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I’m having a hard time figuring it all out. My cabinet has a 1/4″ back to it. The hot and cold water disconnects and dishwasher shutoff will all be beneath the sink as well as the electrical outlets for the garbage disposal and dishwasher. the faucet comes out of the wall. the garage below is fully accessible. To try and cut separate holes in the back of the cabinet seems like it will be a nightmare trying to line everything up in exactly the right location but I want it to look nice. Should I just cut a big square opening in the back of the cabinet and leave the sheetrock exposed? I could run metalic conduit up through the floor of the cabinet and put a surface box on the back for the outlets.
Anyone have any suggestions?
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Why not make a cardboard template to get it exact, then use it to mark locations on the back of the cabinet?
*I'm with Bake. Use a template. Even though you will hardly ever see it, you will still appreciate the neat job of having everything line up in exactly the right location. Take your time and you can do it.I think it's easier to line up stuff coming through the wall than through the floor. It becomes much more difficult when stuff is coming through both.Rich Beckman
*You'll find everyone has a favorite method. Mine is:Plumbing stubs, hot, cold and drain, come out of the wall behind the cabinet. Careful measurements then a 2 1/2" holesaw for the drain and 1" hole or spade bit for the supplies. Push the sink base into position and fasten. Escutcheons over the stubs and then the valves and fittings. A double outlet valve on the hot side feeds the sink faucet and the dish washer. Some like to tee the stub and use separate valves.Dish washer power is a home run to the panel so tbe flex can come out of the wall in the dish washer cavity with sufficient slack to allow the machine to be pulled from its cavity without disconnecting if necessary. Water supply is a flexible braided line made specifically for the application and is also long enough to run from the valve under the sink, through a small hole in the rear side of the sink base. Assuming that the dishwasher is located next to the sink. Drain hose is supplied with the dishwasher and is usually long enough to loop up to the top of the rear side of the sink base, through a small hole and then down to the tap on the disposal. Don't forget to knock out the seal in the tap of the new disposal. Some locations require an air gap. Check the rules.Disposal also gets a home run to the panel with a detour to the operating switch so the flex comes through the back wall of the sink base at a convenient height. With enough slack it is an easy job. Just measure for the hole as if it were another plumbing stub.If you feel you must have a local disconnect or are not hard wiring the units, then a surface mount or an old work box can be used. With a 1/4" back I think I would use the old work box let in close to the rear side for added stiffness. You cut your holes through the back of the sink base and the drywall at the same time, missing the stud and the other plumbing, and at the right place because you measured where the home run came through the drywall. Pull your wires into the box and then mount the box.
*With a level and plumb line on the wall that corresponds to the top and center of the cabinet, you should be able to lay out the locations on the b backof the cab. Drill an 1/8" hole through from the back at the centers of your penetrations. Finish from the inside of the cab with hole saws maybe 1/4" bigger than needed for a tite fit. You need to cap the supply lines, no stops installed. Any penetrations from the bottom would be way easier to install after the cab is set. You can make a template if you're afraid of your original layout. No matter how many base cabinets I set, there's still a sigh of relief when those holes line up. And do be careful when you turn from wall to back of cabinet.....
*Hey, just whack out a hole big enough for everything with a Sawzall. Based on some of the installers around here that is the preferred method.Uggghhhhh!
*Yep. Just what a plumber would do.
*Now Ralph!Grin!I know we have a reputation for being butchers. That is a deserved reputation. Unfortunalely.I don't butcher and the people I work for both know the difference and appreciate it.
*whatever would be simpler for you.i'm lead to believe you had neither a gd of dw before.yes, you can remove the back from the cabinet. prime and 2 coats of paint on the wall before installation. rather than run the conduit through the floor of the cab, run in from the dishwasher space through the side of the cab. drill hole after cab is set. i would position box behind dw and position gd switch above this in an old work box. blind fish romex through the stud cavity through a hole at the new electrical box position. then fish conduit through hole in side of cab and connect to gd. run conduit to dw electrical connections.you may not want to because you seem to have decided on using corded electrical connections for your appliances. but you need to decide how you're going to install your switch for the gd.use exterior watertight box on surface mount for electrical instead of a simple utility box. brian
*All good advice. I like the idea of the cardboard template. I went ahead and roughed in an adjustable single gang box for the electrical which will allow me to bring it out flush with the inside of the cabinet and finish off with a cover plate. All of my wiring connections, including my switch leg for the gd are in 2 deep j-boxes in the garage so that left me ample room in the outlet boxes upstairs in the kitchen. Bad news is that my existing drain tap for the sink is at 22" and the plumber is coming tomorrow to sawzall the sucker and lower it. Didn't feel like tackling this plumbing job on my own.Thanks for all the good tips.