Thank you for pointing that out. It could have been worse, I could have confused it with an osculating saw. Those can hurt. Thank you again for pointing out that the saw I use to cut the dry wall is an oscillating saw. They are much more safe than a reciprocating saw.
The lucky part was that the studs were centered on the sink. The cabinet is designed to fit between studs on a 16" center, which is standard in the U.S. They do make cabinets that are wider and typically do require that you take out part of at least one stud. Thank you for the comment.
I found this helpful. Thank you for sharing. One thing I didn't hear you mention, for many folks who don't know, the studs in a wall are sixteen inches apart (center of a 2" stud. So actually 14" _space_ between studs) and most outlets are attached to a stud's edge and typically (not always) there is a support board under the outlet box. So if someone is struggling with spaces not adding up, this may be why. :-)
You are incorrect about the space between studs because 2" x 4" boards are actually 1 1/2" x 3 1/2". So, the space between studs is actually about 14 1/2".
Thank you for recording and uploading this because you've answered a lot of questions that I needed to have answered. I especially liked your explanation as to what you were doing and why.
Thanks for the comment. I have done a lot of DIY projects, but have only just started making and uploading videos. UA-cam is so helpful and I am glad to be contributing. Keep an eye on my channel, I have a few projects in the works.
Thank you for posting this. I am going to buy a mirrored cabinet for my bathroom but did not want to have it surface mounted. This looks easy enough. My wall is not an exterior wall though. I appreciate how you explained everything without using construction words.
@@CHARLESCRANFORD well ... I ended up just putting a surface cabinet up because the space between my studs was only 18" and then I would have had to frame up the whole since I wanted at least a 24" cabinet. So ... it is good enough for the guys I go with. lol
I need to do the same thing on an interior wall. Finding the studs will be my challenge. Liked the vid and your method with the cardboard template, etc.
Thanks for the complement. It is always a little intimidating cutting a hole in a wall. I was lucky and the sink was perfectly centered between studs. Don't be afraid to do it yourself. It may seam intimidating, but in the end, it is just cutting a hole, framing out the box, and putting the cabinet in. Good luck.
No such luck on my end. I had to cut the studs and add headers and footers for both over my double vanity. At least that suits for the frame of the cabinet to slide right in. I couldn't hear the sound very well (watching outside), so excuse if you addressed this, but did you fasten the cabinet to the wall frame? I just saw you slide it in and end the video. I slid mine in and drilled holes in the 4 corner areas, then fastened the cabs with recessed screws, then covered the holes so they're invisible. I'd be nervous leaving them loose in there, sliding around when you open and close the doors.
With studs being placed on 16” centers the distance between facing sides of studs is 14.5”. But all the recessed cabinets I found at a big box store were 50” wide. How does one cut out a half inch without punching through the backside wall?
Helpful video; thank you for sharing! IMO, the two wood inserts ARE necessary... and after tapping the bottom 2x4, he should've made sure it was level, before securing the screws....just sayin'.
Thank you for sharing. My wife always jokes, since a slightly unlevel shower shelf install, that it is to allow water to run off. I had made my template, on the piece of cardboard, to mark the original cutout, with perfectly square corners. Since the studs are plumb, the top and bottom cuts would be level, and fit the cabinet. I felt that aligning the horizontal 2x4s to this cutout, would be closer to level than me using a level. (I always second guess my lining up the bubble) Thank you again for pointing this out.
@@CHARLESCRANFORD you are so darling thank you for that instruction video I had just watched one from Amazon while shopping for a recessed medicine cabinet and yours came up right after and it was great comparison of the two the only thing that you didn't do was use the level but I can see that you knew exactly what you were doing so good on you and thank you for being so personable
Good video. Clear and to the point. 👍👍 One question, what is the frame of the cabinet that recesses into the wall made from? Plastic? Metal? I'm hoping you say 'plastic', though the price point suggests the answer will be metal. I have a wall I want to do this with that is only framed with 2x3 metal studs, I wouldn't mind cutting the back of the cabinet off and making a new one if I needed to so it would still mount flush.
