Assembly and Installation
Assembly and Installation
This domain tests turning machined parts into a square, strong case and installing it level, plumb, and secure. Expect questions on dry fitting, glue-up, clamping, fasteners, shimming, ledgers, scribing, and reveal control.
Assembly rules
- Dry-fit the carcass before glue. Check diagonals and confirm that shelves and dividers seat without force.
- Apply glue to the joint faces, not just the end grain; clamp across the joint to bring it closed, then check square before the glue sets.
- Fasten backs to keep the case square and resist racking. Use the specified fastener and avoid overdriving into particleboard.
- Install base cabinets to a level line. A ledger supports wall cabinets while fasteners are driven into studs.
- Shim at stud locations, not only at the cabinet corners; then scribe filler strips to walls and ceilings.
Worked example
A run of base cabinets must finish at 34.5 in. high to receive a 1.5 in. countertop at 36 in. The floor rises 3/8 in. over 8 ft. Set the high point as the reference, shim the low cabinets up, and check level across the run. If you set the first cabinet level at the low end, the countertop line will be 3/8 in. high at the high end. The reasoning: establish the finished counter height from the highest floor point, then build down with shims, not up from the lowest point.
Traps
- Gluing and fastening before checking diagonals; a racked case will not square after the back is on.
- Fastening only to drywall or to a cabinet next to it.
- Over-shimming a corner and creating a twist.
- Ignoring door reveal until after the cabinets are fixed.