Build Your Own Kitchen Cabinets and Do a Little Shimmy
By Leslie SmithRefacingCabinet.com Columnist
Shims will be your best friend as you build your own kitchen cabinets. Shims are to a cabinetmaker what an eraser is to a sketch artist. Shims are a corrective device that no one will see once the project is done--they'll keep your cabinets square and plumb.
Cabinet Refacing Supplies: What Are Shims?
Shims are just small pieces of wood that fill-in any gaps between your kitchen cabinets and the wall, floor, or ceiling. They are about 1.5" wide and are wedge shaped, gradually getting thicker from one end at 1/16 inch, up to the other end at 3/8 inch. They vary from 8 inches long to 18 inches long for different projects. Usually made of cedar, you can also find shims in pine and even plastic. They break off easily so you can make them flush with the edge of your cabinet. Inexpensive, they range from $4.50 to $6.00 for a bundle at your local hardware store.
Stock Kitchen Cabinets
The cabinets might be perfect right out of the box as most stock kitchen cabinets are, but your kitchen probably is not. Undulations on your floor, slightly uneven drywall on the walls and ceiling contribute to the need for some shims.
Build Your Own Kitchen Cabinets
If you are embarking on this do-it-yourself project and know you have some wiggle room with shims at your side, don't sacrifice craftsmanship. You still need to follow cabinetmaker suggestions to make this project the best it can be. See how level your floor, walls, and ceiling are before you begin. It just might need more than a shim or two.
After you build your own kitchen cabinets, you might just want to dance--and add a little shimmy!
About The Author
Leslie A.M. Smith is a freelance writer and desperately needs a new kitchen. Until she can afford it, she has her eye on refacing her cabinets.
