How to DIY Install Kitchen Cabinets

How to Install Kitchen Cabinets Yourself: A Simple Step-by-Step DIY Guide

If you’ve just had your cabinets delivered, or you are weighing it up before you buy, the question is usually the same: can I install kitchen cabinets myself, or do I need to pay someone? With our pre-assembled cabinets, the answer is yes for most people. The hardest part, building the boxes, is already done. What is left is a steady, ordered job that a confident DIYer can knock over in a weekend.

This guide walks you through how to install kitchen cabinets from start to finish. I will show you how to level the base units on their adjustable feet, lift the wall cabinets up safely, adjust the doors so they line up, and fit the handles for a neat finish. No guesswork, and no specialist gear. Just the right steps in the right order, the way we do it every day.

Before you drill into any wall, check for concealed wiring and plumbing, and use fixings suited to your wall type.

Can You Install Kitchen Cabinets Yourself?

Yes, most people can install kitchen cabinets themselves, and pre-assembled cabinets are what make that realistic. The hard part, building the boxes, is already done before they reach you. You are fitting finished units, which is why fitting them yourself suits a confident weekend DIYer.

Over the years I have watched plenty of customers walk in nervous, then come back surprised at how far they got in a weekend once they saw the boxes arrive already built. The worry I hear most is getting everything level. The adjustable feet handle that, even on an uneven floor, and I show you exactly how in Step 2. Once you see the boxes go together step by step, it stops feeling like a big job.

Leave the connections to a licensed trade. We supply the cabinets and you fit them, but some connected work is not a DIY job. Connecting the sink waste and taps needs a licensed plumber, and wiring in an oven, cooktop or a new power point must be done by a licensed electrician. That keeps you and your kitchen safe.

Tools You’ll Need

You do not need any special tools. Most of what you need for a kitchen cabinets installation is already in the average DIYer’s toolbox, which is part of why fitting your own cabinets is so doable. Two things you can leave off the shopping list: the handle drilling jig and the 5mm drill bit are both supplied with the cabinets.

• Spirit level (a longer level is easier to work with)
• Cordless drill or driver
• Phillips head screwdriver, for adjusting hinges and handles by hand
• Tape measure and pencil
• Stud finder
• Clamps, to hold cabinets together while you fix them
• Drill and pilot bits, for drilling pilot holes before you screw into the board
• Masking or painter’s tape
• Safety glasses
• Wall fixings to suit your wall: screws into timber studs, or masonry plugs and screws for brick walls
• Cabinet jacks, only if you are fitting the wall cabinets without a helper

Skip the impact driver for the handles. The manufacturer makes it clear that impact drivers and ordinary drills are too powerful for fixing handles. I have seen a rushed handle crack the face of a door, so use the screwdriver and hand-tighten only.

Do You Install Base or Wall Cabinets First?

Install the base cabinets first, then the wall cabinets. The base units set the height and level that everything above follows, and fitting them first means you are not leaning over them to reach the wall units. Base first works best for most DIYers.

Some installers go the other way and fit the wall cabinets first, so they are not working over the base units below. Either order can work. For most DIYers, the simplest way to install kitchen cabinets is base units first. You will set the corner cabinet first, and Step 2 covers that in detail. If you still need your base units, take a look at our range of base cabinets.

Step 1: Prepare Your Space and Cabinets

Good preparation is what makes the rest of the job go smoothly. Take your time here, and the cabinets almost line themselves up later. Work through these five steps in order before you fix anything to the wall.

1. Clear and clean the area. Make sure the floor and walls are free of debris and any old fixings, so the cabinets sit flat and flush.
2. Mark out the layout on the wall and floor so you know exactly where each cabinet goes. If you have not done this yet, measure your kitchen properly first, and our free 3D kitchen planner makes it easy to confirm placement.
3. Check what is behind the wall before you drill. Locate the wall studs with a stud finder, and check for concealed cables before you drill. Power points and switches show you roughly where the wiring runs, and a drill bit or screw through a live cable is dangerous, so find it before you make any pilot holes.
4. Lighten each cabinet before you move it. Pull the doors off using the tool-free quick-release hinges: open the door fully, press the release lever, then pull the door away. Take out the soft-close drawers by pushing the release clips on each side towards the middle and lifting the drawer up and out. A lighter unit is easier and safer to lift.
5. Decide your door swing now. The cabinets have reversible doors, with identical top and bottom panels, so choose left or right opening to suit your layout before you refit anything.

Step 2: Install and Level the Base Cabinets

This is the most important step of any kitchen cabinet installation. If the base cabinets are level and square, everything above them lines up. The adjustable cabinet feet do the hard work that shims used to, so installing base cabinets is far more forgiving than it once was. Get this stage right, and the rest of the install falls into place.

1. Fit the adjustable feet. Lay the cabinet on its back, screw a base plate into the four pre-drilled holes at each corner with the supplied screws, then push the feet into the base plates until they lock. Stand the cabinet upright and move it into position.
2. Start in the right place. Begin with the corner cabinet in an L-shaped or U-shaped kitchen. In a galley or one-wall kitchen, start at one end and work along.
3. Level it with the feet. Turn the bottom of each foot to fine-tune the height: clockwise raises the cabinet, anticlockwise lowers it. The feet adjust between 145mm and 175mm. Set them so the base sits right for the 150mm kickrail, then check with a spirit level front to back and side to side.
4. Secure it to the wall. Drill pilot holes through the back rail into the wall studs, or use masonry plugs for a brick wall, and fix with screws long enough to bite at least 25mm into the stud. Do not over-tighten, as it can pull the back of the cabinet out of shape.
5. Join the cabinets together. Bring the next unit up to the first, clamp them, check the fronts are flush and level, then screw through the side panels to lock them together. A strip of masking tape over the pilot hole stops the board chipping.

