This project was built and designed by Tyler from DIYTyler.
This installment picks up right where the previous build left off, moving from cabinet boxes to finished, installed kitchen cabinetry. Tyler works through cutting rabbets for cabinet backs, shaping toe kick notches, drilling shelf pin holes, building solid wood face frames, and finally installing everything from base cabinets to tall pantry units and upper cabinets.
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Finishing the Cabinet Boxes
Before any assembly could happen, Tyler needed to finish prepping the plywood panels for the cabinet backs. He cut a rabbet along the top edge of the panels using a sacrificial fence to guide the cut, ensuring the top and bottom panels sat flush with one another.
Matching the groove width to the thin plywood backing proved trickier than expected, since standard dado stacks don’t always match actual sheet good thickness. Rather than searching for a thinner blade, Tyler simply ran each panel through twice to sneak up on a snug, clean-fitting joint.
He also had to notch out sections of the base panels to create clearance for the toe kick area. Using a bandsaw and a magnetic fence as a stop block, he cut these notches in two passes, flipping the piece to complete the opposite side. A temporary base was clamped in place to back up the cut and prevent tear-out on the curved sections.
One step that almost got missed was drilling the shelf pin holes before glue-up. Tyler used a shelf pin jig to mark out evenly spaced holes, drilling a handful on each side before flipping the panel to repeat the process on the opposite face. Doing this ahead of assembly saves a major headache later, since drilling after the cabinet is glued together is far more difficult.
Assembling the Boxes
With all the joinery prepped, glue went into the grooves and the back panels were clamped into place before nailing everything down. On cabinets with one exposed side, Tyler angled his nails carefully from the top so no fasteners would show on the visible face.
Squaring each cabinet was a priority, especially since these boxes would eventually support heavy countertop material. Tyler checked diagonal measurements on every box to confirm they were perfectly square before locking everything down with brads and finish nails sized to avoid blowing through the plywood or backing material.
Building the Face Frames
To protect the exposed plywood edges and give the cabinets a traditional look, Tyler milled solid hardwood into narrow face frame stock. After planing the stock down to final thickness, he ripped it to width on the table saw and cut it to length with a miter saw.
Pocket hole joinery was his method of choice for assembling the frames, using a single screw per joint rather than two. He found that one screw, combined with glue, created more than enough strength while also making it easier to keep the frames perfectly flat during clamp-up. A dedicated assembly table with a known-square reference helped ensure every frame came out true.
After the glue cured, the frames got a thorough sanding before finish was applied. Tyler used a two-part polyurethane finish throughout the kitchen, noting that after a year of real-world use near the sink and dishwasher, the surface has held up extremely well against water exposure.
Attaching Face Frames to the Boxes
With finish applied to the face frames, it was time to attach them to the cabinet boxes. Tyler used a pocket hole jig to drill angled holes into the sides of the boxes, then glued and screwed the frames into place, keeping everything flush and aligned.
Installing the Base Cabinets
Installation day started with careful spacing for major appliances, making sure there was enough clearance for the dishwasher, range, and refrigerator. For leveling the base cabinets, Tyler opted for composite shims instead of wood, since composite resists compression and won’t degrade if it gets wet, which matters given how much weight the countertops would place on these boxes.
Where a single shim wasn’t enough to close a gap, he stacked and overlapped multiple shims to build up extra thickness without sacrificing stability. Every cabinet was checked for level from front to back and side to side before moving to the next one.
Once the base cabinets were shimmed into position, Tyler used a stud finder to locate framing behind the wall and added screws through the back of each cabinet for a secure connection. This step matters a lot in a kitchen that sees heavy daily use, since nobody wants cabinetry shifting under the weight of a loaded countertop.
Installing the Kitchen Island
The island required extra planning, especially since it would feature a countertop overhang for bar seating. Tyler secured a run of lumber to the floor joists below, screwing it down heavily before setting the island cabinets on top and anchoring them front and back.
Because the overhang would support an expensive stone countertop, Tyler added sturdy support brackets on the interior side of the cabinet to carry the extra load. This did mean shortening drawers slightly on the far side of the island to make room for the added bracing, a worthwhile tradeoff for peace of mind under a heavy slab.
Countertops and Upper Cabinets
With the lower cabinets and island in place, a local countertop fabricator came out to take precise measurements before cutting the stone. Tyler intentionally waited to install the upper cabinets until after the countertops were measured and installed, which created a tighter installation window but avoided potential conflicts between the two steps.
Once the quartzite countertops were set, upper cabinet installation began. Tyler pre-drilled mounting holes in the boxes ahead of time to make lifting and securing them onto the wall easier. He also recommends using a ledger board, a simple strip of wood temporarily screwed to the wall at the correct height, to support the cabinet weight during installation rather than trying to hold everything in place by hand.
The ledger was positioned so the laser line aligned with the bottom edge of the face frame rather than the cabinet box itself, accounting for the frame’s slight overhang. Shims were again used behind the cabinets to keep everything flat and consistent with the lower cabinet line below.
Tyler also noted a trick for keeping face frame joints tight between cabinets: snugging screws down, backing them off slightly, then retightening. Because hardwood frames can separate a little during the initial tightening, this extra step closes any gaps for a seamless look between units.
Pantry Cabinets and Storage Solutions
On one side of the kitchen, two large pantry cabinets were installed, stretching from floor to ceiling for significantly more storage than the previous kitchen offered. A matching pair of oversized upper cabinets adds further storage, along with a cabinet above the refrigerator that makes use of previously wasted space.
Many of the pantry shelves were built as large pull-out trays rather than fixed shelving, giving full access to the back of each cabinet without reaching over anything. For sections using fixed shelves, Tyler relies on the shelf pin holes drilled earlier, which allow for minor height adjustments without needing to drill a full column of holes down the entire cabinet side.
Bringing the Kitchen Together
This stage of the build represents a major turning point, moving from a collection of individual cabinet boxes to a fully installed, functional kitchen layout. The attention to squareness, leveling, and structural support throughout pays off in a kitchen that should hold up to years of heavy daily use.
With the cabinets, countertops, and storage solutions in place, the next phase shifts to building doors, covering exposed framing, and tackling the remaining details before moving into the next stage of the larger renovation.
See Tyler’s plans here: https://www.diytyler.com/shop/
Matt’s Take
These are my personal thoughts and tips based on my own experience in the shop. This section is not written, reviewed, or endorsed by the original creator of this project.
Tyler’s approach to drilling shelf pin holes before glue-up is a small detail that pays off big time. I always tell people in the shop: anything you can do to a flat panel before assembly is going to be easier and more accurate than trying to do it on a fully boxed cabinet. The same logic applies to sanding and even pre-finishing parts of a cabinet interior before it all comes together.
Using composite shims instead of wood for leveling is a smart call, especially in a kitchen environment. Wood shims can compress or shift over time, and with the amount of weight a stone countertop puts on a cabinet run, you want something dimensionally stable. It’s a cheap material choice that makes a real difference in long-term performance.
The support bracket solution under the island overhang is worth paying attention to if you’re planning anything similar. Stone overhangs look great for bar seating, but they put a surprising amount of leverage on the cabinet box. Adding bracing, even if it costs you some drawer depth, is a reasonable tradeoff when you consider the alternative is a cracked slab or a sagging counter down the road.
One general reminder for anyone tackling cabinet installation: always locate your studs before driving screws through the back of a cabinet. Drywall anchors alone aren’t going to cut it for something carrying countertop weight and daily kitchen use.