Leveling Cabinets

Give your cabinet remodeling project a professional look by using this process to ensure that cabinets and countertops are level.

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Filed under: Cabinets, How To

Materials and Tools:

wooden shims
Liquid Nails adhesive
toe board
level at least 3 feet long
level, 2 feet or shorter
handheld rotary tool
nail gun

Steps:

1. Place the cabinets flush against the wall. Then place the levels along the top edges of the cabinets. Put the three-foot level in the back along the wall, and place the shorter level on the first side you will work with.

2. With a helper, place a shim skinny side forward into the gap between the floor and the cabinet bottom. Have the other person watch the levels until the air bubble is completely centered on both. Add shims, stacking them one on top of another, or remove shims until the cabinets are level. Repeat for the opposite side.

3. Now that the cabinets are level, attach them to the wall. Snap off the excess from the shims. For a cleaner cut, you can remove the excess with a handheld rotary tool.

4. Add a toe board to cover up the gap between the floor and the cabinets created by the shims. The toe board can be attached directly to the cabinets and floor with Liquid Nails or tacked on with a nail gun.