Kitchen remodeling is a DIY project with great results and return on investment. You may want to have 2 people for this job to make it easier. I’ve remodeled kitchens for years by myself and it can be done with some tricks and planning.

Always check your cabinets before you start tearing out the old ones. This way, if something is missing, you can ask for it so you don’t have to stop in the middle of the installation. Compare your design and packing lists and make sure everything is on the site and the correct item. This can be done the weekend before installation so you don’t waste time on installation day.

Measure the wall and mark it for your cabinets and double check the layout diagrams.

Now is the time to start the demo. Keep the mallet away from the kitchen and unbolt old cabinets and remove them in one piece. This isn’t some TV show where you grab the sledgehammer and turn your cabinets into hundreds of pieces.

Old cabinets can be very useful mounted in the garage, laundry room or storage area.

Give your kitchen a good sweep or vacuum and position your cabinets close to where they will hang on the wall. You can use one of the larger cabinets to put your tools in and keep them close at hand.

Start with the wall cabinets and start in a corner and work your way around the kitchen. You should figure out that the height of the cabinets is 54″ to the bottom of the cabinets, but if you are adding molding to them that touches the ceiling, you may need to adjust this an inch or two.

Hang the corner cabinet and check for level (horizontal) and plumb (vertical). Use some wooden shims to adjust the plumb of the cabinet, don’t get carried away with making this perfect because if your walls are not plumb all the cabinets will be the same. Screw the cabinets to the wall at the studs with two screws at the top and bottom. You’ll also need to screw the cabinets in two or three places into the studs (this is the board that forms the front corner of your cabinets). Pre-drill these holes to avoid splitting the wood.

Check your floor to see how level it is and find the high spot, this is best accomplished by using a 4′ or 6′ level and sliding it across the floor. After finding the high spot, measure 34 1/2″ up the wall, this will be the top of the base cabinets. Draw a level line along the wall, this will be the line you will need to fit the cabinets .

Use wood shims and a 4′ level to keep cabinets level while installing.

Now it’s time for the final touches, it’s time to install the knobs. Hold one up toward the cabinet doors and see where you want to install it. You can use painters tape on the doors and mark the tape where the knob will be mounted. Drill a 3/16″ hole for the knob screw, remove the tape and mount the knobs.

With these helpful tips, your cabinet installation will be much easier and faster.

Enjoy your new kitchen.