Hanging a shallow medicine cabinet....

[Michael Donahue]

I'm planning a medicine cabinet that will be roughly 40" tall by 16ish" wide by about 4" deep. I don't have room for (or want) a much wider cabinet so I'm stuck. The cabinet can only go in one spot and there's not much room to move it side to side so I'm stuck in a situation where the stud will be running right down the middle of the cabinet.

What would be the best way to hang this (in sheetrock FWIW)? Could I just screw into the stud in a few places vertically? Should I use some other sort of anchor? I want to be able to remove this cabinet later because the bathroom is long due for some paint and remodelling, that's just not in the cards right now.

Thanks for the help!

[Eric DeSilva]

FWW did an article on hanging stuff like this I think last month. The solution I'd employ here is probably a variation on the french cleat. In this situation, make the cleat that attaches to the wall more triangular, with the point facing down. That would give you several attachment points in the stud.

Then again, you might be overengineering--I know I do. One good screw in the stud and a couple molly bolts through the drywall may well do good enough. I don't suppose you plan on filling the cabinet with depleted uranium or anything uber-heavy...

[Michael Donahue]

FWW did an article on hanging stuff like this I think last month. The solution I'd employ here is probably a variation on the french cleat. In this situation, make the cleat that attaches to the wall more triangular, with the point facing down. That would give you several attachment points in the stud.

Then again, you might be overengineering--I know I do. One good screw in the stud and a couple molly bolts through the drywall may well do good enough. I don't suppose you plan on filling the cabinet with depleted uranium or anything uber-heavy...

I only want the cabinet to stick out about 4 inches so I don't really have the room for a cleat.

I keep the depleted uranium in the hall closet anyway! :D

[Bill White]

wanna put it IN the wall???
Bill

[Michael Donahue]

wanna put it IN the wall???
Bill

Nope. I need to redo the sheetrock in the bathroom sometime down the line, but I don't have the cash or the time to start a big project like that right now. I just want a halfway decent cabinet to use for now. There's almost no storage in this tiny bathroom and I'm sick of my guests seeing my shaving cream on top of the toilet. I'm just glad my electric toothbrush hasn't fallen in yet!!! :eek:

[Dewey Torres]

Cobra Wall Driller

These are rated at 60lbs outward and 135lbs downward pressure (although the manufacturer recommends load of %25 of max). Four of these plus one regular screw through the stud will secure your cabinet nicely. I used these at my old house with a much larger cabinet with great success. I am putting in the pic from mcfeelys website but you get get these at the BORGs in the picture hanging area on the hardware isles. They come in a ten pack and are also white in the store not metallic as they look in the pics.

http://www.mcfeelys.com/category.aspx?cat=wall-driller-anchors&s_kwcid=wall%20driller|2641568935 (http://www.mcfeelys.com/category.aspx?cat=wall-driller-anchors&s_kwcid=wall%20driller%7C2641568935)

[Jamie Buxton]

I'd just drive screws into the one stud. They don't even have to be on the centerline of the cabinet. If they're kinda near the middle, they'll do just fine.

Wood french cleats are cute, but they do eat into the cabinet depth. Another way to do it is to put a "nail rail" above the box, and another below the box. ("Nail rail" is in quotes because that's what they're called, despite the fact that screws are what goes through them.) The screws go through the rails into the stud. The rails eat nothing from the internal depth of the cabinet.

[Jim Becker]

If there is just a single stud in the way, it's relatively simple to cut out a section and box in the area for the medicine cabinet. Just cut out the drywall first to match the size and location you need for the cabinet. Remove the vertical section of the stud using a reciprocating saw adjusted to only cut the depth of the stud and just touch the drywall on the other side of the wall. (very carefully) You can make this cut exactly 1.5" below the edge of the drywall cutout to leave room for a "header" top and bottom...the small slot can be easily repaired with mud before you insert the cabinet if it will show. Put in some 2x material to box in the hole, fastening with drywall screws through the rock and a couple through the headers into the cut stud to stabilize.

[Jamie Buxton]

If there is just a single stud in the way, ..snip...

I'd at least secure the ends of the horizontal 2x4s to the studs they run into.

[Jim Heffner]

I would drill three evenly spaced holes vertically in the back wall of the cabinet. Have someone assist you in the mounting to the wall, install some 2" drywall screws with finishing washers, through the back wall of the cabinet into the stud, making sure it is level and call it done!

[Jim Becker]

I'd at least secure the ends of the horizontal 2x4s to the studs they run into.

"...and a couple through the headers into the cut stud to stabilize."

Gotcha covered in my original reply, Jamie.... ;)

[Jamie Buxton]

"...and a couple through the headers into the cut stud to stabilize."

Gotcha covered in my original reply, Jamie.... ;)

Uh, no, unless I completely misunderstand you. Screws running through the headers into the cut stud would be running vertically, somewhat in the middle fo the headers. I'm talking about screws running almost horizontally at the ends of the headers.

[Chip Lindley]

Hi Michael! Is a good thing the wall stud is centered behind the slim/tall meds cabinet. simply make your "box with well joined corners (biscuits or splines,) with a mirrored door of the style you wish. Those no-bore glass hinges and magnetic strikes work well. Since your cabinet will be tall the top will not be seen. Mount a small hinge to the top, half flat on the back frame edge, half above the cab, mortised flush into the cab back. 2 holes in the top cab frame, 2 holes to mount to the stud. Do the same to the bottom of the cab, if you don't mind someone spying it underneath. Otherwise Use two pocket hole screws bored closed together from beneath. Use 2 inch screws for all. A small cabinet of this size will not bear much weight. Quick and dirty, but it will work. Good Luck!