How to Install RTA Cabinets (Step by Step)

Learning how to install RTA cabinets is one of the most rewarding weekend projects a homeowner can tackle, and with the right prep work it is far more straightforward than most people expect. Ready-to-assemble cabinets from brands like Fabuwood and Jarlin ship flat-packed to your door, go together with basic tools, and can transform a kitchen in a single weekend without hiring a full crew.

If you have been hesitating because installation feels intimidating, this guide is for you. We will walk through every stage, from gathering tools to hanging the last wall cabinet, so you can move forward with confidence. Most installers settle into a rhythm of roughly 15 to 30 minutes per cabinet once the layout is marked and the first unit is plumb and level.

What You Need Before You Start

Having the right tools staged before you open a single box saves hours of back-and-forth. Here is the core toolkit:

• Stud finder
• 4-foot level (longer is better)
• Laser level or chalk line
• Drill and driver bits
• 1-1/4 inch and 2-1/2 inch cabinet screws
• Cabinet clamps or bar clamps (at least four)
• Tape measure and pencil
• Shims (cedar shims work great)
• Utility knife
• Jigsaw or oscillating tool for cutouts
• Safety glasses and hearing protection

You will also want a helper for wall cabinets. Lifting a cabinet solo while trying to hold a level and drive a screw is the fastest way to damage a box or hurt yourself. A second set of hands makes the job safer and faster.

Before you buy, take advantage of the free 3D design service at Direct Cabinet Deals. The design team lays out your exact kitchen in three dimensions so you know every cabinet size, filler width, and run length before a single box ships. This removes the guesswork and helps you catch fit issues on screen rather than on the job site.

Prep Work: Mark Your Layout on the Walls

Good installation starts on the walls, not in the boxes. Follow these steps to set yourself up for success.

1. Find and mark every stud. Use a stud finder and mark stud centers with painter's tape. Wall cabinets must hit studs, and base cabinets often do too on the back wall.
2. Find the high point of the floor. Place your level on the floor across the entire run. The highest spot controls where your base cabinet reference line goes. Measure up 34-1/2 inches (standard counter height without the countertop) from that high point and snap a level chalk line across the wall. This is your base cabinet top line.
3. Mark the wall cabinet line. Standard practice is 54 inches from the finished floor to the bottom of wall cabinets, giving an 18-inch gap over the counter. Snap a second chalk line at that height.
4. Mark cabinet positions. Lightly sketch the outline of each cabinet on the wall so you can see how everything lines up before committing to screws.

Assembling the Boxes

Most RTA cabinets ship with the box panels flat and the hardware packed inside. Assembly typically involves connecting the four side panels, attaching the back panel, and securing any fixed shelves with cam locks or screws, depending on the system. Fabuwood and Jarlin use intuitive hardware that clicks or tightens by hand before final tightening with a screwdriver.

Work on a clean, padded surface (a moving blanket on the floor works well) so you do not scratch door faces or box interiors. Assemble all boxes before installing any of them. This lets you run a production line and keeps the installation phase moving quickly. Once boxes are assembled, attach hinges and drawer slides but leave doors and drawer fronts off until after installation. Working without them reduces weight and gives you clear access to the interior for driving screws.

Install Base Cabinets First

The industry-standard sequence is base cabinets first, wall cabinets second. Base cabinets create a stable platform and let you rest wall cabinet boxes on the counter surface during hanging, which is a huge help.

1. Start at the highest corner. Place your first cabinet at the corner or the high point of the floor, whichever applies to your layout. Check it for level front to back and side to side. Use shims under the base to bring it up to your chalk line if needed.
2. Fasten to the wall. Drive 2-1/2 inch screws through the hanging rail at the back of the cabinet into wall studs. Two screws per stud location is standard.
3. Add the next cabinet. Clamp the face frames (or frameless box edges) tightly together so they are perfectly flush. Drive 1-1/4 inch screws through the interior stile of one cabinet into the adjacent one to join them. Most installers use two screws per join, top and bottom.
4. Repeat, shim as needed. Check level constantly. Shims go under the base or behind the back panel to correct any wall bow. Score and snap shims flush with a utility knife once the cabinet is secured.
5. Install filler strips and end panels according to your design plan before moving on to wall units.

Hang Wall Cabinets

Wall cabinets are the trickiest part of the job because you are working against gravity. A temporary ledger board makes this much easier. Cut a straight 2x4 to span the run and screw it to the wall studs along your lower wall-cabinet chalk line. The cabinets rest on this board while you fasten them, freeing both hands.

1. Start at an inside corner or a designated anchor cabinet. Set the first cabinet on the ledger and check for plumb and level.
2. Drive screws through the top hanging rail into studs. Two screws per stud, using 2-1/2 inch cabinet screws.
3. Clamp and join adjacent cabinets the same way you did for base cabinets, keeping face frames perfectly flush before driving joining screws.
4. Remove the ledger board once all wall cabinets are secured, and patch the screw holes.

Soft-close hinges on Fabuwood and Jarlin cabinets adjust in three directions (up/down, left/right, in/out), so you can fine-tune door alignment after everything is hung. Save that step for the very end once countertops and appliances are in place.

Final Steps: Doors, Drawers, and Touch-Ups

With all boxes secured, reattach doors, install drawer fronts, and load shelves. Adjust hinges so all doors are even and gaps are consistent. Test every soft-close drawer slide and hinge to confirm they operate smoothly. Install toe kicks by cutting them to length and pressing the clips into place.

Not sure which door style fits your kitchen vision? Order a physical door sample from Direct Cabinet Deals before you finalize your order. Seeing the finish and wood grain in your actual lighting makes a real difference, and it costs far less than regretting a color after installation.