Thank you for the complement. The cabinet I used was a combination of plastic and aluminum. When shopping, I ran across all kinds of different cabinets. If you could not find one to fit flush, maybe you could fashion a frame around it to make it semi flush. I am guessing it would only stick out 1/2" an inch. I hope this helps. Good luck.
The better part of a day. It was easier to film than some of my projects simply because there was only one spot to put my camera in the small bathroom. Just like most things, the next time I have to mount a recessed cabinet, it would take half the time simply because it wouldn't be the first time. Good luck with your project.
Exterior wall here in NH would get mighty cold in the winter so I’m thinking a bead of insulation expanding foam along each 2x4 seam and a sheet of poly and foam-core behind the cabinet. Would that be overkill?
Not overkill at all, but necessary. If you took a shower, on a very cold day, you might have some frozen condensation on the aluminum frame. Thank you for the comment.
I have the four screws that came with the cabinet at 5:08 but I think that, when I videoed the actual screwing of the cabinet, you could not see anything so it did not make it to the final video. There were four holes on the sides of the cabinet made just for mounting it to studs. My cabinet came with the needed screws, but you could use wood screws. Thank you for the question and I hope that cleared it up for you.
Great & simple demo. Thank you! You had mentioned the top and bottom pieces of wood weren’t necessarily needed. So could the cabinet just be placed in the hole and screwed to the side beams without that bottom piece of wood installed? Also, did you use caulk to seal up around the cabinet to the wall? If so, what kind? Thanks!!
Thank you for the complement. You are correct, the cabinet had mounting holes on the sides just for securing it to the studs on each side. I wanted the top and bottom piece to keep drafts coming into the cabinet. I did not use any caulk, but if I had I would have used silicone. The other side of that wall is inside, on the stairs leading up to a bonus room above the garage, so it usually does not get as hot or cold as exterior walls. Good luck with your cabinet installation.
They make the cabinets to fit between studs that are on a standard 16 inches, on center. Wider cabinets are made to fit between three or more studs. I was lucky that the existing sink was perfectly centered between the studs, or maybe the contractor, that installed the sink, knew what he was doing. If I wasn't that lucky, I would have just framed out the wall to fit the cabinet. Thank you for your comment, and good luck with installing your medicine cabinet.
The other side of this wall is inside a garage. I haven't noticed any drafts around the cabinet. If I did notice drafts, I might line the wall with plastic air barrier, or use foam insulation. Thank you for the question.
Nice catch. I have gotten to the point, that I know if I do certain things during videoing, I will not have to do certain things during editing. One of the things I refrain during videoing is using foul language, that would have to be edited out later. This is an example of one moment that I refrained from reacting to pain and using foul language. I have a future time lapse video of a fingernail injury growing out over time. Keep a look out, on my channel, for it. Thank you for the comment.
Yes. At 5:16 I open it partway. The cabinet I used had a mirror on the inside with two glass shelves. It also came with mirrors to cover the sides, if you were going to surface mount it without cutting the hole. I mounted those mirrors on the side and it turned out well. I didn't really show the finished product because I was wanting to make a video about mounting the cabinet, not the cabinet itself. Thank you for the question.
I had been looking for a while at Home Depot, Lowes, and online. The one I got was on sale for about eighty dollars. It was normally $120. At first I thought it was not that great quality, but it turned out great. While shopping I found some low quality around $30 all the way up to some really nice ones for $400. I guess it depends on what you are looking for and what your budget is. Thanks for the question.
Thanks for the comment. I have also used jig saws for this type of work. I like the saw I used because I think they make less dust and I can better control the depth of the cut, which is important when there could be pipes or wires behind the wall. This is the Item # 00930566000P and Model # 30566 of the saw I used. Here is a link to sears sight: www.sears.com/craftsman-nextec-12v-multi-tool-with-quick-release/p-00930566000P?sid=IDx01192011x202447059&gclid=Cj0KCQiAkNfSBRCSARIsAL-u3X8ZaYY-Xia-RhdRg-jbwdG9BPS0FsoZSO8Srs8U8EW-v2EGEwilKxEaArE9EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CKXc68qaztgCFY9owQodMBcAbw I had been looking at all kinds of different multi tool saws and the main reason I got this one was that it was on sale.
