The Ultimate Cabinet Installation Checklist

Hanging cabinets at home requires more than using a drill to drive screws into the wall. Precise work with a level and tape measure is key. You’ll need help holding them in place and making sure they’re straight, but some homeowners are willing to tackle this job. Use our cabinet installation checklist to learn more about the steps required.

Cabinet Installation Supplies List

Download Checklist Here

You may already own many of the supplies and tools you’ll need to hang kitchen cabinets yourself. If not, rather than spending money on new tools, you can hire a local cabinet installer to handle the project.  The items needed for cabinet installation include:

• Drill

• Driver bits

• Tape measure

• Level

• Stud finder

• Mounting screws

• Crown molding

• Shims

• Screwdriver

• Hammer

• Finish nails

• Marking pencil

Upper Cabinet Installation Checklist

Always start with the upper cabinets, so you don’t have to lean over the lower cabinets. Before hanging the cabinets, inspect them for any damage that occurred during delivery or shipping. Verify how the units line up, so you don’t hang them in the wrong order. The cabinet installation checklist for hanging your upper cabinets includes:

• Remove any existing cabinets

• Mark the wall studs’ location

• Remove the cabinet doors to simplify the work

• Draw a straight line 54 inches off the floor using a level

• Install a 2x4 (called a ledger) horizontally on the line to help support the upper cabinets’ weight during hanging 

• Start in a corner of the room

• Drill holes in the back of the cabinet to match the wall studs’ location

• Rest the cabinet on the ledger

• Drive mounting screws through the drilled holes

• Use a level on the mounted cabinet

• If the unit is not level, add shims

• Hang the adjacent cabinets with mounting screws

• Test whether each adjacent cabinet is level and use shims to adjust them

• Use small screws to connect adjacent cabinets

• Remove the ledger board

• Add crown molding at the top

• Reattach the doors 

Base Cabinet Installation Checklist

Before installing the base cabinets, account for the height of any floating flooring you’ll be installing later. If you’re not installing a floating floor, you should install whatever flooring you want to use before putting in the lower cabinets.

Base cabinets have a standard height of 34.5 inches. Use a level to draw a horizontal line 34.5 inches from the highest point on the floor. Draw the line on any wall where base cabinets will go. From there, the base cabinet installation checklist includes:

• Dry-fit the base cabinets to ensure they’re in the right order

• Save space for appliances you’ll install later

• Remove doors and drawers from the cabinets to simplify installation

• Mark the location of wall studs

• Start with the corner base cabinet

• Drill holes in the back of the cabinet to match the wall studs’ location

• Shim the cabinet to bring its height to the horizontal line

• Make sure it’s level

• Use mounting screws to attach it to the wall studs

• Add an adjacent cabinet

• Use shims to keep it tight to the corner cabinet and to match the horizontal line

• Make sure it’s level before mounting it to the wall studs

• Connect the adjacent cabinets with small screws

• Continue hanging adjacent cabinets

• Use filler strips or 1x2s to cover gaps

• Add toe kicks along the bottom with finish nails

• Hang the doors and insert the drawers

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Cabinet Installer?

The cost of kitchen cabinet installation ranges from $2,000 to $11,000, including professional labor and materials. 

A local cabinet contractor will charge between $50 and $450 per linear foot to hang the cabinets, so the final cost will depend on the size of your kitchen. 

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

You can save a few thousand dollars or more by hanging the cabinets yourself. A typical kitchen has between 20 and 30 linear feet of cabinets, meaning you’ll pay a pro at least $1,000 to hang the cabinets, but most people will pay quite a bit more.

If you’re wondering who to hire to build custom cabinets, a local cabinet maker is the right choice. However, they may require you to hire an installation pro to hang the custom cabinets. 

Making an error while DIYing installation would be an expensive mistake—custom cabinets’ cost ranges from $3,000 to $13,000 before installation. Your best bet is to hire a pro to protect your initial investment.