Installing cabinets on an out of plumb wall.

[Tom M King]

If you sister the studs, set the end ones first. Pull mason's lines as tight as you can get them, near the top, and bottom. Cut several little gauge blocks out of the same piece of plywood. Put gauge blocks under the line on the end studs. Use a gauge block to set all the other studs to that line. You can let the block touch the line, only if it doesn't move the line. DON'T PUSH the Line.

Clamp each stud before screwing it in place. Too many things can happen before the screws go in, if you don't clamp them first.

If you can't pick all straight studs, straighten them with a jointer to start with, since you only need one straight edge.

This should not only give you a plumb wall, but now a perfectly flat one.

I've done similar many times, but never for a 1/2".

[Mike Cutler]

I have a 100 year old house with walls that are out of plumb, and square. Virtually every renovation we've done had required the walls, floors, and celings to be "trued".
I stud out from existing studs. It's really just a lot simpler in the end.
Do as Tom stated and take the time to establish references up front, and set everything accordingly. The time you lose truing a wall, is more than, gained back with an easier install.
I don't know how the codes work where you're at, but for me ,as long as I did not alter any existing structural supports, I did not need a new civil inspection. All "sisters", and "stud outs", had to be the width, or greater, of the existing stud, joist, or rafter.

[Gabriel Marusic]

In addition to what Steve said, if there are any wires or pipes involved, you must also install the protective steel plates over where there are notches to permit them to pass by the add-on studs and if they are missing on the original studs, put them there, too. They are cheap but help you avoid an unfortunate situation if a nail or screw were to penetrate either.

Thank you for the reminder, I do have some romex running through the studs.

[Rod Sheridan]

I've dealt with some pretty bad walls by hanging a french cleat top and bottom, shimmed out as necessary, level and plumb so that the cabinets hang straight, then dealing with the gaps by either using a molding or scribing a piece to fit. You may well need to deal with the structural issues, but there's often no need to make the wall completely straight and flat. Since I learned about French cleats it's pretty much the only way I hang cabinets. Makes it so easy!

Agreed, French Cleats are great.....Rod

[Thomas McCurnin]

Me? I wouldn't touch those walls. 1/2" top to bottom is nothing and won't ever be seen. The French Cleat is great for hanging uppers where the upper is not supported by anything. I usually find them more trouble than its worth, so I just inset a piece of 1/2" ply between the studs and cover the area with drywall, then use scrap 2x4s to build a support for the uppers, if otherwise unsupported, often called a dead man. Then screw into the drywall and the ply.

If the drywall is off, +1 on steel plates for protecting water, electrical lines etc. Make a note where they are so you don't try screwing through them.

[Brice Rogers]

In addition to what others have said, I'd recommend watching a couple of videos for installing the cabinets. There are a few tricks and things that will help you end up with a better result. I helped a friend put up cabinets in his workshop and we didn't know about the tricks. It made the project more difficult and we ended up with a mediocre result. Also, make sure that you have someone else to help you. Although in theory perhaps one person could do it with jacks, ledger boards, etc., having two people really makes things go easier and more safely.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I've dealt with some pretty bad walls by hanging a french cleat top and bottom, shimmed out as necessary, level and plumb so that the cabinets hang straight, then dealing with the gaps by either using a molding or scribing a piece to fit. You may well need to deal with the structural issues, but there's often no need to make the wall completely straight and flat. Since I learned about French cleats it's pretty much the only way I hang cabinets. Makes it so easy!

I am a fan of using a french cleat to do this.