Smart Cabinetry Installation Guide

Failure to follow these instructions will void all warranties. The result could be the cabinet falling off the wall which becomes a liability not warranted by Smart Cabinetry.

IMPORTANT: It is not advisable to install cabinets wider than 36" inches and deeper than 12” inches on a wall independently. If essential to ones kitchen, the installer of the kitchen must secure the cabinet to a permanent structure i.e. interior wall.

IMPORTANT: Structural modification of a wall cabinet can significantly weaken the cabinet. For this reason modifications to Smart Cabinets are not recommended, such as cutting the back to clear wall obstructions. If an obstruction exists, we suggest you first try to use cabinet(s) that do not require modifications. If modification is required, the warranty of the cabinet is void and it is the responsibility of the installer to take appropriate steps to compensate for any loss of strength or support due to the modification.

Tool and Material List.
Pencil / Marking Device Tape Measure Straight Edge
Square Level (3-4' ft.) Standard Wood Shims
4"-6" C-clamps Phillips Screwdriver Flat Head Screwdriver
Hammer Pry Bar #8 2-1/2" Wood Screws
Small Finish Nails i.e. 5/8" wire brad Drill 3/16" Drill Bit
Stud Finder Saw / Hole Saw / Circle Saw Miter Bor or Miter Saw
STEP 1. Remove Existing Kitchen.

Shut off all existing water, power, and utility lines. Remove existing appliances (stove, oven, refrigeration, sink, and dishwasher). It is best to move these out of the kitchen for easier access to the work area while the remodeling is being done. Remove old cabinets and countertops. Remove any moldings from the walls where cabinets are to be installed.

NOTE: IF YOU ARE UNFAMILIAR OR UNSURE HOW TO HANDLE UTILITY CONNECTIONS, HAVE A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL PERFORM THESE DUTIES.

STEP 2. Locate Uneven Floors and Walls.

Some floors and walls have uneven (high or low) spots, which will affect the installation. It will be necessary to locate these uneven areas and shim or scribe cabinets in order to make the installation plumb, true and square. Use the following procedures to indentify your uneven areas. using a straight 2x4 and carpenters level, find the high point of the floor (See Illustration A).

Check all around the room within 24" of the wall where base cabinets will be attached. From the high point, mark a level horizontal line with a marker along the straight edge on the walls where the cabinets will be attached. This will be called the base level line. From the base level lines you just marked, measure up 34 1/2" and mark another level horizontal line for the base cabinets and 84", 90", or 96" for the tall and wall cabinets (depending on the height of the tall and wall cabinets). The top of your base, tall and wall cabinets will be located on these marks. Mark the outlines of all the cabinets on the wall to chech actual cabinet dimensions against your layout to confirm that the kitchen design used will work (See Illustration B).

NOTE: When measuring the wall space be sure to use the cabinet front frame dimension and not the box dimension. The front frame of the cabinet overhangs the box by 3/16" on each end. Therefore, any measurements on the wall much coincide with the front frame measurements of each cabinet.

Using a 2x4 and a carpenter's level, check the walls for uneven spots. Wall unevenness can cause cabinets to be misaligned resulting in racking or misalignment of the doors and drawer fronts. At the point where these uneven spots interfere, high spots should be removed by scraping and sanding off excess plaster or sheet rock. Low spots should be shimmed with pieces of wood shims.

STEP 3. Locate the Studs.

Locate the wall studs with the use of a magnetic stud finder or by tapping on the wall gently to find a "solid" sound. Verify the position of your studs by driving a small finishing nail into the wall. Make sure that you do this in an area that will be covered up by a cabinet. Mark all the studs on the walls that cabinets will be installed (See Illustration C). You are now ready to begin the installation of your new cabinets. First you must remove all of the doors and drawers from your cabinets.

STEP 4. Install Corner Wall Cabinet(s).

