7 Steps to Prepare for a Seamless Cabinet Installation

Are you getting ready to put new cabinets in your kitchen? Whether you are renovating an older home or you are building a new one, cabinet installation is an exciting step in completing your home and making it your own. 

Before you can enjoy your new cabinets, you will have to do some preparation to ensure an easy installation process. Here are seven steps you should follow to prepare for your cabinet installation.

1. Remove Old Cabinets

To start, you will need to remove any old cabinets in your kitchen. People may choose to recycle the cabinets by reselling, donating, or upcycling them. Remodeling your kitchen and installing new cabinets can be a quick way to add value to your home and give it a fresh look. If you are in a new home, there is obviously no need to remove cabinets.

2. Prepare All Utilities

The next step to take is to prepare all the utilities in the kitchen. Preparing utilities is crucial to ensure the functionality, safety, and efficiency of your kitchen. The plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems should be set up and ready to roll. Ductwork should be in place, along with outlets and lighting, and appliance feeds. It will be easier to set these up before cabinets are in place. Appliances should be safely unhooked and removed from the work area to avoid any damage to the appliances from the cabinet installation.

3. Touch-Up Walls

The walls of the kitchen should be smooth and even to ensure the best installation. You should patch and repair any damage that has occurred along the walls. Addressing any wall issues, such as cracks or holes, before installing the cabinets can prevent those problems from worsening over time. It is easier and more cost-effective to repair these issues upfront. Repairing walls before installation not only makes the installation better, it is also easier to repair without appliances and cabinets in the way.

4. Paint the Ceilings and Walls

Before installing new cabinets, drywall, primer, and paint should be applied and completely dry. Painting before cabinet installation can make the job much easier. When you paint before installing cabinets, you have full access to the walls, corners, and ceilings without any obstruction. This allows you to achieve a more even and consistent paint job, especially in hard-to-reach areas. Because of the nature of installing cabinets, you will most likely need to touch up certain areas with some more paint to have a clean and smooth finish.  

5. Prep the Floor

Prepping the floor before installing kitchen cabinets is an essential step in ensuring a successful and long-lasting installation. The floor should be level to avoid any stability issues. Uneven floors can result in cabinets that are not flush with each other or have gaps between them. The cabinets will be installed on subflooring, so make sure there are not any areas of flooring that have rotted or gotten water damage. 

Once the flooring is all good, clean the floor of any dirt and debris that has accumulated from the preparation process. A simple sweep or vacuum is usually sufficient to provide a clean and orderly floor. 

6. Create Space for Cabinet Installation

The next step is to make sure that there is a clear path for workers to move around in. Clear the area and make a path from wherever the professionals part to where the work area is so they can easily bring in any equipment needed. Enough space to cut the cabinets will be needed, so try to remove any unnecessary items to another area of the home or even outside. Moving the equipment and working on cabinets can have its risks, which is why pets and children should be kept away from the working area. 

7. Prepare for Dust

Installing kitchen cabinets can be a messy process. Professionals do their best to minimize the mess, but it is inevitable that some cleaning will need to be done once the job is complete. A way to protect your belongings and your home is to put some plastic tarps or coverings over furniture, floors, and vents. Once the cabinets are installed, you will be able to easily clean the area by simply removing the plastic tarp from the area.

Use Lloyd’s Remodeling & Cabinetry for Your Cabinet Installation Needs

At Lloyd’s Remodeling & Cabinetry, we specialize in kitchen remodels and cabinet installation. We are efficient with our time and will be in and out of your home before you know it. You can trust that we will treat your property with respect and care, like we would our own home. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you transform your kitchen.

Michael Lloyd

Mike has been in the cabinetry business since 2003 where he started as a CNC Machine operator in his father’s commercial production cabinetry factory. He has experience in all aspects of manufacturing cabinets from machining, assembly, and finishing. Mike Joined Lloyd’s Remodeling & Cabinetry as a co-owner in 2013 where he specializes in hands-on retail showroom sales. Mike’s expertise is in designing and developing all of our interior remodel projects. Mike is masterful at designing and executing full scale kitchen and bath remodels and has been very successful in meeting the needs of even the most meticulous customers. Mike doesn’t believe in “Selling a Job”, rather he builds a relationship with each customer who chooses to engage in the process with Lloyd’s Remodeling because he understands that “people buy from people”.