How to Fit Wall Cupboards
Hanging a wall cupboard isn't the same as hanging a picture. Because of the weight of the cupboard and its contents, it has to be mounted directly to wall studs. The cupboard has to be level, and it also has to be plumb (straight up and down) along the sides and the front. In older homes, it's not unusual for the walls to be leaning forward or back, which means having to adjust the cupboard so it's not leaning with the wall. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Level
- Carpenter's square
- Pencil
- Electronic studfinder
- Drill
- Pilot bit
- Screwdriver bit
- 2-inch wood screws with washers
- Wood shims
Instructions
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1
Measure the back of the first cupboard, along the height and width. Mark out the dimensions on the wall with a pencil, carpenter's square and level, so the horizontal lines are level and the vertical lines are plumb. If the cupboard is going over the countertop, the bottom line should be 16 to 20 inches above the countertop, depending on your preference.
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2
Find and mark each stud within the perimeter of the marked out area, using your electronic studfinder.
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3
Mark out the positions of the studs on the back of the cupboard, measuring the distance of each stud from the vertical lines on the wall, and the marking vertical lines on the back of the cupboard at the same distance from the edges.
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4
Drill two pilot holes in the back of the cupboard at the top and bottom of each vertical stud line, half a foot from the top and bottom of each line.
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5
Set the cupboard against the wall on the marked out lines. Drive screws, with washers, into each pilot hole so they grip the studs in the wall.
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6
Set your level alongside the front of the cupboard. Use your screw gun to loosen the screws as necessary and stick shims behind it to move the cupboard forward or back and get it plumb. If the top of the cabinet is leaning forward, loosen bottom screws and shim behind the bottom. If the bottom of the cabinet is leaning back, loosen the top screws and shim behind the top. Tighten all the screws.
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