Not enough studs for cabinets?

[Shawn Rynerson]

I am installing cabinets in my laundry room that has 24" studs. One cabinet is 34" wide in the center and the ones on each side of it are 17.5". Because of the 24" spacing I can only mount the center cabinet to the studs. Is this fine if I mount the other cabinets to it? Should I try to screw the sides of the cabinets into the wall? I would rather not rip out my wall to install braces.

[Mark Bolton]

When we hang in places where stud spacing doesnt work we just snap a couple lines on the drywall where we are going to fasten the cabs and cut out the drywall there and replace it with a horizontal strip of 1/2" ply. Often times in kitchens where things are broken up and even 16" centers dont work we will just snap a line from corner to corner and run a 6" tall strip of ply so we have 100% access for fasteners. You can cut the drywall fast with a circulars saw and have someone hold a vac hose to catch the dust or old school it with a razor knife.

In new construction we always let-in horizontal bracing behind the uppers and lowers. Nothing is nicer than being able to space your fasteners wherever you want and never worry about being off by a half inch.

[Shawn Rynerson]

do you seal up the space between the plywood and drywall or just figure the cabinet covers it? Wondering in regards to heating/cooling air gaps.

[Bill Orbine]

Usually just one mud job with tape make me happy.

[mreza Salav]

I'd cut the drywall out and do as Mark suggested or add bracing behind.
I wouldn't worry about making it clean/nice if it's covered by cabinet anyway.

[Mark Bolton]

If you do a good job cutting back the drywall and are not a slob your gaps between the drywall and the ply will be no worse than any gap between an electrical box, hvac register, etc.. if you in a house where they are using stud bays as a return (not too common and frowned upon now, youd be best to seal with foil tape. If your on an exterior wall set your saw as not to compromise the vapor barrier.

There are holes in drywall everywhere. Drywall should not be playing a role in your envelope in a well constructed home. Its merely a surface to apply paint or wallpaper.

[Shawn Rynerson]

Thank you. I cut it out already and it was a pretty tight fit for the plywood. I don't know much about full home construction. I am a hobbyist woodworker and just finished building my cabinets. Didn't even think of this issue before hand.


If you do a good job cutting back the drywall and are not a slob your gaps between the drywall and the ply will be no worse than any gap between an electrical box, hvac register, etc.. if you in a house where they are using stud bays as a return (not too common and frowned upon now, youd be best to seal with foil tape. If your on an exterior wall set your saw as not to compromise the vapor barrier.

There are holes in drywall everywhere. Drywall should not be playing a role in your envelope in a well constructed home. Its merely a surface to apply paint or wallpaper.

[lowell holmes]

I would toe nail 2x6 boards between the studs to nail to. That way, if you really need to honk down on a fastener, you have wood to take it.

[Mark Bolton]

I would toe nail 2x6 boards between the studs to nail to. That way, if you really need to honk down on a fastener, you have wood to take it.

Thats typically what we do in new construction situation but we let them into the studs. We just snap lines and kerf the studs and knock out the waste with a claw hammer then we just lay long sticks of 2x6 in the pockets. We were alway less apt to have a rough piece of blocking that would be proud of the face of the wall or anything like that. But either option works. And your right, having that meat there when you need it is handy as well as just being able to place any internal screws evenly inside the box.