Space-saving Cabinet Between Wall Studs

Space-saving Cabinet Between Wall Studs

Built into the wall, between the studs, our unobtrusive cabinet extends only 2-1/4 in. into the room. Yet it can hold a small warehouse of supplies - canned goods, cereal, paper towels, six-packs of soda. Or brooms, cleaning products, mops and more. And you can build it in a weekend for about $100.

Reader's Digest Space Saving Cabinet Between Wall Studs

Install it on an inside wall in the kitchen, bathroom, hallway or on any inside wall where you have drywall, and two studs that are 16 in. on-center. The stud cavities must be free of insulation, ductwork, electrical and plumbing lines. Installing the cabinet in a plaster wall, though possible, would be trickier:

Cutting plaster straight is difficult, plus you’d need to add a back to the cabinet to cover the rough plaster-and-lath back wall.

The cabinet’s case and shelves are made from No. 2 pine 1x6s (actual size: 3/4 x 5-1/2 in.). There’s no need to cut these pieces to width, only to length. Doors are cut from 3/4-in. MDF (medium-density fiberboard). MDF is sold by some, but not all, home centers, so call around. Almost any home center will special-order it if they don’t stock it. We don’t recommend plywood or particleboard for doors this long; both are less stable than MDF, and could warp.

The step-by-step photos and descriptions, and the detailed drawing, provide all the information you need to build and install the cabinet. And on p. 57 you’ll find a list of all the necessary materials. We painted our cabinet white, both inside and out. You could paint it the same color as the walls, so that it’s hardly noticeable in the room.

Reader's Digest Cutting the drywall

1. MARK and cut an opening in the drywall between the two studs. Hold a small
saw flat against the inner edges of the studs, then cut across the top and bottom. Cut carefully so you won’t have to make drywall repairs later.

Tip: Before you begin the main cuts, make a smaller peek hole, just large enough to see that there are no obstructions within the two stud cavities. If the location isn’t usable, you can easily patch the small hole (see “How to Fix Holes,” Dec./Jan. ‘96, p. 60). After the full opening is cut, check the studs to see if they are unevenly spaced, bowed or out of plumb; if so, you’ll have to slightly reduce the width of the two cabinet cases and use shims when placing them so they’re exactly vertical. Once you’ve determined the exact width of your cabinet cases, cut your 1x6 pieces to length.

2. DRILL holes for the plug-in shelf supports in the inner 1x6 sides of the case. Use Peg-Board, clamped in place and aligned with the front edge, to position the holes accurately (we drilled every other hole). Space the holes exactly the same on all four of the sides, so your shelves will be level. Tip: The drilling guide block, cut from a piece of 2x4, keeps the drill bit exactly vertical (drill the guide hole in the block as straight as possible, aligning it carefully by eye). The block also serves as a stop to prevent the bit from coming through the other side.

Reader's Digest Drilling the holes for the shelves

3. ASSEMBLE the two cases with 2-in. No. 6 Phillips head screws. Drill pilot holes, and counter-sink the screwheads to keep the wood from splitting. No glue is needed.

Reader's Digest Mounting the doors

4. MOUNT the two cases in the openings between the studs. Use shims if neces-sary to get them level and plumb. Then slide a 1x2 strip (the same width as the thickness of the center stud) between the two cases, flush with the leading edge, as shown in Fig. A, p. 54. Clamp the strip and cases together, then screw them together with 1-5/8 in. No. 6 Phillips head screws. Next, press the back edges of the cases securely against the rear drywall, and secure
them to the studs with 1-5/8 in. screws. Note the 1x2 backer cleats; they help support the cut drywall edges at the top and bottom of the openings. Clamp these four cleats in place to the backside of the drywall with construction adhesive and allow the adhesive to dry before installing the cases in the openings.

5. ROUT finished edges on the doors, after cutting them to size (cut them on a table saw or with a circular saw using a clamped-in-place straight-edge guide). We used a 1/4-in.-radius cove bit in a router to form the edges, but you could use a simple round-over bit. Sand the edges after routing.

6. HANG the doors using 1-1/2 in. wide x 72-in. long piano hinges. Getting the doors aligned can be frustrating, but here’s a trouble-free method: First, mount both hinges on the case edges flush with the inside edges of the case, using only three screws. Next, set the doors in place, against the closed hinges. Tip: Prop the doors to exactly the right height with a stack of books under each door. Get a uniform 1/16-in. spacing between the two doors. Next, using a fine-tip marker, mark the position of the outside door edge on the exposed barrel of the hinge. Open one door, sliding the supporting books along under it; line up the door edge with the mark on the hinge barrel, then mark two screw hole locations on the inside of the door, as shown. Predrill small pilot holes, and install the two screws. Do the same with the other door, then check the alignment. Fine-tune the screw positions on the doors if necessary, then install the rest of the screws with a small Phillips head bit in your drill/driver.

Reader's Digest Caulking

7. CAULK the joint where the drywall and case adjoin using a paintable caulk,
and smooth it with your finger or a small putty knife. After priming and painting the cabinet parts and the back wall, mount the shelf supports and shelves, and install door pulls and magnetic door catches.

Materials List

56’ No. 2 1x6 pine
16’ No. 2 1x2 pine
4x8 sheet of 3/4” MDF (medium-density fiberboard)
56 plug-in shelf supports
2 piano hinges, 1-1/2” x 72” long
4 magnetic door catches
2 door pulls
1 tube of paintable caulk
1 tube of construction adhesive
2” and 1-5/8” No. 6 Phillips head screws
small piece of Peg-Board
paint