It only took a couple of hours. It took me longer to find the cabinet that I wanted. I was almost going to custom make the cabinet until I found this one on sale. The main problems you could run into would be running into wires or pipes in the wall behind it. That is why I carefully cut the small hole first to have a feel around to check for wires and pipes. On the plus side the camera could pick up everything from one spot so I didn't have to move it around like I have to on some projects. Thank you for the question and good luck with your DIY projects.
Old apartment building. I wish the standard model recessed-cabinets would be flush to the wall. I just want to quickly install a Med-Cabinet over the existing recessed one, ...remove the old 70-year-old mirror (cut out the piano hinge). However, the old cabinet sticks out 3/4 of an inch from the wall, darn. I could still fasten and screw it to the wall and stop worrying about the gap it leaves. Hmm, freaking cheap millionaire landlords, what is the world becoming.
@@CHARLESCRANFORD I am well aware of what you were doing; my 9 year old nephew would have tapped it into place better and faster. Hopefully you have improved since then.
Minor point... That's not a reciprocating saw, it's an oscillating saw.
Thank you for pointing that out. It could have been worse, I could have confused it with an osculating saw. Those can hurt. Thank you again for pointing out that the saw I use to cut the dry wall is an oscillating saw. They are much more safe than a reciprocating saw.
Whew, thank God he corrected you and saved millions of others' projects! 🙄
He got amazingly lucky the studs were the perfect distance. That’s typically the most challenging part to the project
The lucky part was that the studs were centered on the sink. The cabinet is designed to fit between studs on a 16" center, which is standard in the U.S. They do make cabinets that are wider and typically do require that you take out part of at least one stud. Thank you for the comment.
I found this helpful. Thank you for sharing. One thing I didn't hear you mention, for many folks who don't know, the studs in a wall are sixteen inches apart (center of a 2" stud. So actually 14" _space_ between studs) and most outlets are attached to a stud's edge and typically (not always) there is a support board under the outlet box. So if someone is struggling with spaces not adding up, this may be why. :-)
Yes trying to find wall studs can be difficult. I lucked out on having the sink centered between two studs. Thank you for the comment.
You are incorrect about the space between studs because 2" x 4" boards are actually 1 1/2" x 3 1/2". So, the space between studs is actually about 14 1/2".
Thank you for recording and uploading this because you've answered a lot of questions that I needed to have answered. I especially liked your explanation as to what you were doing and why.
Thanks for the comment. I have done a lot of DIY projects, but have only just started making and uploading videos. UA-cam is so helpful and I am glad to be contributing. Keep an eye on my channel, I have a few projects in the works.
Thank you for posting this. I am going to buy a mirrored cabinet for my bathroom but did not want to have it surface mounted. This looks easy enough. My wall is not an exterior wall though. I appreciate how you explained everything without using construction words.
Thank you for the comment. I tried to make it as simple as I could but still show everything. Good luck installing yours.
@@CHARLESCRANFORD well ... I ended up just putting a surface cabinet up because the space between my studs was only 18" and then I would have had to frame up the whole since I wanted at least a 24" cabinet. So ... it is good enough for the guys I go with. lol
@@olewhatsername2 At least you were able to do it yourself. Thank you for letting me know how it turned out.
I need to do the same thing on an interior wall. Finding the studs will be my challenge. Liked the vid and your method with the cardboard template, etc.
tie a magnet to a string and run the magnet back-and-forth along the wall...when the magnet stops, you've found a nail and the stud.
Outstanding job....something I'm wanting to do. Thanks much for sharing!
Thanks for the complement. It is always a little intimidating cutting a hole in a wall. I was lucky and the sink was perfectly centered between studs. Don't be afraid to do it yourself. It may seam intimidating, but in the end, it is just cutting a hole, framing out the box, and putting the cabinet in. Good luck.
No such luck on my end. I had to cut the studs and add headers and footers for both over my double vanity. At least that suits for the frame of the cabinet to slide right in. I couldn't hear the sound very well (watching outside), so excuse if you addressed this, but did you fasten the cabinet to the wall frame? I just saw you slide it in and end the video. I slid mine in and drilled holes in the 4 corner areas, then fastened the cabs with recessed screws, then covered the holes so they're invisible. I'd be nervous leaving them loose in there, sliding around when you open and close the doors.
good idea pre screwing the angled holes
Thank you.