Nail a 1" x 2" wood furring strip with its bottom edge on the tall or wall cabinet line that you previously marked. You must begin your installation in a corner. Measure from the corner to the first stud mark and transfer the measurement to the inside of the cabinet to be installed. Repeat this step for each and every stud. Now drill a 3/16" hole through the back of the cabinet 3/4" down from the top and 3/4" up from the bottom. Raise 1" x 2" the cabinet up into place against the 1" x 2" wood furring strip and support it underneath with a wood t-brace made from scrap lumber (See Illustration D). Fasten the cabinet to the wall with #8 x 2 1/2" wood screws. Do not fully tighten the screws.

NOTE: When installing a blind wall cabinet, make sure the cabinet is pulled out from the wall the appropriate distance as called for in your kitchen plan. See specifications book for blind cabinet installation instructions.

STEP 5. Install Next Wall Cabinet.

Follow instructions in Step 4 to hang the next wall cabinet. Again, do not fully tighten the screws. Using two C-clamps, align the vertical stiles of the adjoining cabinets and hold tightly together. Drill pilot holes at hinge level through the stile of the second cabinet and just barely into the stile of the first cabinet. Using #8 x 2 1/2" wood screws tighten securely (See Illustration E). Then, after making sure both cabinets are plumb and level, shimming where necessary, tighten all screws securely to the wall. Now continue this procedure around the room. It is important to secure all cabinets together before shimming for plumb and level. Only then should you screw the cabinets tightly to the wall.

The installer must affix to a soffit; He or she affixes to permanent structure by running four lag bolts #10 3”inches in length through the top face frame into the “2 x” structure (by 4, 6, 8 or larger at a minimum) directly to the overhead structure or ceiling joist.

If soffit does not exist the cabinets must attach to an adjoining cabinet which is affixed to wall or permanent interior structure; If it is at end of cabinet run of cabinets install a tall end panel (TEP) and attach to its frame establishing a “permanent” fixture supporting the cabinet permanently attached to the TEP which is permanently attached to the floor.

STEP 6. Install Fillers and Valances.

Fillers are needed to take up odd dimensions when cabinets are installed next to a wall. They also allow clearances for doors and drawers to operate properly when turning a corner with a blind corner cabinet. A filler may have to be cut to size when used to take up an odd dimension next to a wall. Hold the filler in place, turn it over and on the back side make with a pencil line and saw along that line. Put the filler in place and drill a pilot hole at hinge level through the cabinet stile and into the filler. Attach filler to adjacent cabinet by fastening together with three #8 x 2 1/2" wood screws (See Illustration F). Valances are installed in a similar manner; however, if trimming is necessary, you should cut from both ends equally so the valance design remains symmetrical.

STEP 7. Install Corner Base Cabinet(s).

When using a blind cabinet proceed as follows: Shim so the top of the cabinet is at the 34 1/2" mark on the wall. Attach loosely to the wall by screwing into the wall studs through the back with a #8 x 2 1/2" wood screws as previously described. Attach filler to the adjacent cabinet and fasten the two cabinets together also using the same procedures (See Illustration G).

NOTE: When installing a blind base cabinet, make sure the cabinet is pulled out from the wall the appropriate distance as called for in your kitchen plan. See Specifications book for blind cabinet installation instructions.

When using a rotating or easy reach corner base attach the adjacent cabinets to the carousel by drilling a pilot hole at hinge level through the stile of the adjacent cabinets into the stiles of the carousel. Screw together using #8 x 2 1/2" wood screws. Place the three cabinets as one usit into the corner and fasten to the wall through the back of the two adjacent cabinets, as perviously described (See Illustration H). Install countertop support braces as shown on the wall at the 34 1/2" horizontal base cabinet level line.

When using a base or corner filler fasten the two adjacent cabinets to the filler by drilling through the stile at hinge level of the cabinets into the base corner filler. Screw together. Place the three pieces into the corner as one unit and attach to the wall through the cabinet back as previously described. Now make sure all cabinets are plumb and level. Shim where necessary and tighten all screws (See Illustration I). Install countertop support braces as shown on the wall at the 34 1/2" horizontal cabinet level line.

STEP 8. Install Next Base Cabinet.

