The RTA Cabinet Assembly Guide

Our cabinets ship flat and go together where they are installed. The box is built on SnapCore, our licensed click system: the panels lock to each other by hand, with no glue, no screws and no tools. A box clicks together in under 2 minutes, about 10x faster than traditional RTA cabinets built with cam locks, dowels and glue. This guide is the order of work, from carton to finished cabinet.

What is tool-free, and what is not

• No tools: building the box and fitting the face frame. Anything wood-to-wood clicks together by hand.
• A screwdriver: the metal parts, which are the only parts that need screws: hinges, drawer glides and pulls.
• A drill, a level and shims: hanging the finished cabinets on the wall and leveling the bases, the same as any kitchen.

You will not need glue, a mallet or clamps. If you find yourself reaching for any of them, stop: wood-to-wood on these boxes goes together by hand.

Before you start

• A clear, flat surface. A floor is fine. Lay the carton card or a blanket down first so a finished face never meets bare concrete.
• A screwdriver for the hardware, and a tape measure.
• Space to stack the finished boxes in the order they will go in.

Step by step

1. Open the carton and count. Check the contents against the packing list when the order is delivered, before the carrier leaves, and note anything damaged or missing on the delivery receipt.
2. Lay the panels out. Spread them finished faces up. Each click profile only meets its own partner, so the layout shows you most of the order before you begin.
3. Click the box together. Sides to the bottom, then the back, then the top or stretchers, then the face frame. The panels lock as they meet, so nobody has to hold one steady while you work.
4. Check every joint. Run a hand along each joint. A gap means a click that is not fully seated, so press it home. Tight everywhere means the box is square.
5. Fit the metal. Screw in the hinges, drawer glides and pulls. Leave the fine door adjustment until the run is hung and level.
6. Hang it. Set a level line, hang the wall cabinets before the bases, and shim the bases level before the countertop is measured.

The full walk-through, with the one assembly clip we shot ourselves, is on our assembly page. For how long a whole kitchen takes, see how long assembly takes.

After the boxes are built

Installing the cabinets is ordinary carpentry: find the high point of the floor, draw level lines, find the studs, hang the wall cabinets corner first, then set and shim the bases. Our kitchen cabinet installation guide covers all twelve steps, plus fillers, panels, toe kick and crown. If a part name is new to you, the cabinet glossary explains it.

Need a hand?

If something does not seat or a part looks wrong, contact us and we will walk it through with you. More planning and how-to guides are on our resources page.