Hang cabinet in bathroom but studs?? (I'm a novice)

[John2005]

Hi all

So I'm trying to see if it is possible to put a cabinet in our bathroom. The walls appear hollow compared to my last place but from what I've researched, there should be "studs" at various points. So I have a few questions....

1) Can you hang small cabinets on what I assume is the plasterboard? itself? So far I've seen no is the answer here leading to my next question...
2) What happens if the studs are too far apart compared to the screw points of the cabinet you're screwing on and want it to sit flush with the wall?
3) Is there anyway to know 100% that what I put a nail into will be the stud? I've seen these various detectors and I have now got one but everywhere I've seen - seems to go down the "cover my company route" and say things like "Should be...." "Most likely" etc etc when it comes to detecting the studs...

 

[foxhole]

Select position and mark out , try screw, if it hits stud it will pull tight if not removed and use a plasterboard fixing.

 

[rsgaz]

What happens if the studs are too far apart compared to the screw points of the cabinet you're screwing on and want it to sit flush with the wall?

Say for example your cabinet has four fixing points, one in each corner. Use plasterboard fixing for all four, but then, add an extra screw at the top where there is a stud. A single 2 inch number 8 screw into a stud can take more than my body weight, even in a cantilever load.

A neodymium magnet is cheap and will find the screws that hold the plasterboard to the stud. Wrap it in sellotape first as the nickel plating can 'draw' on the wall. Don't forget to think about where there might be cables and/or pipes inside the wall.