Cabinets are handy for storing the necessities of your workshop, and for storing away items that shouldn't be left lying around. In general, cabinets are installed around 54" above the floor, but that may slightly vary according to who'll be using the shop and how the space will be used. Premade cabinets can be purchased from your home center and are easily installed. Here are the basic steps.
- Determine the height that you want for your cabinets, and measure and mark the height from the floor (figure A). The standard height is 54", but in our workshop the cabinets were installed at 52" for greater accessibility.
- You'll need to anchor the cabinet into the wall studs, so locate and mark the locations of the studs behind the drywall where you'll be installing the cabinet. In our case, the wall studs were installed 16" on center, so once one stud was located, the surrounding ones were easy to find. A stud locator (figure B) simplifies the job of finding wall studs.
- Use a level to scribe a straight horizontal line at the measured height (figure C).
- Using a cordless drill with a screwdriver attachment, install a temporary brace board on the wall to serve as a "helping hand" to hold the cabinet at the proper height while you fasten the cabinet to the wall. Line up the board with the scribed line, and fasten it to the wall with two screws. Using the marks indicating the locations of the stud, make sure that the screws holding the brace board are mounted into wall studs.
- Tip: If you're working alone, the brace board is even more essential for holding the cabinet in place as it's mounted. Preinstall two mounting screws, screwing them partially into the board before lining it up on the wall. In that way, with the screws already in place, you will be able to hold the board with one hand while driving the screws with the other (figure D).
- Remove the door from the premade cabinet unit to make mounting the cabinet easier. The door will be replaced once the cabinet is mounted.
- Since the studs in our wall are 16" apart, a centerline is marked on the back edge of the cabinet, then a mark made at 8" on either side of that center mark. These marks will indicate how to center the cabinet so that the screws can be fastened directly into the studs behind it. When attaching the screws through the cabinet, sink them through the thick portion of the frame (figure E) for the best possible support.
- Predrill and premount the screws into the frame, inside the box, so it will be easy to sink the screws into the wall and wall studs when you lift the cabinet into position.
- Carefully lift the cabinet up into position (figure F) and rest it on the brace board.
- Make sure the screws inside the box are lined up with the screws on the brace board (and therefore lined up directly with the studs), then use the cordless drill to screw them in all the way and fasten the cabinet securely to the wall (figure G).
- With the cabinet mounted securely, remove the brace board and reinstall the door.
RESOURCES :
The Small Wood Shop (The Best of Fine Woodworking)
Author: Helen Albert (Editor)
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561580619
Special thanks for DIY's The Ultimate Workshop
Popular Woodworking magazine
Web site: www.popularwoodworking.com
American Tool
Web site: www.americantool.com
Black and Decker
Web site: www.blackanddecker.com
Ryobi Technologies Inc.
Web site: www.ryobitools.com
Stanley Tools
Web site: www.stanleyworks.com
Vermont American
Web site: www.vermontamerican.com
Setting Up Shop: The Practical Guide to Designing and Building Your Dream Shop
Model: 156158360X
Author: Sandor Nagyszalanczy
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
The Workshop Book
Model: 1561582719
Author: Scott Landis
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
How to Design and Build Your Ideal Woodshop
Model: 1558704817
Author: Bill Stankus
Popular Woodworking Books
Setting Up Your Own Woodworking Shop
Model: 0806983140
Author: Bill Stankus
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website: www.sterlingpub.com
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