Definitely helpful, thanks Charles!
Thank you for the comment.
Eazy pleazy. Great job.
With studs being placed on 16” centers the distance between facing sides of studs is 14.5”. But all the recessed cabinets I found at a big box store were 50” wide. How does one cut out a half inch without punching through the backside wall?
Helpful video; thank you for sharing! IMO, the two wood inserts ARE necessary... and after tapping the bottom 2x4, he should've made sure it was level, before securing the screws....just sayin'.
Thank you for sharing. My wife always jokes, since a slightly unlevel shower shelf install, that it is to allow water to run off. I had made my template, on the piece of cardboard, to mark the original cutout, with perfectly square corners. Since the studs are plumb, the top and bottom cuts would be level, and fit the cabinet. I felt that aligning the horizontal 2x4s to this cutout, would be closer to level than me using a level. (I always second guess my lining up the bubble) Thank you again for pointing this out.
@@CHARLESCRANFORD you are so darling thank you for that instruction video I had just watched one from Amazon while shopping for a recessed medicine cabinet and yours came up right after and it was great comparison of the two the only thing that you didn't do was use the level but I can see that you knew exactly what you were doing so good on you and thank you for being so personable
Good video. Clear and to the point. 👍👍
One question, what is the frame of the cabinet that recesses into the wall made from? Plastic? Metal?
I'm hoping you say 'plastic', though the price point suggests the answer will be metal.
I have a wall I want to do this with that is only framed with 2x3 metal studs, I wouldn't mind cutting the back of the cabinet off and making a new one if I needed to so it would still mount flush.
Thank you for the complement. The cabinet I used was a combination of plastic and aluminum. When shopping, I ran across all kinds of different cabinets. If you could not find one to fit flush, maybe you could fashion a frame around it to make it semi flush. I am guessing it would only stick out 1/2" an inch. I hope this helps. Good luck.
Thanks for sharing them to start my installation project tomorrow
You are welcome. Good luck with your project. I would love to see pictures. Thank you for the comment.
Excellent video. Thank you.
Thank you for the comment.
How long did that really take?
The better part of a day. It was easier to film than some of my projects simply because there was only one spot to put my camera in the small bathroom. Just like most things, the next time I have to mount a recessed cabinet, it would take half the time simply because it wouldn't be the first time. Good luck with your project.
Exterior wall here in NH would get mighty cold in the winter so I’m thinking a bead of insulation expanding foam along each 2x4 seam and a sheet of poly and foam-core behind the cabinet. Would that be overkill?
Not overkill at all, but necessary. If you took a shower, on a very cold day, you might have some frozen condensation on the aluminum frame. Thank you for the comment.
Where did you put the screws to hold the medicine cabinet I got one and I didn't Came with screws thank you
I have the four screws that came with the cabinet at 5:08 but I think that, when I videoed the actual screwing of the cabinet, you could not see anything so it did not make it to the final video. There were four holes on the sides of the cabinet made just for mounting it to studs. My cabinet came with the needed screws, but you could use wood screws. Thank you for the question and I hope that cleared it up for you.
Great & simple demo. Thank you! You had mentioned the top and bottom pieces of wood weren’t necessarily needed. So could the cabinet just be placed in the hole and screwed to the side beams without that bottom piece of wood installed? Also, did you use caulk to seal up around the cabinet to the wall? If so, what kind? Thanks!!
Thank you for the complement. You are correct, the cabinet had mounting holes on the sides just for securing it to the studs on each side. I wanted the top and bottom piece to keep drafts coming into the cabinet. I did not use any caulk, but if I had I would have used silicone. The other side of that wall is inside, on the stairs leading up to a bonus room above the garage, so it usually does not get as hot or cold as exterior walls. Good luck with your cabinet installation.
CHARLES CRANFORD thanks!
