Assemble a flatpack kitchen unit — HomeGraft

Assemble a flatpack kitchen unit, hang it level, and fix it securely to your specific wall type.

FK-01Clear a flat work area and check the partsLay a dust sheet or old blanket on the floor to protect panels from scratches. Unpack everything and check it against the parts list, including screws, cam locks, dowels and hinges. Sort small fittings into a tray so nothing gets lost or hoovered up.

1 each · Dust sheet or old blanket

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1 each · Small tray or bowl for fittings

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FK-02Read the instructions and lay out the panelsIdentify each panel by the reference letters or numbers printed on the manual and on the panel edge or a small sticker. Lay them out in the order you'll join them. This step feels slow but it prevents fitting a panel back to front later.

FK-03Fit the dowels and cam locksPush the wooden dowels into their pre-drilled holes by hand, then tap gently with a rubber mallet if needed. Insert the cam lock barrels into the mating panel and turn them a quarter turn with the supplied hex key to seat them. Don't fully tighten yet — leave some play until the whole carcass is together.

1 each · Rubber mallet

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FK-04Join the side panels, base and topBring the side panels, base and top together on the dowels, then tighten each cam lock with the hex key until the joint pulls fully closed. Check the carcass is square by measuring corner to corner in both directions — the two diagonal measurements should match within a few mm. Adjust and re-tighten if they don't.

1 each · Tape measure

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FK-05Fit the back panelSlide the thin back panel into its groove or lay it over the rear edges, then pin or screw it in place as the instructions show. This panel squares the carcass permanently, so make sure the unit is still square before you fix it. Don't skip it even if it feels optional — it stops the unit racking sideways later.

1 pack · Back panel fixing pins or screws (supplied)

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FK-06Fit shelf pegs and shelvesPush the plastic or metal shelf support pegs into the pre-drilled holes at the height you want. Lower the shelf onto the pegs. Wall units are usually fixed height, base units often have one adjustable shelf.

4 each · Shelf support pegs (supplied)

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FK-07Fit hinges and hang the doorsScrew the hinge cups into their recesses on the door, then clip the hinge arm onto the mounting plate already fixed inside the carcass. Close the door and check the gap around it is even. Use the small adjustment screws on the hinge to nudge the door up, down, left or right until it sits flush.

2 each · Cabinet hinges (supplied)

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1 each · Screwdriver (cross-head)

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FK-08Work out what's behind your wallTap the wall: a dull, solid sound means brick or block, a hollow sound means a stud wall or plasterboard on dot-and-dab. Run a stud detector or a strong magnet across the surface — a magnet catches on the screws holding plasterboard to a frame, usually every 400mm to 600mm, showing where the studs run. Drill a small pilot hole in an unseen spot: fine pale dust means timber stud or solid masonry, bright metal swarf means a metal stud. If you find thin wooden strips under crumbly old plaster, that's lath and plaster — it won't hold a fixing on its own, so find the stud or joist behind it.

1 each · Stud detector

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FK-09Choose the right fixing for your wall typeInto a timber stud, use a wood screw driven into the centre of the stud, at least 50mm long. Into a metal stud, use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor — never a plastic wall plug or plain wood screw, which strips straight through 0.5mm steel. Into solid brick or block, drill to the plug's stated size and depth and use a screw and plug rated for the load. Through dot-and-dab, use a fixing long enough to pass through the plasterboard and adhesive dabs into the masonry behind, typically 60-75mm.

8 each · Wood screws 50mm

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4 each · Metal-stud toggle fixings

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8 each · Wall plugs and screws (masonry)

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4 each · Long dot-and-dab fixings 75mm

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FK-10Drill safely and fix the wall bracketBefore drilling, find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns, so you can shut off water fast if you hit a pipe. Use a cable and pipe detector, but still assume something might be there — detectors miss cables in metal conduit, behind metal-backed board, or outside the usual safe zones, and metal stud frames confuse cheap detectors further. If you have any doubt, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling near sockets or lights, and turn off the water at the stopcock before cutting into a wall near pipework. Drill your fixing holes to the depth and size worked out in the last step, then fit the wall bracket or hanging rail.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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1 each · Drill and bit set

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1 each · Wall-hanging bracket or rail (kitchen unit)

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FK-11Know what a metal stud won't holdA metal-stud fixing alone will not carry a heavily loaded wall unit, or anything that pulls away from the wall in use. If your studs are metal, either fit a timber noggin or pattress between the studs before boarding, or run long fixings through the plasterboard into the masonry behind if there is any. For a straightforward flatpack wall unit on a stud wall, always add a support batten under the unit while the fixings take the load.

1 m · Timber noggin (50x50mm)

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1 each · Temporary support batten

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FK-12Lift, level and secure the unitLift the unit onto the bracket or rail with a second person if it's a wall unit — don't attempt this alone above head height. Use a spirit level along the top and side to check it's level and plumb, then adjust the bracket or add packers behind the carcass as needed. Drive the final fixings home once the unit sits level.

1 pack · Packers/shims (assorted)

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FK-13Fit handles and do a final checkMark handle positions using the template supplied or measure evenly from the door edge, then drill and screw the handles on. Open and close each door and drawer to check nothing catches, and re-tighten any cam locks that have worked loose during handling. Tidy away packaging and vacuum up any dust or swarf from drilling.

2 each · Cabinet handles

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1 pack · Handle-fixing screws (supplied)

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