How to Install Kitchen Units

Are you ready for a kitchen revamp? Fitting your own kitchen can be highly rewarding, and we can help you get the job done right. This guide will walk you through how to install kitchen cabinets, from gathering your tools to hanging the final unit.

Before you begin, checking your manufacturer's instructions is a smart move, as fitting details can vary between designs. You can also watch our five-minute video guide on how to install kitchen cabinets.

Useful links

Tools

Materials

Kitchen Cabinets

Safety

Useful Links

Preparation involves checking the wall for pipes and cables, gathering necessary tools, and making sure your floor is level.
Install base units by starting in a corner, adjusting the legs to level the cabinet, and securing them to the wall with L-shape brackets.
Fit wall cabinets by marking bracket heights from the corner, drilling securely into the wall, and carefully hooking the units onto the wall brackets.

Staying safe

Kitchen cabinet installation requires care.

Always wear safety goggles and a dust mask when using a jigsaw or circular saw.

Take care when drilling and clearly mark your guide holes to ensure accuracy.

Hanging heavy units can be difficult, so ask for help when lifting.

Remember to use a stepladder rather than standing on base cabinets to avoid causing unnecessary damage.

If you’re in any doubt, please seek advice from an expert and always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

How to install kitchen base units

If you’re looking at how to install kitchen base units, the secret is starting from a corner. Use a tape measure, spirit level, and pencil to mark out a straight line along the wall where the top of the cabinet will sit. Because floors can be uneven, check the distance from the line to the floor periodically.

Place your first base unit into the corner so its back edge rests against the wall. Check that the cabinet is level using your spirit level.

If your flooring is uneven, simply twist the legs to adjust them until the unit sits perfectly level.

Add the next cabinet alongside the first. Clamp the adjacent cabinets together using one clamp at the top and one at the bottom.

To attach them, remove the hinge plates. Drill and screw through the adjacent cabinet using the provided screws, then replace the hinge, taking care not to over-tighten the screws, as this can damage the material.

Attach L-shape angle brackets to the side panels near the top, where they meet the wall. Mark the drill holes with a pencil.

Using an appropriate drill bit for your wall type, drill a hole to the length of your screw. Tap in a wall plug and screw the bracket into place.

Continue this process for installing kitchen base units until the row is complete.

At the end of a row, attach a decorative panel to give your kitchen a uniform look. You may need to trim it with a circular saw or jigsaw to fit around the skirting board. Mark the height and width of the skirting board onto the panel using an off-cut and then cut out with a jigsaw.

Clamp the panel, remove the hinges, and drill from the inside of the cabinet into the panel.

How to install kitchen wall units

Now we’ll look at how to install a kitchen cabinet on the wall. Hanging a wall cabinet is a two-person job, so ask a friend to help you.

Start in a corner and use a tape measure, spirit level and pencil to draw a line where you want the bottom of your cabinet to sit.

Mark the exact outline of the unit on the wall. At the back of the cabinet, you’ll find hooks that attach to the wall bracket. Measure the distance these hooks sit from the top and sides and mark these measurements onto your wall outline.

Use the brackets as a guide to mark the exact position for your screw holes.

Use a drill bit suitable for your wall type to drill the holes. Tap in wall plugs and screw the brackets securely into place.

When installing kitchen wall cabinets, carefully lift the unit slightly above the brackets and lower it down so the cabinet hooks catch onto the wall brackets.

Use a spirit level and a screwdriver to turn the adjuster block inside the cabinet until it’s level. Clamp and screw adjacent units together just as you did with the base units.

Continue this process for installing kitchen wall units until you’re done.

A few weeks after installing kitchen cabinets, check the fixings that link the units and attach them to the wall, and adjust them if necessary. It’s also important to always use appropriate cleaning products to avoid damaging the materials.

Now that your kitchen cabinets are installed, you can step back and admire a job well done. Fitting a kitchen yourself is a big project, but the final result is incredibly rewarding.

We hope this guide has given you the confidence to tackle it head-on. If you’re ready to tackle some more kitchen DIY, check out our guide on how to achieve your dream kitchen.

FAQs

Before fully securing your base units, check them with a spirit level. You can twist the adjustable legs on the bottom of the cabinets until they sit perfectly level before you attach them to the wall.

Kitchen cabinets in the UK are generally attached to the wall with hooks on the back of the cabinet, making them easy to install. These then just hook onto screws placed into the wall.

Always begin with your base cabinets, starting in any corners and working outwards. You can then move onto hanging wall cabinets.