Summary: Learn how to mark out and mount wall units, fit base units, install a kitchen worktop.
Kitchen units vary widely in style but since most modern units are a standard size, you can easily transform your kitchen with new worktops or cabinet fronts. For a low cost kitchen makeover, add decorative mouldings or new handles to existing units. If you are buying a new fitted kitchen, measuring up is crucial so you may prefer to ask your supplier to calculate the size of cabinets you require, particularly if you have uneven walls or floors.
Mark out the positions of all base and wall-mounted units to ensure your cabinets are installed level.
It is advisable to fit the wall units before the base units as this gives you more room to work.
Fix a temporary timber ledger board to the wall through the wall studs to support the weight of the assembled units.
If a gap is less than 6mm plane the cabinets until they fit. Otherwise, fill the gap with shims or filler strip.
If using wall brackets, mark their exact position on your outline of the unit and attach them using suitable screws.
Before screwing the units together, butt them against each other so that they appear level from the front and clamp them and use shims and filler strip where necessary.
Align the hinge and hinge plate and join them together with the pre-inserted hinge pin or screw.
To complete the wall units a cornice can be fixed to the top and a pelmet to the bottom. Cut the pieces of cornice to the required length. As most wall-mounted kitchen units are fitted with one side abutting against a wall, you will need only two pieces of cornice: a short length for the side and a longer length for the front. But both pieces need to be cut to make a mitre joint at the corner of the cabinet. For this it is best to use a mitre box.
Carefully place the shorter length of cornice in position and screw it to the top of the unit.
Apply wood adhesive to the mitred end.
Position the longer piece of cornice so its bottom edge is flush with the front edge of the unit, and its mitred end is firmly butted against the mitre of the shorter piece and screw into place.
Two plastic joining blocks need to be screwed to the top inside edges of both pieces of pelmet.
Address the longer piece of pelmet to the front edge of the unit, ensuring the two mitred ends butt together firmly.
Screw the units to the wall through the back of the unit with brackets attached to the side of the unit.
If you are installing a blind inside base unit, position this unit first and then butt the standard unit to it.
If your units have legs, screw the clips supplied to the plinth and clip them around the legs.
The worktop is not only a prominent feature, but also where much of your food preparation takes place so it needs to be hardwearing as well as attractive. Hardwood, marble and granite worktops are durable and stylish but can be expensive and difficult to install. Alternatively, you could choose from a range of laminated worktops with veneers in imitation wood or stone. To tile your worktop, see the project on ceramic tiling.
Worktops tend to come in standard lengths: 2m (6ft 6in), 3m (9ft 8in), and 4m (13ft). Some width may be lost during the installation so it is a good idea to allow for this; any excess can always be cut down to size.
You will need to scribe the worktop to fit tightly against uneven walls.
Clamp a straightedge along the cutting line to guide you and use a new fine-tooth blade to avoid damaging the veneer.
To join two straight worktops screw a joining strip onto the second length of worktop and secure it in place from underneath.
Fix the worktop to the units from underneath with 18mm long screws.
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