Installing a 24" X 30" Lavatory Wall Cabinet

Equipment and Supplies

To get started, gather the following items:

• 24" x 30" wall cabinet
• 6 to 9 three-inch wood screws
• drill bit which mates up to wood screws
• drill
• drill bit chuck
• stud finder
• tape measure
• pencil
• electrical outlet
• extension cord

Setting Up the Drill and Power Supply

One of the first things to do is to set up the drill:

1. Insert the drill bit into the end of the drill. If the hole is not large enough for the drill bit to fit, turn the end of the drill clockwise until large enough.
2. With the drill bit inserted, tighten it down by putting the drill bit chuck into one of the three holes located on the end of the drill, and turning counterclockwise.
3. Plug the extension cord into the nearest electrical outlet.
4. Take the power cord on the drill and plug it into the opposite end of the extension cord.

To choose and mark a good spot on the wall for the cabinet:

1. Locate approximately where you want to hang your cabinet.
2. Press the stud finder flat against the wall. Run it horizontally right to left very slowly until the needle points straight out towards you. When this occurs, you have found a stud.
3. Mark where the stud is with your pencil.
4. Locate one more stud adjacent to the first one and mark it also. This step will guarantee that your wall cabinet will be very secure after it is hung.
5. To decide where the base of your cabinet will be, measure down from the ceiling and make two marks below your stud marks. These are your bottom alignment marks.
6. Next, measure the width between the stud marks (the stud width measurement). The stud width measurement is critical in the hanging step.

Preparing the Wall Cabinet

To get the cabinet ready to be mounted on the wall:

1. Lay the wall cabinet on its back and open the cabinet door.
2. To mark where the screws will go, take the stud width measurement and center it inside the wall cabinet.
3. Make two marks at the top, middle, and bottom of the inside of the cabinet. On the outside of the wall cabinet, on the bottom, make the same two marks.
4. Leaving the wall cabinet on its back, drill the screws one by one partially into the indicated marks.

Hanging the Wall Cabinet

To hang the wall cabinet:

1. Lift the wall cabinet and press it to the wall near your stud marks and bottom alignment marks.
2. Line up the screws with the stud marks and the bottom of the wall cabinet with the bottom alignment marks. To do this, you might need someone to hold the wall cabinet for you.
3. Take the drill in one hand while holding the wall cabinet with the other. Start at the top and insert the drill bit in the head of screw. Pressing very hard, screw in the top two screws.

   Caution:
   
   Hold the cabinet well until the remaining screws are screwed in.
   

4. Before screwing in the remaining screws, doublecheck the bottom of the wall cabinet to make sure it is still aligned correctly with the bottom alignment marks:
   • If it is, then screw in remaining screws and your cabinet should be secured tightly.
   • If the wall cabinet is unaligned, loosen one of the top screws, align correctly, and screw in remaining screws.