Lots of people install the lower cabinets first. Once the lowers are in place, it's easy to use them as a handy shelf for holding tools and for bracing the uppers as you install them. As you see in the video, we like to install the uppers first with nothing underneath them to get in the way.
First, locate the highest point in your floor using your level. Then, using your tape measure, measure up from the floor about 48-inches and use a pencil to mark. Then, using your level, trace a line along the wall. Next, outline where the first cabinet will hang.
There are pros and cons to each installation order. That said, it is standard for the cabinet to go before the flooring, except under special circumstances as mentioned above.
Leave a space between the cabinet and wall as recommended by the cabinet manufacturer. Shim beneath the cabinet to align it with the top-of-cabinet line you drew on the wall. When determing how to install base cabinets on uneven floors, check for level and plumb, and add shims until the cabinets are at the same level.
Hang the Upper Cabinets
If it is, drive four 2½-inch deck screws (with washers) through the back of the cabinet, top and bottom, and into the studs. If it's not, slip shims between the cabinet back and the wall at the stud locations.
Always install the upper cabinets before the lower cabinets. This way you won't have to awkwardly work over the lower cabinets, risking damaging them in the process.
The cabinet guys usually come in after the drywall people are done, the painters are one of the last to visit because of the danger of scuffing the finish by other workers.
If you wait to install the drywall until after the cabinets are in place, you'll spend a lot more time than if you install the drywall first. Once the cabinets are set, you'll have to measure and fit each piece of drywall around the sides and the tops of the cabinets.
Plywood and pocket-hole screws make for a clean, sturdy installation. It's always a good idea to have solid blocking behind drywall for fastening upper and lower cabinets.
Upper and base cabinets can match if you want them to. However, if you want to add variation to your space, they don't have to match. It's all about the appearance and mood you would like to achieve.
Cabinetry in some kitchens ends a foot or two below the ceiling. However, when you install ceiling-height cabinets, there won't be any space at the top. In the past, the gap between the ceiling and the cabinet tops was standard. However, recent years have seen a rise in homeowners opting for the ceiling-height look.
Securely mounting upper cabinets onto drywall can be a little tricky. If you don't hang the cabinets properly, the screws will strip the drywall and slide right off the wall, taking your glasses and dishes down with it. A few simple steps will securely attach your cabinets to the walls and prevent broken-dish mishaps.
The standard height for upper cabinets from the floor is 54 inches, or 4 feet and 6 inches. This means the bottom of the upper cabinets should be this far from the floor. This comes from the sum of 34-and-a half-inch base cabinets, a 1-and-a-half inch thick countertop, and an 18-inch backsplash.
Drill pilot holes with a countersink / taper bit through the face frames and connect the cabinets with #8 screws. If your wall is bowed, glue shims over the stud lines where you'll secure the mounting screws. This will prevent the cabinet backs from bowing when you drive in the screws.
The standard space between the countertop and upper cabinets is around 18 inches. This measurement allows for convenient use of countertop appliances and provides ample space for food preparation.
The distance between the base cabinet (including kitchen countertops) and wall cabinet is normally between 18 and 20 inches. This is low enough to provide easy access to the wall cabinet contents for most people, and still have enough space to keep and use small appliances as well as use the workspace comfortably.
The upper cabinet height doesn't always have to be installed “standard”. On average, the space between the countertop and the upper cabinets is between 18-22 inches.