Lazy Susan cabinets are one of the best ways to make use of corners when it comes to optimizing storage space. Learn how to assemble your RTA Lazy Susan cabinets in just 7 steps!
How to Assemble Lazy Susan Cabinets - In 7 Easy Steps
Lazy Susan’s are actually just the rotating disk that is installed inside of the corner cabinet. Normally, lazy Susan’s are used on dining tables for more easily reaching food items. They act as a spinning serving tray and they are great for accommodating guests. Lazy Susan cabinets use the same rotating disk technology in your cabinets to give you easier access to your dishes and cooking utensils. Putting them together is easy and all you need is a mallet, Phillips head screwdriver, a box cutter, and some wood glue. Corner cabinets are a bit more time-consuming than the regular base and wall cabinets, but there are far fewer of them and they occupy a much larger space than most other cabinets, making them comparable in assembly time per cubic foot. Remember to salvage your box and use it as a protective surface for assembling your cabinets, and shop some great rta kitchen cabinets online as your very first step.
In this post, you will learn:
- How to assemble lazy Susan cabinets
- What tools you will need to assemble RTA cabinets
- How long it takes to put together RTA cabinets
- How easy it is to put together RTA cabinets
1.
Assembling the Face Frame
To start things off, we will need to put the face frame together. This is as simple as applying some glue to the provided dowels and gluing them into one half of the face frame. One set, slide the other half of the face frame onto the dowels, using a mallet if needed. Be sure the dados run along the back side of the face frames before flipping the face frame over and preparing to install the bottom panel.
2.
Installing the Bottom Panel
To install the bottom panel, place a bead of glue into the dado joint on the back of the face frame assembly before sliding the L shaped portion of the bottom panel into the dado slot. Use two L-brackets to secure the face frame to the bottom panel in the places indicated by the pre-drilled holes.
3.
Installing Side Panels
Starting with the left side panel, place the panel into the dado on the face frame and align it with the bottom panel. Once in place, flip the panel so that it rests on the left side panel, applying downward pressure. Fix the side panel to the face frame from the inside of the cabinet using two L-brackets. Attach two L-brackets to the right-side panel before sliding the panel into the other face frame dado and attaching it to the face frame. Note that this is most easily done without moving the cabinet until the panel is in place. Lastly, attach two more L-brackets to each panel on the underside of the cabinet, to join the side and bottom panels.
4.
Installing Back Panels
First off, attach your left back panel to the assembly by aligning the panel with the dado joints on the bottom and side panel. This panel may be attached to the cabinet using two L-brackets on the inside attaching the side panel to the back-side panel and two L-brackets on the underside attaching the bottom panel to the back-side panel. After the left-back side panel is in place, attach the connecting strip to the top of the face frame using two L-brackets. It will hang freely until later. Do the same for the right-back panel but do not attach it to the bottom panel just yet.
Set the center back panel into place by moving the back right panel just enough to fit it in and then you may secure the back right panel to the bottom panel and the center back panel to the connecting strip, locking the center back panel into place. The center back panel will additionally be secured with four one-inch screws through the left and right back panels at the pre-drilled and countersunk locations. Be sure to attach one last L-bracket to the underside of the cabinet and the center back panel so it is connected to all sides.
5.
Installing Toe Kick
Assembling and attaching your toe kick is very simple. Locate your toe kick pieces and begin by assembling them just as you did with your face frame. Glue two dowels into one piece of the toe kick and then friction fit the other piece to the dowels. Also, attach the two pieces from the back with a single one-inch screw. Attach two L-brackets to the side panels of your cabinet near where the toe kick will go. Once in place, align your toe kick and attach it to the brackets.
6.
Installing the Wooden Lazy Susan Trays
Flip your cabinet so that it sits right side up and place your wooden tray on the inside of the cabinet. Ensure that the tray is centered in the cabinet and can spin without rubbing the inside of the cabinet. Spin the tray so that the center hole is aligned with the holes of the metal attachment. Insert a screw into each hole of the attachment to secure the tray to the bottom panel.
The second tray is much easier to install because it can be assembled before it is inserted into the cabinet. Repeat everything you did for the first tray for the second tray on the provided shelf before installing the shelf into the cabinet. Insert shelf clips into the side panels of the cabinet to hold the shelf when you insert it. To insert the shelf, you can tilt it and work it in on either side of the support connector or temporarily remove the support connector if needed. After your shelves are in place, install the provided corner blocks along the top inside of the cabinet to provide extra support.
7.
Final Touches
Your cabinet is nearly complete, there are just a few finishing touches remaining. Most obviously, the doors. Assemble your doors by attaching the bigger hinges to the door with four cup holes along the same side. Attach the other hinges to the same door on the opposite side cup slots and then lastly to the other door. Once your door assembly is complete, it’s as simple as attaching the large hinges to the pre-drilled holes on the face frame. Be sure to add bumpers to the corners of your doors to protect against accidental slams. The only thing your cabinet is missing is a handle. Pulls or knobs can be installed before or after assembly is complete, but for base cabinets, it’s simple either way.