Sinking / insetting a cupboard into dry wall/OSB

[sickasapike]

Hi all, I'm looking for solutions to a little conundrum I'm presented with; I have a stud bathroom wall with about 7cm of clear space behind, I'm about to cover that with 9mm OSB and then attach pallet panelling to that.

I have the old small, shallow bathroom cabinet that I'd like to re-use but in a space near the loo, where it'd be in a gents face a bit when standing, so hit on the idea of using the 7cm space to inset the cupboard into, so the mirror door of the cabinet is a few mm proud of the OSB so it'll be flush with the panelling.

It's also a good confidence builder, I'm thinking of building an inset mirror/vanity thing above the sink with lights and glass shelves etc, but that'd be a rather larger hole/commitment, doing this will help me decide wheher to bite the bullet on that one.

The cabinet is pretty light and not big enough to contain anything heavy, most of the weight will be the mirror on the door, which will be pretty much on the same plane as the OSB supporting it, so nothing too beefy needed.

I can't get behind the wall at all, so it'll all have to keyhole surgeried in through the hole I cut for the cabinet.

I can shift the target spot a little so it is up against a stud on the left or the right, but don't want to just screw it from the inside of the cupboard and make good, I'm envisioning making a frame for the cupboard that it slides into, securing the frame then slotting the cupboard in.

Perhaps just 4 angle brackets attached to the cupboard then screwed into the OSB, I could rout/chisel out a couple of mm where they sit so the brackets are flush, they'll be covered by the panelling.

...oh, yes that's it; now I type it, this seems perfect and simple and no need for a complicated frame. I almost cancelled posting this but thought it might be interesting to hear any other ideas.

Best tool for it has to be the jig saw I guess; I can draw round the cupboard on the OSB easily while I can still lay it flat, attach the OSB, then drill corner holes, jigsaw around and tidy up with the OMT.

I'll not be able to see if I'm making a meal of the dry wall, but can't see why it'd be a problem with a new bosch wood blade, but I've never cut dry wall before, the specific blades I see online seem to be similarly toothy to the wood blades I have, should that be OK ? - I've no spare drywall to experiment with. It'd not be a big drama to cut seperately but nice to get it right once rather than get it exactly right two slightly different ways

I'm a little wary of sticking a saw into a space I can't see (I know the depth of the space from probing through several old drill holes and a few new ones) but I've a stud finder so pretty much know there's no cable back there, it picks up a light switch through the dry wall from about 20cm away (which is quite an annoyingly large radius when trying to find a safe path elsewhere, but reassuring in this case !) and there's enough space for the jigsaw on full extension of the blade.

Maybe I'll cut a smaller hole in just the drywall first, a couple of cm smaller than the final hole so I can have a better look around - or might that make the second cut more likely to crumble ? - as I say, I've not cut this stuff before.

 

[Brandlin]

i've done exactly this with some ikea display cabinets.

i'm not sure i understand your problem. i simply drew round the cabinets, cut out the dry wall, removed studs and noggins that were in the way. replaced them with timbers that edged the holes i had cut and transferred load around the cabinet. slid the cabinets in, screwed to the sides and used silicone to hide the ciut edge.

these cabinets are quite large. for a bathroom cabinet should be straightforwards? or am i missing something?

 

[MattRoberts]

Drywall cuts very easily - just make a smaller hole in the centre as you say, and then when you're happy with the final position, score the shape with a knife and then cut / break the drywall to the scored line.

Either brackets or noggins should be fine to support the cabinet

 

[Just4Fun]

When I did something like this I took a different approach. I only used the door from the cabinet, and mounted it in/on the wall using a frame I constructed from some old scraps. In the space inside the wall I fitted some new noggins that became the top & bottom of my cupboard. This way the door was flush with the wall surface and the space inside the cupboard was the full depth of the space within the wall. Also I was able to make the interior space larger than the door so the cupboard was larger than it appeared to be.

You could cut an initial smallish hole just so you can get inside the wall and confirm where the studs & noggins are. The drywall will cut easily with a Stanley knife or similar.

 

[sickasapike]

Thanks chaps, yep, I'll cut a smaller hole to explore, attach the pre-marked OSB, have at it with the jigsaw and use 4 angle brackets slightly sunk into the OSB.

i'm not sure i understand your problem ... should be straightforwards? or am i missing something?

Just inexperience, no problem as such, I couldn't find anything similar on youtube/elsewhere so just putting the idea out here to see if I can glean any tips / not do something stupid I've not considered.

If you think this is a bit overcautious, you should read the fuss that angle grinder virgin me was making about cutting some 2mm steel

 

[sickasapike]

I only used the door from the cabinet, and mounted it in/on the wall using a frame I constructed from some old scraps.

Cheers, that's a thought but the cabinet is quite nice and pretty much ideal size so I'll stick with it. I have been thinking of something similar though stealthy, if I'm fitting panels and there's a load of wasted space behind, it'd be fun to make one a secret compartment with one or two of the panels sliding out/hinging up for secreting a box about the size of a ream of A4 - I'd need to build a frame/sides/back for that similar to how you suggest.

 

[toonarmy1987]

I put in a 1.2m tall shelving unit into my wall with only silicone. Admittedly i built it with a snug fit with bracing on all sides to keep it in position. I then siliconed around the perimeter and I cant for the life of me pull it out of the wall! I think it is secure enough

The great thing is that to get it it out I just need to run a blade round the edge and wiggle it out.

 

[dickm]

If what I'm picturing is right, however you do it, one day you will forget to put the loo lid down, open the cupboard and drop whatever is most delicate/expensive straight into the loo. DAMHIKT.

 

[Lons]

I put in a 1.2m tall shelving unit into my wall with only silicone. Admittedly i built it with a snug fit with bracing on all sides to keep it in position. I then siliconed around the perimeter and I cant for the life of me pull it out of the wall! I think it is secure enough

The great thing is that to get it it out I just need to run a blade round the edge and wiggle it out.

I did the same with a fairly large 2 door stainless steel bathroom cabinet, just made it a snug fit and siliconed in and it's been solid for 6 years now. Fairly simple job so you won't have a problem.

 

[sickasapike]

If what I'm picturing is right, however you do it, one day you will forget to put the loo lid down, open the cupboard and drop whatever is most delicate/expensive straight into the loo. DAMHIKT.

You're right - well, it'll be a lottery, if it's more on the the right hand side and pounces 10cm+ laterally on the way down... which of course, your posting that comment has now firmly pre-destined, thanks a bunch mate

It'll be used for first aid kit, little hotel shampoos etc, essentially using up a redundant cabinet in a wasted bit of wall so not for general use, and I have to keep the loo closed for the moggies anyway but yep, ta for the warning, I shall return and comment here if I end up drying out loo-fragranced elastoplast on the radiator immediately before use

 

[sickasapike]

Thanks for the sealant suggestion chaps, nice idea, I'll be doing exactly that.

I cut the holes and it rests in there really snugly even unsecured, with the mirror on the front and most of the bulk poking out the back the weight is pretty much centred where the OSB is, takes a bit of a wiggle to pull it out, there was an unused pre-drilled hole for a peg in the cabinet anyway, so there's a small screw securing it to the stud now which you have to crane round the loo and go on tippies to spot.

More sealing to be done elsewhere so I'll secure it fully tomorrow.

The drywall was a bit dry and crumbly (it may be like that new for all I know, it's been there over 15 years) but my snazzy new oscillating marvel cut a lovely straight hole, nice.

Having the mirror there near the window has brightened the place up a bit too, and might mean I can wet shave in the shower by it.. I may need my glasses though !