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Project 1: Bigger Medicine Cabinet
1. Mark the height of the bottom of the cabinet
and draw a line with a 2-ft. level. Find the studs by probing with
a nail and
mark the stud positions above the level line. Screw a temporary
1x2 ledger
board through the drywall into the studs. Mark the center of the
sink on the
ledger, and then measure over from the center mark to the left and
right
studs.
Project 1: Bigger Medicine Cabinet
2. Mark the center of the cabinet at the top and
bottom and transfer the center-to-stud locations inside the
cabinet. Start
2-1/2 in. screws at those marks.
Project 1: Bigger Medicine Cabinet
3. Set the
cabinet on the ledger and line up the center of the cabinet with
the center
mark on the ledger. Drive the screws into the studs, then remove
the ledger.
Fill the screw holes with spackling compound and touch up the
paint.
Project 2: Glass Shelves
1a. Apply a strip of 2-in. wide masking tape above
the center of the toilet and on both sides where the shelf
brackets will be
mounted.
Project 2: Glass Shelves
1b. Draw a center line with a level and mark the heights of
the shelves on
the center tape. Transfer the heights to the bracket tape with a
2-ft. level.
Then measure from the center line to mark the exact left and right
locations
for the brackets.
Project 2: Glass Shelves
2. Indent the drywall at the marks with a Phillips
head screwdriver and remove the tape.
Project 2: Glass Shelves
3. Drive hollow wall anchors through the
drywall.
Project 2: Glass Shelves
4. Screw the brackets to the wall using the screws
included with the anchors.
Project 3: Built-In Pantry Cabinets
1. Remove the closet rod and shelf from the closet
behind the bathroom wall. Cut a rough inspection hole, then check
for
electrical cables by peering down into the stud spaces with a
flashlight. Cut
horizontally between the studs 2 to 3 in. from the ceiling and the
baseboard.
Then cut out drywall using the studs as a guide.
Project 3: Built-In Pantry Cabinets
2. Draw a line along the studs on the backside of
the drywall, and then use a 2-lb. maul to pound the side studs
over until each
opening is 15-1/2 in. wide. Use the line as a guide to tell when
the stud has
moved about 1 in. Pound mostly at the very top and bottom of the
stud to slide
it along the plates. Smaller taps between the top and bottom will
loosen the
grip of drywall screws or nails. Toe-screw the studs to the plates
with 3-in.
screws and cut off the overhanging drywall edge.
Project 3: Built-In Pantry Cabinets
3. Subtract 5 in. from the depth of the cabinets
and draw lines on the floor to mark the cabinet backs. Use the
lines to
position the bottom row of 2x4 cribbing. Center the middle 2x4
over the center
stud so it supports both cabinets. Position the outside 2x4s even
with the side
studs. Overlap the rows at the corners and nail them together with
10d
nails.
Project 3: Built-In Pantry Cabinets
4. Draw level lines on the backside of the
bathroom drywall to mark the top and bottom of the cabinet face.
(Base your
layout on the cabinet face frame. The recessed toe-kick does not
protrude into
the bathroom.) Poke a drywall saw through the drywall to mark the
corners of
each cabinet.
Project 3: Built-In Pantry Cabinets
5. Use the corner cuts from inside the bathroom
to redraw the top and bottom cuts, adding 1/4 in. to the top and
bottom for
wiggle room. Cut out the bathroom drywall from the bathroom side.
Remove the
thin strip of drywall that covers the center stud.
Project 3: Built-In Pantry Cabinets
6. Tack four 1/2-in. thick spacer blocks about 6
in. in from the top and bottom edges of the opening, then screw
1x2 stop blocks
across both bays with 3-in. screws.
Project 3: Built-In Pantry Cabinets
7. Remove the doors, drawers and shelving from
the cabinets and slip them into the stud spaces to make sure
they’ll
fit.
Project 3: Built-In Pantry Cabinets
8. Screw the bathroom-side drywall into the
shifted studs. Push back the cabinets a few inches and screw 2x4
blocking to
the drywall at the top and bottom for trim backing.
Project 3: Built-In Pantry Cabinets
9. Rip the 3/4-in. filler strip to 1-3/4 in. Wide
and cut it the exact length of the cabinet face frames. Slip the
filler into
the opening, then place it between the cabinets. Pull the cabinets
against the
stop blocks.
Project 3: Built-In Pantry Cabinets
10. Clamp the filler strip flush with the face of
the cabinet frames and with the top and bottom. You may have to
shim under the
cabinet bases to get the tops and bottoms aligned. Then drill
pilot, clearance
and screwhead countersink holes and screw both cabinets to the
filler strip
with 2-1/2 in. screws spaced about every 12 in.
Project 3: Built-In Pantry Cabinets
11. Hold the face frames tight against the stop
blocks with clamps and screw the cabinets to the studs with 2-1/2
in. screws
spaced about every 12 in. Be careful not to overtighten the screws
and pull
them through the cabinet sides.
Project 3: Built-In Pantry Cabinets
12. Cut the 1/4-in. thick x 2-in. wide mullion
strips the exact width of the top and bottom of the cabinets and
nail them on
with 1-1/2 in. brad nails. Then mark the side trim for length and
cut and nail
it to the side studs.
Project 3: Built-In Pantry Cabinets
13. Frame 2x4 stud walls directly behind the
cabinets. Nail the bottom plates into the subflooring and the top
plates into
the ceiling framing with 10d nails. Use construction adhesive to
glue any
plates and studs that join surfaces that don’t have
underlying framing. Hang
and tape the drywall and corner bead, then paint.
What if you have the basement staircase vs. a closet behind the wall. What should you do to support the cabinets if you don't have a floor behind to make cabinet backs?