How to Level Kitchen Cabinets
Installing kitchen cabinets is easier than most people think. Prebuilt modular kits make designing and installing cabinets simpler than ever before. The most critical step in the entire process is making sure that the cabinets are level. This means that the cabinets must of course look straight from left to right. What is commonly overlooked is the fact that cabinets must also be level from front to back--otherwise, dishes might fall out! Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Long (4 foot long) level
- Short (1 to 2 foot) level (also called a "bullet" level)
- 1 package pre-cut shims
- Cabinet mounting hardware
Instructions
-
-
1
Mark a level line on the wall where the top of the cabinet will be or where the ledger board will be if the cabinets are the style that hang from a pre-installed ledger. Measure from the floor (or from the countertop) up to the appropriate height and make a mark. Once several marks are made, check them with the 4-foot level to make sure that they are level. Use the level to connect the marks into a line. Locate studs along the line with a stud finder and mark them on the wall using marks on pieces of masking tape.
-
2
If the cabinets are the type that hang from a pre-installed ledger board on the wall, install the board along the marked line taking extra care to make sure that the board is level and straight. Line up the board with the wall line and mark the stud locations on the board. Pre-drill 1/8-inch holes at each stud location to prevent the wood from splitting. Use 2½ -inch or 3-inch drywall screws with washers or use special cabinet mounting screws to attach the board to the wall.
-
-
3
If the cabinets are the type that attach directly to the wall, the cabinet will need to be raised up to the level of the line. The simplest way to do this would be to have one or more helpers hold the cabinet up while it is being anchored to the wall. The drawback to this technique is that it makes it more likely that the cabinet will not line up perfectly with the marker line. A better way would be to use either a cabinet jack or a combination of paint cans and scraps of wood to raise the cabinet up to the proper level. Once the cabinet is at the right height, anchor it to the wall using 2½-inch or 3-inch drywall screws with washers or cabinet mounting screws, making sure that each screw sinks into a stud in the wall.
-
4
Adjust the cabinet face to make it level by inserting shims between the wall and the back bottom edge of the cabinet. Use a bullet level front to back inside the cabinet, or use the 4-foot level along the face to check that the front of the cabinets are level. If the top needs to come away from the wall, carefully loosen the top screws and insert shims in the gap between the wall and the cabinet top. Then tighten the screws again.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Double check all the marker lines, making sure they are level before hanging the cabinets.
When hanging the first cabinet, start at one end and adjust the other end higher or lower using a level across the top of the cabinet.
If hanging another cabinet next to the first, clamp the new cabinet to the one that's already up to make it easier to keep in place and to ensure a tight fit.
Always wear eye protection when using power tools.
Use caution when lifting or balancing heavy cabinets.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit kitchen image by Ritu Jethani from Fotolia.com
