Cabinets installed in an island can provide a unique challenge, as there is no walls to attach them to they can only be attached to the floor. The location should be pre-determined on the cabinet layout. I like to leave a minimum of 42” between the island and the surrounding cabinets if they will be used for food prep. If there is an area next to the island that will only be use as a walk way I might reduce the distance to 36”. I will check for overhead lighting and make sure the cabinets will be centered under it, especially if there will be a seating area incorporated into the design. If there is a sink located in the island I check that the plumbing will be in the right cabinet. Most building codes require an electrical outlet on one or both ends depending on the size of the island. Usually the electrician will leave one or more wire in a coil stubbed up through the floor. The wires should be labeled for their function and I will check that they are long enough to reach the right cabinet. Sometimes after taking all these factors into consideration it is necessary to move the cabinets a little one way or another to make everything work out. If I would need to move the island more than a few inches or the new position doesn’t work out aesthetically it is time to call the plumber or electrician and have the mechanical moved to a better location.

   When I have determined the right location for the island I will snap a chalk line on the floor where the back of the cabinets will go. I will keep this line an inch or so inside where the sides of the island will end up. I will check that this line measures the same distance on each end from the  adjacent cabinets. If the island consists of one row of cabinets this line represents the back of the cabinets. If the island is designed with cabinets laid back to back the line will be the center of the two rows. I will check the floor for level and if the high point is at one of the front corners I will start installing cabinets from this side. If there is a high point in the middle of the island I will determine how much higher it is than the end I want to start with and shim the first cabinet up by that amount. I position the cabinet with the back along the chalk line and the side where I have determined the island to end. With the first cabinet sitting in position I mark it’s outline on the floor lightly with a pencil. I remove the cabinet and use this line to position a 2x4,one on each side of the cabinet, which I screw to the floor, being sure to inset it by the thickness of the cabinet side and keep it short enough to clear the front and back as well. It is a good idea to take a look under the cabinet to make sure there isn’t any corner bracing in the way that will interfere with the 2x4. Next I place the cabinet down over the 2x4 and shim as needed. If the side will be covered by a finished panel or another cabinet I will run a couple screws through the side of the cabinet into the 2x4’. If the cabinet has finished sides already I will use finish nails to secure it to the 2x4.

   I usually place these 2x4s on each side rather than the front and back because the toe kick is usually an added on piece that sometimes isn’t fastened very well, where as the sides are part of the main structure of the cabinet.