How To Best Build Cabinets
Many kitchen home improvement projects, particularly large do-it-yourself projects, involve cabinets as a major part of the project. Cabinets are tricky, though, and extra care must be taken while dealing with them. The following tips can help you avoid the common problems associated with cabinet remodeling projects. By following these simple steps, you can ensure your cabinets are installed easily and efficiently.
Remove your old cabinets with extra care. Too often, people take their dishes out of the old cabinets, then begin smashing away at the old cabinets for fun. Though this is a great stress-reliever, it can put stress on the walls where the cabinets are mounted, and cause problems later, when you try to mount the new cabinets. To be more efficient, carefully unscrew the old cabinets and place them somewhere else. If your cabinets happen to be in good shape (and are not too outdated) you can actually clean and sell them to someone else on websites like Craigslist or eBay. If they are outdated, you can use them as firewood or for crafts, or sell them for the same purpose.
Order new cabinets that are part of an efficient-install. These are great because they will require less time and effort for you to put them in. Additionally, they are designed to go up without much help, so you do not need to enlist an army of helpers to put the new cabinets in.
Remove the doors and drawers from your new cabinets. This is a good idea when removing cabinets, too. Not only does it make the cabinets less heavy to transport around, but it eliminates the possibility of the cabinet doors or drawers closing on your fingers, causing you pain that may cause you to drop the cabinets.
Ensure that you support the weight of the cabinets correctly as you install them, to prevent them from crashing down later, under the weight of your dishes, glasses, and cups.
Use the correct fasteners (screws and nails) to put the cabinets in, and also to support them. Incorrect fasteners can make the cabinets unstable and much more likely to fall down later.
Use the instructions or plans that come with the cabinets. Installing cabinets without a form is dangerous, as they may not be as balanced or well supported, and can fall down. This poses a safety threat to you, your family, your pets, and your dishes.
If you are installing your microwave into your cabinet area, be sure you install it correctly and be sure to follow the instructions for the microwave and cabinets to a T. If you do this incorrectly, you not only pose a fire hazard, but also can have your microwave and cabinets come crashing down onto the counter.
Use a benchmark level to ensure your cabinets are perfectly level, and square.
Use shims. These will make installing and maintaining the correct height of the cabinets much, much easier.
Use cabinet shelves properly, and install them carefully, to prevent damage to your dishes.
These simple tips will allow you to build cabinets in less than one day, and will give you full use of your kitchen in no time. Building cabinets like a pro is not a particularly difficult process, but it is one that requires attention to detail and carefully following instructions. But, by using these tips and the instructions in your cabinets, you can ensure you will have a beautiful and functional set of cabinets.
