If you’ve followed along with our last two blogs, you should have formed a realistic budget for your kitchen remodel, then come up with a solid, well-thought-out plan in Part 1. Now it’s time to actually remodel your kitchen, but there are a few tips and tricks that will help that process go smoothly.
Step 5: A Screwdriver and Some Wood Glue
Once your cabinets and all the other pieces and parts of your new kitchen have arrived, it’s time to assemble your cabinets. Note: it is not yet time to tear down your old kitchen! Why? Because you want to minimize the downtime, and thus minimize the number of meals you have to either order in, eat out, or get creative with.
Fortunately, assembly of our RTA kitchen cabinets couldn’t be easier. We use cam-lock assembly on almost every model, so all you need is a screwdriver to turn the locks—you’ll know when they’re locked, don’t worry. We also recommend using some wood glue at each major joint. It’s optional, but it helps make our already sturdy cabinets last even longer, and will also help make them more water-tight in case of leaky plumbing at some future date.
We recommend assembling them in a large, open space, preferably on the same level as the kitchen. Many people use their garage for this. Others might move the furniture out of the living room. The key is to have the space to work comfortably, and not have to carry cabinets up and down stairs to install them.
Step 6: Don’t Touch That Sledgehammer!
When all is assembled, it’s time to tear down your old kitchen and build the new one. It’s tempting to grab a sledge and have some fun, but we implore you to do it more carefully. For one reason, your old cabinets are still of value and use. Many people in need would be thrilled to have them, and donation centers across the country are happy to take them. Even if they’re not in good enough shape to reuse as cabinets, it’s still a lot of lumber. Plus, a careful teardown will avoid damaging walls and floors, and avoid potential costly repairs!
To install your new cabinets, you’ll need help. Two people can do it, but realistically it’s too big a job to do alone, especially when it comes to hanging and leveling wall cabinets. Remember the old adage, “Measure twice, cut once”? That applies here too, even if you won’t be cutting your cabinets (though you might need to cut a few pieces of flooring!)
You want each cabinet to be level and in the perfect position before you fasten it into place. This will save you endless headaches in the future.
Once all is said and done, it’s time to celebrate! Congratulations on building your new kitchen using RTA Cabinet Store’s beautiful cabinets! We’d love to hear from you. Stories of how well projects went, pictures of the finished product or even before-and-after shots, and details of just how much you saved by using RTA cabinets, are what make this a great business to be in. We hope to hear from you soon. If you haven’t gotten started yet … what are you waiting for? Start the steps given in Part 1 and make your kitchen dreams come true!