Step 3: Install the Wall Cabinets

With the base units in and level, the wall cabinets go up the same way, with two differences. You need a second person to help, and a way to hold the weight while you fix each cabinet.

1. Mark the height. Decide where the bottom of the wall cabinets sits above the bench, then draw a level line along the wall as your guide.
2. Support the weight. Screw a temporary ledger board to the wall along your line, or use a second set of hands, to hold each cabinet while you fix it. If you are working alone, a pair of cabinet jacks does the same job. Pre-drilling the cabinet backs first saves time.
3. Lift, level and fix. Start in the corner again, hold the cabinet to your line, check it with a spirit level, then screw through the back into the wall studs, or use masonry plugs for a brick wall. Wall cabinets are heavy, so fixing into solid framing matters.
4. Join them together as you go, the same way as the base units: clamp, check the fronts are flush, then screw through the side panels.

Step 4: Finish the Job

The cabinets are up. Now for the finishing steps that make the whole thing look professional rather than just functional. These last touches are the part of any kitchen cupboard installation that people notice, so it is worth taking your time. Here is the kickrail, the filler panels, refitting and adjusting the doors, and fitting the handles.

Clip On the Kickrail

Lay the kickrail face down in front of the cabinets. Mark each foot position on the back of it, screw an adjustable clip at each mark, then clip the kickrail straight onto the feet. There is no nailing and no cutting to fit around the legs.

Fit Filler and Finishing Panels

Where there is a gap between a cabinet and a wall, an appliance or the end of a run, cut a filler panel or packer to size and fix it to the cabinet for a clean, flush finish. If you are short any pieces, we stock filler and finishing panels to match.

Refit the Doors and Drawers

Push each door back onto its hinge until it clicks, then slide the soft-close drawers back onto the runners until the clips lock. Open and close each one to check it moves freely.

Adjust the Doors So They Line Up

Hinge adjustment is simple. If a door sits proud, low or off to one side, the hinges move three ways with a Phillips screwdriver. The screw nearest the door edge moves it side to side, the middle screw moves it up and down, and the screw furthest from the edge moves it in and out. Turn a quarter or half turn at a time, close the door to check, and adjust every hinge on the door for proper door alignment and an even finish.

Fit the Handles

Adding handles is simple with the supplied drilling jig. Slide the jig over the top edge of a base-cabinet door, or the bottom edge of a wall-cabinet door, so it sits flush against the surface. The holes are spaced at 128mm to match the handles. Drill a small pilot hole from the front and then from the back of the door, which stops the surface chipping, then drill straight through with the supplied 5mm bit. Fix the handle with the supplied screws and tighten by hand only. If you need extras or a different style, we stock a range of cabinet handles.

Frequently Asked Questions

A few questions come up again and again, both before people start and partway through the job. Here are the ones I am asked most.

Can I Install Kitchen Cabinets Myself?

Yes, most people can fit their own cabinets, and pre-assembled units make it very achievable because the boxes arrive already built. Installing kitchen cabinets yourself needs only basic tools, a spirit level and ideally a helper for the wall units. The work to leave out is the plumbing for your sink and any electrical wiring, which a licensed plumber and electrician must complete.

Do You Install Base or Wall Cabinets First?

Base cabinets go in first, then the wall cabinets. The base units set the height and level that everything above follows, so fitting them first means you are not reaching over them to position the wall cabinets. Some installers prefer wall units first to keep the floor clear, so either order can work, but base first suits most DIYers.

How Do You Level Kitchen Cabinets on an Uneven Floor?

The adjustable cabinet feet fitted to each base unit are what let you level cabinets on an uneven floor. Turn the bottom of each foot clockwise to raise that corner or anticlockwise to lower it, checking with a spirit level as you go. The feet adjust between 145mm and 175mm, which handles most uneven floors without any shims.

How Do You Fix a Cabinet Door That Is Not Straight?

A door that sits crooked is corrected with a simple hinge adjustment using a Phillips screwdriver. The screw nearest the door edge moves it side to side, the middle screw moves it up or down, and the outer screw moves it closer to or further from the frame. Turn a little at a time and check after each adjustment.

How Long Does It Take to Install Kitchen Cabinets?

A typical kitchen usually takes a weekend to install if you are a confident DIYer. Pre-assembled cabinets are faster than flat-pack because there are no boxes to build first. The exact time depends on the kitchen size, how level your floor and walls are, and whether you work alone or with a helper for the wall units.

Ready to Fit Your Own Cabinets

With pre-assembled cabinets and an ordered approach, you can install kitchen cabinets yourself with real confidence. Level the base units on their feet, lift the wall units safely with a helper, then finish with the kickrail, doors and handles. Work through it in that order and there is no guesswork. I hope this kitchen cabinet installation guide has shown you the job is far more manageable than it first looks.

When you are ready, take a look at our pre-assembled kitchen cabinet range. You can see them in person at our Guildford showroom, or order online with Perth Metro delivery from $100, and every order is backed by our 14-day money-back guarantee, so you can buy with confidence. Once the cabinets are in, the next jobs are to fit your new kitchen mixer tap and tile your splashback.