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How to build kitchen base cabinets

Overview

The base cabinet is the standard storage unit of any flat pack kitchen. We show you how to screw all the panels together yourself. You will also see how to attach the feet and adjust the height of your cabinets to keep them level on an uneven floor.

Tools and materials

Tools

    Steps

    1Attach the back of the kitchen cabinet to the base panel

    Put the back and base panels together so the pre-drilled screw holes line up. Use an impact driver to gently drive the screws into place. Check to see if the joining edges have properly lined up. If not, tap them lightly into place with a rubber mallet and then tighten the screws.
    The back and base panels of a cabinet being joined

    2Attach the sides to the kitchen cabinet

    Put the first side panel into place and line up the pre-drilled holes. Screw the base and side panels together, then do the back panel. When the first side is on, turn the cabinet over and do the same on the other side. Remember to use the rubber mallet to keep your edges lined up.
    The sides being attached to a drawer cabinet

    3Attach the top rail to the kitchen cabinet

    Put the top rail into position. Push all four screws into position with your thumb to temporarily hold the rail in place. Then drive the screws in and use the rubber mallet again to tap the edges into place before giving the screws a final tighten.
    A person using a rubber mallet to position a rail in a cabinet

    4Attach the plastic feet to the bottom of the kitchen cabinet

    The plastic feet for your kitchen cabinets come in four parts – base plate, tube, screw thread and foot. Attach the base plate to the base of the cabinet, using the predrilled holes and the short screws. Push the tubes into the base plates and the feet onto the screw threads. Then drive the screw threads into the tubes and you're done
    A person inserting a tube into a base plate for an adjustable foot

    5Adjust the height of the feet

    You can adjust the height of your feet by screwing the threads in or out. This is very useful if your floor isn't level. Use a combination square to help set the height of all the feet at 145mm. Then put the cabinet in place and adjust the feet if you need to level it up on an uneven floor.
    A person using a combination square to set the height of an adjustable foot on a cabinet

    6Install the shelf in the kitchen cabinet

    The sides of the cabinet have pre-drilled holes to hold shelf support brackets. Select the height you want for your shelf and push your brackets into the holes at that level. To ensure you put the brackets for each shelf on the same level, it's a good idea to count the number of holes between brackets. Finish by placing the shelf on top of the brackets.
    A shelf being laid in a cabinet

    7Ready to attach the hinges and doors?

    Check out our video on how to install cabinet hinges.
    Health & Safety

    Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

    Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer. You can also use a simple test kit from Bunnings to indicate the presence of lead-based paint.