Big on storage but small on wasted space? Then a "do-it-yourself" recessed wall cabinet may be the perfect solution for you. From medicine cabinets to pantries, DIY recessed wall cabinets are a great way to maximize style and storage without taking up a single square foot of floor. With a little bit of knowledge and hard work almost anyone can take this idea from concept to completely incredible. Does this Spark an idea?
Assessing Your Walls
The first step toward a successful install is to know your walls. Household walls come in two major categories: load bearing, the kind that shouldn't be messed with, and non-load bearing, or just there for looks. The first category should be left alone by all but the experts. They are the walls that hold your roof up and tie your walls together. The second category are mostly there to divide your space and can usually be altered with little difficulty. Not sure of the difference? Call in an expert. Any carpenter or handyman worth his salt will be able to tell.
Most walls should be framed with studs, spaced 16 inches apart throughout the wall. Many cabinets are wider than this so some alteration may be necessary. In addition to knowing if you have enough accessible surface area to install your cabinet, a second, equal concern is depth. The typical wall is either 4 ½ or 7 ½ inches thick, whereas a cabinet may be 12 or more inches deep. If your cabinet is deeper than your wall is thick, don't lose heart, a closet or garage wall may fit the bill.
Preparing for Installation
Once you have found the perfect home for your new DIY recessed wall cabinet the fun can begin. First, check to see that there are no electrical or plumbing connections making a run through the area your cabinet will inhabit. If there are it may be best to make alternate plans. Electrical wiring is fairly flexible and can often be shifted with no trouble. Changes to plumbing can be lengthy and expensive. Unless you are cutting into a wall directly behind a faucet there is little likelihood of running into this problem. Open a small test patch in the wall and look around using a flashlight or reach in and feel for yourself.
When you are relatively certain you have a safe spot in mind, cut out a section of drywall just slightly wider and taller than your cabinet. You can cut the drywall using a utility knife. Be gentle, the less you disturb the less you will have to repair in the end. Once you have removed the drywall and any insulation, you should see one or more studs exposed. Using a reciprocating saw, carefully cut the exposed studs off about 2 inches past where your cabinet will be. Try to make this cut as smooth as possible.
Installing the Cabinet
Build a frame of 2 by 4 that loosely fits around your cabinet like a collar. Slip this into the hole and attach to the cut studs and drywall. Use additional bracing from surrounding studs as needed. Make sure that this collar is both level and plumb. Remove any loose shelves and take the door off of your cabinet. Now set your cabinet into the 2-by-4 collar. If the cabinet is designed for being recessed it probably already has trim around its face that will cover any minor gaps between the cabinet and the wall. Push the cabinet back until the back of this trim is flush with the wall. Nail the trim to the collar. Use a drill to put screws through the top and bottom of the cabinet into the collar to make it secure. Reinstall shelves and doors and load up your new DIY recessed wall cabinet.
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