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Any tips on installing kitchen wall cabinets with one person? How to hold them up while fastening.
Thanks Ron
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I used a ledger board this time and just filled in the holes. If you know you're going to be doing it regular, something like the Gil-Lift looks appealing. There are some finish and cabinet dudes around here who could probably give you better advice than me if they chimed in though.
JonC
*I like to set the bottoms first, then build a bench or support of some kind that sits on the counter or a plywood top. I build it a little low then use a regular automobile jack or two to raise it just where I want it and screw it in place. I bought some jacks and made a little more elaborate deal than you really need because I use them a lot, but have just used the jack out of my truck before. Not real fast but if you are alone it works well. Ive even used this method when you cant set the bases first but it gets a little shakey with the homemade deal. Fortunately You can almost always set the bases first.
*I love using the ledger, and end up swearing at myself whenever I try to save time not putting one up. It can be a permanent detail, too. Have also used pneumatic nailer to hold cabinet for a few moments at level before screwing. Only done cabinets at home so far...
*Contrary to what most folks do, I set the bottoms first. Install (at least "precut") substrate for counter, and work off of that. I have a pair of sawhorses that are 17" tall (I originally built them for my son when he was a youngster) and wall cabinets are usually pretty close to 18" above the counter. This 1" of play is perfect because you need shims of some type to get the right height, then remove the shims and horses slide right out. Have set many sets this way by myself. A word to the wise - NEVER attatch cabinets to wall using drywall screws. Always use real wood screws for their strength. - jb
*... but I used drywall screws at my mother-in-law's house. Just a couple. Especially for the big china cabinet. :)Make sure the screws hit STUDS. The instructions that came with Kraftmaid cabinets stipulated that they be connected to the ceiling as well -- does anyone do this?
*Most local places don't seem to carry them and I never order any from catalogs to have on hand when needed, but there are #10 and #12 screws of the no-drill, dry wall or decking type that come in appropriate lengths for hanging cabinets. The two problems I've had with lighter screws are a) any torque and they snap and b) if you work alone you can't always get straight on to the screw or apply real pressure when you drive it, bit cams out or head strips. The larger screws come through with the large #3 phillips head, or if you like them the square Robertson heads. I've used the heavy 'tapcon' types but not entirely confident about holding power in studs (threads shallow) so have added a few extra regular screws once the cabinet's securely in place. And if you can hide the head or paint/finish it to blend in I've even used hex heads with a nut driver. Regular lag types require drilling for both shank and thread and tapcons have the holding power issue so not my preferred method. But I've had an instance where all the weight had to hang off a few fasteners high on the wall at a header because a door pocket was inside the wall lower down, big fasteners made me comfortable there.
*I like doing the uppers first. And using a temporary ledger. I posted this in an archived message and found it for you:"came up with a quick and dirty set up: made up a 2x4 ledger to be screwed to the wall studs to support back of cabinet; attached a old, heavy 3" butt hinge to it and another 12-14" piece of 2x to the other side of hinge so that a 'leg' could be swung out to support the front edge of the cabinet...." after cabinet is lifted into place on the ledger. This was an alternative to a commercially available or site built jack of some sort.Last job I single handed a large wall unit (30" h. x 78" w. with a cut out in bottom center for microwave. In addition to lifting and fastening, the microwave power feed had to be snaked into the upper center cabinet while it was up in the air but before fastening. Rented a 'Genie' lift for half a day. Well worth it. Check out your local rental centers to see what types of lifts or jacks they have.
*I do the bases first, always. Then counters, usually, then set the uppers using shopmade 'I' supports and 3" particle board screws and cup washers. I use particle board, lo-root screws exclusively now,for everything, don't even look at wood screws, and Jim is bang on about the drywall screws.Cup washers greatly increase holding power. Lo-roots have a really aggressive thread, you seldom need to predrill (never in softwoods) and they self-countersink. Personally, I've never seen or heard of anyone anchoring into the ceiling, and it doesn't sound like a good idea to me.
*Make a pair of "legs" scrap 1x material. Cut it just short of the ceiling height. Lay the cabinets on their backs and use those rubber faced quick-grip clamps to hold the legs against the face frames. Then stand the setup up and the cabinet weight will actually lean them against the wall indefinetly. You can then loosen clamps, tap up & down, etc. The legs work great. I do all work by myself and found this approach good for many things - even subfacia!!I put up a 20 x 20 tent myself last night! In a breeze no less. Try that one!-Rob
*Try ordering or building your countertop with a full height, 1/2-in. or 3/4-in. thick backsplash. Install the bases level, set the top, and the splash then serves the same purpose as a ledger. With no holes to fill. I used to rout the electrical box holes in the splash after it was up (but before installing the uppers) using a long, bearing-guided bit. If you do this, be sure to push the wires way back in the box -- I still have one electrician out for my blood over an incident 4 years ago...
*I try to set the uppers first & use ledgers. I use 3" strips of 3/4 ply in various lengths that I keep for just such use. Not only can you set them alone, but with 2 pepole it flies. Alot of kitchen designs we are seeing now set the upper cabinets on the countertop, neccesitating the installtion of the uppers last.
