This guide is intended to provide helpful tips to assist you in the installation of Demetra frameless cabinetry.

There are a number of ways to install your cabinets.In fact it would not be surprising to have ten installers do the

same job ten different ways and arrive at similar results.If you are having the cabinets installed by someelse,we

suggest you choose them carefully and go with someone that is licensed and bonded to do the work.

Remember that a good installation is as important as good cabinets itself.This installation guide will cover the

basic steps of the installation process only.

Basic Tools

•  
  • Level
  • Tape measure
  • Chalk line
  • Stud finder
  • Shims
  • Carpenter’s Square
  • Nail gun (finish nailer with 18guage brads) or hammer with finish nails
  • Phillips screw driver
  • Electric drill with drive bits
  • Clamps
  • Miter saw
  • Table saw
  • Wood screws and connecting bolts
  • Putty stick that matches our finish

Room Inspection and Preparation 

The room should be free of debris and obstacles.

Electrical wiring, plumbing, and vents rough-in should be completed. Verify that the previously mentioned

components are in the right locations according to your plans. All painting, plumbing, electrical and mechanical

work should be complete before you install your cabinets. Take steps to protect all surfaces and floors you don’t

want scratched or damaged.

Re-measure the space where the cabinets will be installed. Dimensions may change due to errors, or if prior

measurements were taken before dry wall was installed, the final dimensions may have differed.

Inspect the cabinets 

You should have already done this when you received you cabinets. However, we suggest you re-check it again

and verify them against the packing list and layout plan to ensure you received the correct sizes and quantity.

Locate and mark the high and low spots 

Floors and walls are seldom smooth, level, or plumb. Use a level to locate the high point of the floor. With a

chalk line,strike a line 34.5”above the high point of the floor around the room where you will be placing cabinets.

This will be the “base level” that the top of your base cabinets will line up to.

Decide if you will use the toe kick feet provided with your Demetra cabinets or if you will build your own toe kick

box. Your Demetra cabinets come with adjustable feet which can be lengthened to reach lower spots. If the

variance is too great between the low and high spot you may need to insert a piece of plywood under the

adjustable feet.

If the floor is not put in until after the cabinets are installed, remember to compensate for the thickness of the

floor or you will end up with shorter than standard countertops and a major challenge on how to get your

dishwasher in under the countertop.

Determine the placement of fillers, end panels, and moldings 

Exposed sides of cabinets should be covered with matching end panels. Gaps should be spanned by fillers.

Determine their placement and compensate in your measurements for the fillers and panels.If you are installing

crown molding, be sure to install crown molding supports so you will have something to nail your molding into

later. Crown molding support should be offset 1/8” inch back from the cabinet body so not to be seen after the

crown molding is installed.

Cabinets are placed adjacent to walls will need at least a ¾” filler to allow for proper opening of the door. These

fillers need to be offset by approximately ½” from the cabinet body. If the wall is not level or straight, consider

using a wider spacer and scribing the filler for a better fit.

Mark for placement of cabinets 

Use your cabinet layout plan to guide, measure, and mark the location of your cabinets. Remember that your

cabinet layout is only a general placement guide and you will most likely have to make adjustment for a proper

fit.Don’t forget the placement of your end panels and fillers and compensate for them in both the base and wall

cabinets. You will need to mark the horizontal positions of your wall cabinets carefully and compensate for crown

or decorative moldings.

Locate and mark wall studs 

With a stud finder or old fashion nail and hammer, find and mark the centers of studs that will be behind the

cabinets.

Remove the doors and drawers from cabinets and place them out of the way to avoid damage during

installation.

Tips:

•  Masking tape will allow you to mark and associate the doors and drawers to cabinet in which they were

             removed

• Doing a dry fit of your cabinets first will can provide a final check to see that you have all you need to

            complete your project.

• We recommend that you install the wall cabinets first to avoid having to work over the base cabinets and

            damaging them.

• The corner is generally the best place to begin installation. In some cases cabinets can be started at a

            different location to line up with other features such as windows/doors,plumbing,vent/ducts,gas line,etc.

Consider various methods to help hold wall cabinets in place and choose one.Align the wall cabinets to the lines

you made earlier and anchor cabinets to the wall with wood screws. Make sure that you are hanging the cabinet 

from the hanging rails running side to side at the top and bottom of each cabinet. Be sure to use proper length

and proper load baring capacity screws for the job.

Position the next cabinet to the side of the previous cabinet, clamp them together and connect the cabinets

together with either wood screws or connecting bolts. If your wall is not straight, you will need to use shims to fill

in the space behind the cabinet.

End panels should be attached to the cabinets with wood screws from the inside of the cabinet, so not to be

visible. Offset the end panels from the cabinet body by a ½”. This will allow you to hide the edge banding on the

cabinet body since it may not match the door style you have chosen.

Optional:You can elect to build your own toe kick box out of ¾” plywood.An advantage to building your own toe

kick box is that you can make it level before placing cabinets on top, thus not requiring the need to shim or level

individual cabinets.

Installation of moldings and trim

Crown molding can be cut with a miter box or a compound miter saw. Consider investing in a quality compound

miter saw to get accurate cuts. Plan your cuts carefully to maximize use of materials or plan on buying extra

crown molding. Secure the crown molding to the crown molding support with nails. Fill in nail hole with a

matching putty stick.

Installation of toe kick panels

Below are directions for attaching the finished toe kick panels:

1. Adjustable feet: Attach the clips to the toe kick boards at the same spacing of the feet (use #6 ½” wood

    screws) Cap outside corners with outside corner moldings. If you see a noticeable gap between the toe

    kick and floor, you can come back over with matching quarter rounds that are flexible and will give you a

    more finished look.

2. Toe kick box: Cut to length and place toe kick boards on the expose face of the toe kick box and attach

    with finish names. If you see a noticeable gap between the toe kick and floor, you can come back over

    with matching quarter rounds that are flexible and will give you a more finished look.

MAKING ADJUSTMENTS

After installation you may find it necessary to adjust your doors to get the desired alignment. The instructions

below will show you or your installer how to make these adjustments.

Installation and removal of cabinet doors

Your cabinet doors come with easy release hinges that allow for easy removal and reattachment without the

need for tools.

The doors detach by depressing the release tab shown in the diagrams below.

The doors reattach by lining the hinge to the mounting plate and applying pressure to the back of the hinge near

the release tab. You will hear a click once the latch is re-engaged.

Adjusting cabinet doors 

Your cabinet doors come with 6-way adjustable hinges. These adjustable hinges allow you to shift the doors left

to right, up or down, and in or out. This allows you to fine tune the proper alignment with only a screw driver.

Adjusting drawer fronts 

Drawer fronts can be adjusted for proper alignment. If you are installing handles, you will need to drill through the drawer box;

be sure to align the drawer fronts first.

Adjustments are made by loosening the two screws securing the drawer front to the drawer box. Once the screws are

loosened you will be able to move the drawer box up or down, right or left, and a few degrees clockwise or counter clockwise.

Once you find your desired positioning, tighten the adjustment screws to lock the drawer front into position.

Be careful not to over tighten the screws to avoid cracking the drawer front or stripping the screws.

Touching up nail holes and scratches

Small scratches or nail holes can be filled with a putty stick. Remove excess with a credit card.

You can also blend the putty in with a cloth and buffing motion.