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Fitting guide · Draft for review

How the cabinets
go together.

Cabinets arrive flat packed for assembly: homeowners always receive flat packs, and builders can choose flat packed or pre assembled. A fitting guide is provided with an order. This page is the working draft of that guide.

Draft, not final. Ian has flagged that some details in his diagrams are not right yet. The exploded views below are simplified for review: proportions are illustrative, hinge and fixing detail is left out, and no measurements or part codes are shown. The finished guide is issued with an order.
Exploded view of a base cabinet (draft) A base cabinet separated into its parts: back panel, two top rails, two side panels, an adjustable shelf, the bottom panel, four adjustable feet, a kickboard and a door. Illustrative draft only, without measurements. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Draft exploded view. Illustrative only: not to scale, not for manufacture or assembly.
01 · Exploded view

Base cabinet

  1. Back panel
  2. Top rails, front and back
  3. Side panels, one each end
  4. Adjustable shelf
  5. Bottom panel
  6. Adjustable feet
  7. Kickboard
  8. Door

The side panels, rails and bottom panel form the carcase, and the back panel squares it up.

The feet level the cabinet before the kickboard and door go on last.

Exploded view of a wall cabinet (draft) A wall cabinet separated into its parts: back panel, two hanging brackets, top panel, two side panels, an adjustable shelf, the bottom panel and a door. Illustrative draft only, without measurements. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Draft exploded view. Illustrative only: not to scale, not for manufacture or assembly.
02 · Exploded view

Wall cabinet

  1. Back panel
  2. Hanging brackets
  3. Top panel
  4. Side panels, one each end
  5. Adjustable shelf
  6. Bottom panel
  7. Door

The carcase assembles like a base cabinet, without feet or a kickboard.

The hanging brackets carry the cabinet's weight, so the wall fixing has to suit the wall. That detail is agreed for the job, not taken from this draft.

Exploded view of a tall cabinet (draft) A tall cabinet separated into its parts: back panel, top panel, two side panels, adjustable shelves, a fixed mid shelf, the bottom panel, four adjustable feet, a kickboard and two doors. Illustrative draft only, without measurements. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Draft exploded view. Illustrative only: not to scale, not for manufacture or assembly.
03 · Exploded view

Tall cabinet

  1. Back panel
  2. Top panel
  3. Side panels, one each end
  4. Adjustable shelves
  5. Fixed mid shelf
  6. Bottom panel
  7. Adjustable feet
  8. Kickboard
  9. Doors, upper and lower

A tall carcase assembles like a base cabinet, with the fixed mid shelf keeping the long sides square.

Assemble it flat and stand it up with two people, checking ceiling clearance first.

04 · Before you start

Reading the
parts list.

Every order arrives with a parts list covering the panels, doors, shelves and hardware for each cabinet. Ten minutes with it saves an afternoon of guesswork.

The wording below is draft. The list format and labels in the finished guide follow the manufacturer's paperwork for your order.

  • Check the delivery against the list first. Find every panel and every hardware bag before assembling anything, so a missing or damaged part is caught while it's easy to sort out.
  • Match labels, not looks. Each panel carries a label that matches a line on the list. Similar looking panels can differ only in their drilling, so trust the label over the eye.
  • Work one cabinet at a time. The list groups parts cabinet by cabinet. Keep each cabinet's panels and hardware together rather than opening everything at once.
  • Let the drilling orient the panel. Pre drilled holes and edging show which way a panel faces. If the holes don't line up, check the label again before reaching for a drill.
  • Keep the list until the job is done. If a part is damaged or missing, photograph it and quote its label when you contact Ian, so it can be checked against the order.

Planning the delivery?

Access, unloading, finishes and installation arrangements are covered with the rest of the practical details.

Delivery, fitting and the details