*Wow! A dozen people and a dozen opinions!What d'ya think Ron?
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I set my bases first,then use a 19 1/2 " lenght of 1x scewed to studs vertically on top of the base cabinets were the countertop will cover when installed.
You then tip bottom of upper cabinet on 1x,place on wall and clamp to the neighboring cabinet and drive home the screws you predrilled and placed in holes before lifting cabinets.
corner or starter cabinets may require more help,but after that they should go up easily.
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I like to screw as many uppers together as possible, then install them as a single unit. That's what is so nice about those little horses - you can set a long bunch up there and manuver it into position. All this talk about ballancing sounds a bit chancy to me. - jb
*I a just finishing my kitchen and I installed the top cabinets first using a T-Jack. I use the Quick clamps to hold the cabinets together as I go along. It seems to me that there is less bending over doing it this way, and less chance of gravity doing bad things to the cabinets below. However, in the end, whatever works is good. Confession. I did not use a backer this time - it would have been easier with one. As far as the ledger board goes, for me it would be a lot of work to do a good job of filling the holes unless there is a wall covering following.Have fun,Dennis
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Build a box about 12" sq. out of 2X4s on edge and covered with 1/2" ply on both sides. Now cut the box in half diagonally. What you have left are two equilateral triangular pieces that you can slide a long 2X4 into. If you hang the uppers first, cut the long 2X4 to about 2" longer than the height you want the cabinets. Put them into the corners of the boxes and lean them against the wall at an angle. This gives you a "shelf" to set the cabinet on. You can then jack the cabinet level by tapping the appropriate 2X4 in or out. If you want to set the bases first, just use shorter 2x4s. You should experiment with the lengths so that your angle is not so great that the 2X4s slide out from under.
Jonathan
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I still think clamping 2 scrap legs is easier than any of these others, but then again, I don't have time to waste building fancy jigs either.
-Rob
*Six months ago I hung an entire kitchen myself in a couple of evenings after work. Mine was a somewhat tool intensive, but painless process. For a 20 foot run of cabinets I used a 2x4 ledger board (set in place using a water level) for the back of the cabinets and a T-Jack for the front. I carefully leveled the first cabinet vertically, then the others came into position nicely. I used Pony's Cabinet Claws to clamp the faces together, then screwed the face of a new cabinet to the previously wall hung cabinet, prior to attaching the latest cabinet to the wall. I used a DeWalt (others make it) bit that drills a pilot hole and then flips over without unchucking to drive a screw. My wall screws were #10 x 3" square drive head, supported by roundela (sp?) washers. I drove four screws into each stud for maximum support of my 44" tall cabinets. After six months of being heavily loaded with dishes, etc. they are doing very well. Patching the holes from the ledger board requires only a fraction of a small bucket of premixed mud and a 4" knife. Easily accomplished in three five minutes sessions, then add priming and painting time. My work was fun and turned out great. The ledger board made my project a blast.
*Those Pony "Cabinet Claw" clamps seemed kind of expensive, but for stock cabinets I think it was money well spent.JonC
*I do almost the same thing using two rough benches I had originally made for working on ceilings, hanging wall paper etc. They are 16 inches high and about 4 feet long, so I just put them on top of the base cabinets, put the upper cabinets on top of that, then use shingle shims to get up to my reference line.I second the comments about not using drywall screws. I use screws with the Grabber trade name, usually 4x10 size. Use those dimpled "trim washers" under the heads for a neat look. These washers also keep the screw head from drawing itself deep into the cabinet material.
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NEED HELP IN SECURING GLASS INSERTS IN KITCHEN CABINETS.
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Some of the catalogs have special hardware for that. http://www.scherrs.com/ has them I think.
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I hang my top cabinets first using ledger boards placed vertically. The screws in the ledgers are placed low enough so that after they are removed, the base cabinets and backsplash will cover the screw holes.
Don't use more than two uprights per cabinet (or groups of cabinets) or it may want to rock.
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Ron
I'm an amateur, but I just finished installing a bunch of kitchen cabinets almost single-handed (wife watched and nit-picked).
I installed the lower cabinets first. I just happened to have a pair of rough benches I had knocked together from plywood. These were about 4 feet long and 17 inches high. Upper cabinets were to be 18 inches above the counter-top, so with the benches on the counter-top I could rest the upper cabinets on them and then sneak up to the height of the reference line with scraps and shims.
Incidentally, I also would recommend joining the upper cabinets together first (at least as many as you can manage at once) then putting them up as a single unit. That way you can get the front faces flush with one another without having to contend with problems from walls that might bulge or have slight hollows. If possible, start in a corner and work out from there.
Also, don't use drywall screws to put up the cabinets. They tend to snap too easily. Use some "real" screws, preferably with trim washers to spread the load instead of just drawing the head into the wood.
Jay
*The ones I've seen just use plain old silicone.Please, no all caps.
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Any tips on installing kitchen wall cabinets with one person? How to hold them up while fastening.
Thanks Ron