for plumb and finish with scribe on cabinet runs and moulding on the bottoms, great when hiding wires for lighting. Mic your lags for the pilot, many are MADE IN CHINA.Double check your layout for the hanging rail. It's a pain to cut after it's attached to the wall and you realize it's 1/2" tooo long and protrudes past the cabinet side.The instructions/layout for the Camar show a recess cabinet back but with a planted flat back the "slot" cutout can be narrower than stated. There is not much room for error when cutting the slot. If it's cut to wide the Camar unit will not cover the cutout and look sloppy. I made a template to mark the slot and use a sabre saw, it's not pretty but it doesn't have to be. Mount the Camar tite in the cabinet corner and flush with the back of the cabinet BEFORE the back is attached. This is assuming a 1/4" back panel.
This is more involved than you think.
A few questions: Is there a crown molding, and how does it fit? Any tall oven or pantry cabinets as these effect the placing of the wall cabinets? Any wall cabinets sit on the counter top? What type of counter top, any tricks to installing and will the wall cabinets get in the way?
I normally start with the base because the height is controled by the dishwasher or other "fixed" height item. After the base comes templating for tops. While the tops are being made, if I can without getting in my own way, I install the wall units followed by the crown.
No house is level or square, but tops and crown fit much better if the cabinets are!
I'd start by asking this question on Breaktime. Then, I'd go to the library and find a book on the subject - there are lots! usually under a title something like "kitchen cabinets, how to build your own".
Usually there's an entire chapter devoted to hanging them.
Also, I think I remember several good installation articles in Fine Homebuilding, so I'd research that site as well. Maybe Piffin can help you find what you need.
Good Luck!!!
Mike D
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