Alternate method for hanging cabinets

[chopnhack]

As CocheseUGA mentioned about good use of plywood in another thread - 15 3/4" was the ideal depth of a cabinet to get maximum use of a sheet of ply.

That got me thinking about difficult to hang cabinets. I have a situation where I need to install three cabinet boxes, two 2' and one 16" wide cabinets into a u shaped wall area. These are upper cabinets and there is a washer and dryer below the area that can not be moved out... Do able of course, but I usually work solo so I try to plan in advance of how I will do something in case I need to make a jig.

Since the boxes will be made from scratch I thought about using that 15.75 depth and sacrificing 3/4" of the back for a mounting method. The idea was to notch out at the top a section from each side piece to allow a 1x4 to pass through the sides of the cabinet. The back would be inset by 3/4" and could then be screwed directly to the 1x4 cleat which will be screwed to the wall first, 3/4" down from the ceiling to allow for clearance. The pictures below will describe it better than I have:

[cabinetman]

If you work by yourself, and you can afford to lose 1" of the cabinet, you could make and install "french cleats".

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[chopnhack]

True, but I need this particular cabinet flush to the ceiling.

[cabinetman]

OK. Make the cabinets with a hang rail. Pick up a couple of these. You can use these to hold up cabinets from the floor, even at angles. Both ends are gimballed. Here's a pic of how I use them for installing crown by myself. This picture is a backer on concrete for wood crown.
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[chopnhack]

Yes! That is an excellent idea. I had seen those before but thought they were way too pricey. I haven't figured out whether it is more economical to use up the 3/4" for the backs or to get another sheet of 1/4" prefinished on 1 side and add a hang rail on top of that. Will have to check availability and price tomorrow. Thanks for the ideas!

[cabinetman]

A problem you could run into if you use a ledger strip, and want to go to the ceiling, is getting the cabinet to fit between the top of the strip and the ceiling. Since you need to install three, you might need some wiggle room to line them up. If you attempt to be tight to the ceiling, it may be difficult to impossible to get them to seat against the wall if the ceiling is off at all.

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[JimD]

If you put a strip on the wall at the height of the bottom of the cabinet, start the screws in the hanging strip inside the cabinet and then put your drill on the washer or dryer, you should be able to lift the cabinet into position, hold it with one hand (left for me) and then drive the screw in with the other hand. I've also done this without the supporting strip.

Jim

[cabinetman]

If you put a strip on the wall at the height of the bottom of the cabinet, start the screws in the hanging strip inside the cabinet and then put your drill on the washer or dryer, you should be able to lift the cabinet into position, hold it with one hand (left for me) and then drive the screw in with the other hand. I've also done this without the supporting strip.

Jim

I've done it like that, and placed the drill inside the cabinet. Unless there are grounds, pilot holes in the hang rail have to line up with the center of the studs. That all has to be predetermined. There are three cabinets that have to be aligned (with no face frame). Once installed the undersides should be in alignment...the tops can be trimmed with an add on moulding. Not that easy of an install.

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[JimD]

Agreed, not real easy, a tense few minutes until the first screw bites. Your point about the molding at the top is a good one. For a shop situation, a piece of shoe molding would seem OK. The ledger on the wall would align the bottoms.

A less tense alternative is to make a simple 3 or 4 sided support off the washer/dryer. Same principle as installing the base cabinets first and then supporting the uppers off the base.

Jim

[cabinetman]

A less tense alternative is to make a simple 3 or 4 sided support off the washer/dryer. Same principle as installing the base cabinets first and then supporting the uppers off the base.

Jim

That's whatcha call a "deadman". I use one or two boxes (made up from scraps) to use for the height of uppers. I install...or put in place, the base cabinets first.

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[chopnhack]

Hmm, that brings up a good point and another question.

In the laundry room scenario where the three units will be frameless and installed into a u shaped recess, should I install the units 1/4"-1/2" down from the ceiling to leave room for some type of molding? I assume with a full overlay door that I have not more than about 3/8"-1/2" from all edges (door reveal).

Also just realized that there is an AC register just ahead of the center cab.... I will have to measure its max drop from the ceiling to make sure the door will swing and clear that obstruction. I may have to shim the cabinet down some to clear it.

[cabinetman]

Hmm, that brings up a good point and another question.

In the laundry room scenario where the three units will be frameless and installed into a u shaped recess, should I install the units 1/4"-1/2" down from the ceiling to leave room for some type of molding? I assume with a full overlay door that I have not more than about 3/8"-1/2" from all edges (door reveal).

Also just realized that there is an AC register just ahead of the center cab.... I will have to measure its max drop from the ceiling to make sure the door will swing and clear that obstruction. I may have to shim the cabinet down some to clear it.

Obstructions, or possible interferences like A/C registers, light fixtures, scuttle openings have to be taken into account. Make sure you allow enough clearance. Since you have very little front leading edge to use to install a trim piece, make a backer strip to mount to the top front of the cabinet. It can be anything really as long as it provides some mounting surface.

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[chopnhack]

Probably need to add one at the back for easy leveling too, right?

[cabinetman]

Probably need to add one at the back for easy leveling too, right?

Not IMO. You may need the space in the back for installation, clearance and adjustment.


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[chopnhack]

This is sounding more and more like a two man job.... unless one is dead
I can't think of anything easier than building a deadman to sit on top of the laundry equipment, be a lot easier to shim too if its more narrow than the cabinet is wide. Good info! Thanks again. Frameless has quite a few gotchas it seems.