Can you hang a cabinet without attaching it to the back wall?

Karen
by Karen

We stacked our new washer and dryer to give us more room in our laundry area. I want to put up cabinets over and beside the appliances. 24" inch cabinets come out far enough that I can reach them over the dryer, but they're too deep--I'd never be able to reach the back. I'd like to build or buy 15-18" deep cabinets, which would be even with the front of the appliances, but hang them only from the sides, maybe with some sort of brace underneath. Can that be done?

  5 answers
  • Joy30150932 Joy30150932 on Feb 20, 2019

    You can buy all kinds of solid braces in order to attach a 2X10 shelf. This should give you enough strength to hang your cabinet. The braces will have to be attached to the studs at the back of the wall.

  • Bernie Moon Bernie Moon on Feb 20, 2019

    Just build tall cabinets with adjustable shelves and paint it.


    • Karen Karen on Feb 20, 2019

      I wish I could. Unfortunately, I can't build anything up from the floor because the dryer vent runs across the back of the area and exits through the floor. We need to be able to get to that, I have been told. Also, the appliance company tech who set up the W/D said that the area needed to be kept clear so that the units could be unstacked and serviced. Right now I plan to put the rolling laundry cart in the floor next to the W/D.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Feb 20, 2019

    I don't see any reason why it would not work. Think of shelves. Another option, consider putting pull outs in the 24" cabinets. You can use something like the Dollar Tree locker bins. I used them in my kitchen cabinets until I was able to purchase metal pull out devices.

  • Casey Casey on Feb 21, 2019

    Being on the short side myself, I understand your dilemma. I am sure you could put up some sort of cabinet/shelving above the front area of your appliances but I think, to be safe, you would also want to attach them to the back wall or a combination of along the sides and top. Pretty much everything I see people store in the laundry area is some sort of heavy product. You wouldn't want that thing to topple over on you.

    • Karen Karen on Feb 22, 2019

      Good idea to attach at the top. That hadn't occurred to me.

  • Oliva Oliva on Feb 22, 2019

    Check out Hafele.com website for a cabinet insert that pulls out then lowers down via hydraulics. It's designed for upper cabinets/to facilitate acces in hard to reach spaces and for handicapped use. It provides access to depth of cabinet.