I've done work with kitchen cabinets before, but this time, I'm working with an island. I had to order special cabinets so that they matched those already installed. So, here is my dilemma. Two of the cabinets don't meet where they should. (See pic) The floor is new and very level. I've made sure no staples or pieces are on the bottom of the cabinet which would make it lean that way.....

So, my question is now to make them meet - properly.
here are my thoughts.
1) lay them down on their backs and match them up, knowing that the toe kick and back board will hide any imperfections.

2) use a skill saw to gentle cleave the bottom of the right hand cabinet. I'm uncomfortable doing that for obvious reasons (not that great with a skill saw, to be honest) as well as unsure if I could get it exactly cut off.

So, now I look to those who know what they're doing. What's the proper way to handle this??

 

You have to clamp face frames together with pony clamps and then drill pilot holes and put finish screws to keep the face frames perfectly aligned and tight with one another. (Remove doors and drawers as needed) Once they are all together, you shim underneath as needed to level the tops. You always have to shim cabinets to get them level and plumb. And you don't screw them to the wall until you screw them together.

 

So, what you're saying is my option number 1, lay them down, match up and clamp the fronts to attach them together. Stand them up, and shim to get the entire thing level. (it's an island, not going to attach them to the wall...)

 

You don't need to lay them down, no.

 

Lay them down or clamp then together (whatever works best for you) but they have to be attached to each other via screws through the front frames so that they butt up flush and level.

 

If you have enough gap under part of the cabinets due to the shimming 1/4 round can be used to conceal the gap.

 

Diagonally measure each cabinet. If the two dimensions do not exactly match, your cabinets are not square.

 

I'd lay them down only to help match up the fronts. Then screw them together, front and back, then stand them up and shim them level.

@pilot Dane: I'd thought of that, but hate quarter round. () I'm planning on putting in baseboards which match the rest of the kitchen. Thanks!

 

Do it however you like. Laying them down is unnecessary. You match up the fronts by putting shims underneath as needed to get them to match up and remove the doors and clamp the face frames together if needed. Screw them together. Then remove or adjust your shims.

You don't generally surround cabinets with baseboard... unless you want to be unique.