Cabinet Assembly Sequence — Step by Step

Before you start

• Unpack all parts and lay them out on the floor — check for any damage in transit
• Cross-reference the diagram: identify left, right, top, and bottom panels
• Sort fixings by type: confirmat screws, dowels, cam locks, small screws — keep them separate
• Prepare your tools: drill/driver with PZ2 bit, confirmat key, rubber mallet, spirit level

Step 1. Assemble the carcass

Assemble the carcass on the floor — it's easier to control the geometry and you don't need to hold panels in mid-air.

• Insert dowels into the edge holes of the side panels
• Join a side panel to the base: seat the dowels, hand-tighten the confirmat screws only
• Attach the second side panel
• Add the top panel and any horizontal shelves or dividers
• Check the diagonals: measure corner to corner with a tape — both diagonals must match
• Only once square: tighten the confirmat screws to resistance plus half a turn

Step 2. Back panel

The HDF back panel slots into grooves or is screwed around the perimeter. It locks the carcass geometry — don't skip it.

• Slide the back panel into its groove (if provided) or lay it flush on the panel edges
• Check the diagonals once more — the back panel will lock any twist in permanently
• Fix with 3.5×16 mm screws around the perimeter at 15–20 cm intervals
• Don't drive screws into the corners — the HDF is thin there and can split

Step 3. Legs and plinth (base units)

• Screw the adjustable legs into their plastic sockets on the base panel — before moving the unit into position
• Standard leg height: 100–150 mm — leaves space for the plinth strip
• The plinth strip is fitted after the full run of base units is in place

Step 4. Position the carcass

• Base units: move into position, adjust legs until the full run is level
• Connect adjacent units to each other with connecting bolts through the side panels
• Wall units: mark the fixing line on the wall with a laser or spirit level
• Fix a hanging rail or individual screws and wall plugs to the line
• Hang the unit, level it, and tighten the fixings

Step 5. Worktop (base units)

• Lay the worktop on the base units — check the fit against the wall and check the gaps
• Fix from underneath with brackets or angle plates — not through the top surface
• Wall joint: a thin bead of neutral silicone — not standard building sealant

Step 6. Hinges and door fronts

• Fit hinge mounting plates in the carcass to the layout marks (standard: 100 mm from top and bottom)
• Clip the door fronts onto the plates
• Adjust: 2–3 mm gap all round, all doors flush in the same plane
• Height, lateral, and depth adjustment — three separate screws on each plate

Step 7. Drawers and runners

• Fix the runners in the carcass to the layout marks — strictly horizontal, always check with a level
• Clip the drawer sides onto the runners and lock them in
• Attach the drawer front via adjustment bolts — same 2–3 mm gap all round

Common sequencing mistakes

• Tightened the confirmat screws before checking diagonals — carcass is racked, very hard to undo
• Forgot the back panel — remembered after the unit was already in position on the wall
• Hung the doors before levelling the run of base units — gaps vary along the whole length
• Laid the worktop before connecting adjacent units — can't reach the connecting bolts afterwards