The remaining base cabinets are installed in the same manner. Using the two C-clamps, align stiles, drill and screw together as described in Step 5. Proceed around the room making sure all cabinets are plumb and level, shimming where necessary, then tighten all screws (See Illustration J).

STEP 9. Install Countertop

Carefully place new countertop on cabinets. Attach countertops by screwing through the Smart I-Beam construction (See Illustration K and L).

STEP 10. Trim and Molding.

Trim molding is used to trim out cabinetry where cabinets meet an adjacent wall, soffit, or ceiling. Carefully measure and cut to proper length. When moldings meet at a 45-degree angle, use your miter box for a proper cut. Use small finish nails or a pin nailer to attach the molding to the face frame of the cabinet (See Illustration M).

STEP 11. Final Touch-up and Door Adjustment.

Now that you have finished installing your beautiful new kitchen you may notice a few things such as misaligned doors, minor nicks or scratches. Make all adjustments necessary to bring doors and drawers into perfect alignment. Make sure all screws are tight. Then touch-up any nicks or scratches that may have occured durring shipping and handling or cabinet installation. A touch-up kit is available from your dealer.

STEP 12. Troubleshooting.

Smart Cabinetry's products must pass through very strict inspections before shipment, but problems can happen durring shipping and handling procedures, as well as during the installation. All these problems are not the fault of the manufacturer. We have listed below several problems and causes, with simple solutions.


Problem Situation Possible Causes Solution
Large gaps on top or bottom of door against face frame.
  1. Hinge needs adjustment or cabinet is out of square.
  2. Very dry conditions can cause door warpage.
  1. Check cabinet alignment for level and plumb. Adjust cabinet and door hinge.
  2. Try to control humidity level at 35%.
Double doors do not line up, top or bottom. Cabinets mounted on wall are crooked or out of square.
  1. Loosen Screws and use shims to align cabinet.
  2. Loosen door hinge screws and adjust.
Drawer face panel will not fit fluch against cabinet. Drawer track glide out of adjustment.
  1. Remove drawer and position glide near center.
  2. Insert drawer back on track. This should fix alignment.

NOTE: Don't allow screw heads from door hardware to scratch face frames. To avoid this, countersink screw heads so they can't strike face frames.

CAUTION: Self-cleaning appliances are cleaned by intense heat during the cleaning cycle. If the oven door gasket does not seal properly, intense heat may escape from the appliance. Removal of adjacent doors and drawers is recommended prior to oven cleaning.

Smart Corporation LLC neither expressly implies nor warranties environmental or structural conditions surrounding the installation of our cabinets. Smart Corporation LLC neither condones nor condemns conditions that differ from what we offer as a guide. All installations vary and as such, Smart Corporation LLC defers to those individual professionals or dealers on site. Smart Corporation LLC neither expresslyimplies nor warranties the installation of our cabinets. Smart Corporation LLC is an OEM Manufacturer of "stock" cabinetry as such installations should be consulted by professionals at your local Smart dealer.

Wood Dust Caution

Sawing, sanding or machining wood products can produce wood dust which can cause a flammable or explosive hazard. Wood dust may cause lung, upper respiratory tract, eye and skin irritation. Some wood species may cause dermatitis and/or respiratory allergic effects. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP) has classified wood dust as nasal carcinogen in humans.
♦ Avoid dust contact with ignition source ♦ Sweep or vacuum dust for recovery or disposal ♦ Avoid prolonged or repeated breathing of wood dust in air ♦ Avoid dust contact with eyes and skin ♦ If inhaled, move to fresh air ♦ In case of contact, flush eyes and skin with water ♦ If irritation persists, call a physician
For additional information:
Contact your dealer for a Material Safety Data Sheet or to request a direct mailing
Or
Please write to: Smart Cabinetry
67742 CR 23 Division Street
New Paris Indiana 46553
Email: info@smartcorpllc.com
Subject line: Requesting MSDS information.
Please provide Name, Company, reason for request.
Dealer requests only, all other please contact your local dealer or distributor.

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