What are the chances the studs are exactly the width of your cabinet in the exact location? lol
They make the cabinets to fit between studs that are on a standard 16 inches, on center. Wider cabinets are made to fit between three or more studs. I was lucky that the existing sink was perfectly centered between the studs, or maybe the contractor, that installed the sink, knew what he was doing. If I wasn't that lucky, I would have just framed out the wall to fit the cabinet. Thank you for your comment, and good luck with installing your medicine cabinet.
Doesn’t the cold air come in through the cabinet with the insulation removed?
The other side of this wall is inside a garage. I haven't noticed any drafts around the cabinet. If I did notice drafts, I might line the wall with plastic air barrier, or use foam insulation. Thank you for the question.
4:09 finger banged LMAO
Nice catch. I have gotten to the point, that I know if I do certain things during videoing, I will not have to do certain things during editing. One of the things I refrain during videoing is using foul language, that would have to be edited out later. This is an example of one moment that I refrained from reacting to pain and using foul language. I have a future time lapse video of a fingernail injury growing out over time. Keep a look out, on my channel, for it. Thank you for the comment.
Can you open the cabinet door?
Yes. At 5:16 I open it partway. The cabinet I used had a mirror on the inside with two glass shelves. It also came with mirrors to cover the sides, if you were going to surface mount it without cutting the hole. I mounted those mirrors on the side and it turned out well. I didn't really show the finished product because I was wanting to make a video about mounting the cabinet, not the cabinet itself. Thank you for the question.
Great craftsmanship, Charles! How much did the cabinet cost?
I had been looking for a while at Home Depot, Lowes, and online. The one I got was on sale for about eighty dollars. It was normally $120. At first I thought it was not that great quality, but it turned out great. While shopping I found some low quality around $30 all the way up to some really nice ones for $400. I guess it depends on what you are looking for and what your budget is. Thanks for the question.
You can get them brand new as cheap as $20-30. You can get great deals on offer up as well.
thanks for doing this. cut my wall out with an orbital saw. You said you were using a craftsman multi tool (reciprocating); what is the name / number?
Thanks for the comment. I have also used jig saws for this type of work. I like the saw I used because I think they make less dust and I can better control the depth of the cut, which is important when there could be pipes or wires behind the wall. This is the Item # 00930566000P and Model # 30566 of the saw I used. Here is a link to sears sight: www.sears.com/craftsman-nextec-12v-multi-tool-with-quick-release/p-00930566000P?sid=IDx01192011x202447059&gclid=Cj0KCQiAkNfSBRCSARIsAL-u3X8ZaYY-Xia-RhdRg-jbwdG9BPS0FsoZSO8Srs8U8EW-v2EGEwilKxEaArE9EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CKXc68qaztgCFY9owQodMBcAbw I had been looking at all kinds of different multi tool saws and the main reason I got this one was that it was on sale.
Excellent. How long did this take you? (You make it look almost TOO easy, and I don't want it to turn into a huge project.)
It only took a couple of hours. It took me longer to find the cabinet that I wanted. I was almost going to custom make the cabinet until I found this one on sale. The main problems you could run into would be running into wires or pipes in the wall behind it. That is why I carefully cut the small hole first to have a feel around to check for wires and pipes. On the plus side the camera could pick up everything from one spot so I didn't have to move it around like I have to on some projects. Thank you for the question and good luck with your DIY projects.
@@CHARLESCRANFORD Sounds great, thanks!
Old apartment building. I wish the standard model recessed-cabinets would be flush to the wall. I just want to quickly install a Med-Cabinet over the existing recessed one, ...remove the old 70-year-old mirror (cut out the piano hinge). However, the old cabinet sticks out 3/4 of an inch from the wall, darn. I could still fasten and screw it to the wall and stop worrying about the gap it leaves. Hmm, freaking cheap millionaire landlords, what is the world becoming.
Wow, learn how to use a hammer like a man! Tap tap tap 37times; hit it like an adult
I was tapping it into place, not driving a nail. Thank you for the comment.
@@CHARLESCRANFORD I am well aware of what you were doing; my 9 year old nephew would have tapped it into place better and faster. Hopefully you have improved since then.
You skipped everything that was important.... fail
I thought I included everything. What is it you think I left out?