doopstr

I'm in the process of replacing the recessed medicine cabinet in one of my bathrooms. I pulled the old one out and it looks like some framing was done at the top and bottom of the opening. The cabinet itself was screwed into studs that were on the left and right of it.

The new cabinet is larger so I had to cut out the lower piece of the framing and make the opening in the wall larger by cutting out some drywall.

My question is, do I really need this lower piece of framing if the screws going into the studs are holding the cabinet in place? If yes, how do I go about securing the new piece of wood to the studs without ripping out more drywall and hammering nails from the other side of the studs?

dallison

i don't see why you would need them, but i don't do much construction to know about that. but i would prob remove them with a sawzaw(sic) if not done already.

i would use long drywall screws to secure the new 2x4 if you are gonna install em

Scribesoft

If it's a load-bearing wall, I would replace the cross-bracing at the bottom. When they put items into the wall like a medicine cabinet, they frame it just like they would frame a window.

The reason for this is if there is a stud in the middle which was cut to allow for an item wider than the normal 16" OC between studs, they still need to maintain the strength that cut stud would have had.

If there is no cut stud in the middle and the entire cabinet fits between 2 studs (meaning it's less that 16" wide), I see no reason to replace it. You also wouldn't need to replace it if it's not a load-bearing wall.

If you have this you shouldn't need to replace it(the pipes are studs):

| |
| Medicine cabinet |
| |




If you have this, you will need to replace it:

| | |
| Medicine cabinet |
| | |

I hope my poor attempt at a drawing with text and pipes makes sense.

EDIT: Damn it!! It keeps moving my pipes to the left. I'll post again with a picture in a few.

Scribesoft

OK, I pilfered this picture from the web (HammerZone.com for reference). If you see the jack studs shown in the picture, then you definitely need to replace the bottom sill.

If the cabinet is simply suspended between two 16" OC studs, you're fine without replacing it.

If you do need to replace it, you can shoot nails straight into the jack studs below it and at a 45-deg. angle into the studs on the side. You don't have to rip out the wall to go from the outside.

Here's the pic I'm referring to:

doopstr

Thanks for the pic. There are no jack studs. I don't know if the wall is load bearing or not. But check out the big ass pipe that was run through the studs. BTW there is another board right under the pipe so I'm going to assume that I don't need to put another board in.

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Scribe, that's for replacing a window not a medicine cabinet.

ABSOLUTELY no need to replace that lower brace. Use coarse thread drywall screws (2 per side), three if you're really worried and the house will fall down before the medicine cabinet does.

Scribesoft

Yeah, I understand that, but if your putting anything in a "load-bearing" wall which is wider than 16" and need to split a stud, you have to frame it the same way. Whether it's a medicine cabinet, window or whatever. In that case, it's necessary for the strength of the wall or you would end up with a weak spot with a 32" gap between studs.

Now that I see his pics, I see no need for the cross member at all.