22. Cabinets and Interior Trim

When the texture is complete you are ready for the cabinets to be installed. Your cabinet supplier can also be your installer, but with some homebuilders they have their trim carpenter install their cabinets. Your cabinet contractor should measure your home for cabinets about the time your electrician is completing his rough. He will be looking for plumbing stub out locations wall locations and if any doors are going to create a problem for the cabinets and their doors. Once your cabinets are installed you are ready for your trim. Your trim carpenter will install all closet shelving, doors, chair rail, crown mold and interior doors. The carpenter will start by hanging doors and installing shelving. Doors should be level, plumb and blocked on both sides. They should never be nailed straight to a stud. Door casing will be installed on one side of the door from the manufacturer which will facilitate making sure the door is plumb and level. When your doors are hung and the casing is installed on both sides the carpenter will run your baseboards. You want the doors hung before installing baseboard to make sure you get tight cuts and fits at the door trim. He should use the longest length of baseboard possible. If you have (which you will) walls that are longer than 16 feet he will have to splice two boards together. Splices should be 5 to 6 feet minimum from corners. The reason is that if you have a door you are going to have a door stop. When the door opens and hits the door stop there are going to be vibrations which can cause the joint in the base to show. Crown mold chair rail and stair rails should also be installed. On your stairs make sure you have skirt boards. So guys will try to save money by not installing them, but walking up and down the stairs will beat up your drywall especially if you have kids. While the carpenter is installing your trim, your counter top and vanity top supplier will measure for your tops. This is why your Pre-Drywall is so important. We know at this time if you have granite, solid surface and /or marble. Your cabinets are complete, your interior trim is complete and your 'K-tops' (counter-tops) and vanity tops are measured now it is time for the painter. You can start seeing the inside take shape.