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It’s best to stick with lightweight cabinets, such as medium-density fiberboard, if you don’t have a wall stud to secure them to. Unless you’re attaching the cabinet to a flat board attached to wall studs, it’s best not to risk it with heavy cabinetry or contents. Solid wood cabinets and heavy dishware should be avoided if you cannot secure the cabinet to a wall stud. Either way, always check the weight on your wall anchors and be sure not to exceed it.

In many homes, upper cabinets are installed with a 1- to 2-foot gap between the tops and the ceiling. However, many homeowners extend their cabinets to the ceiling to gain extra storage and a polished, built-in look.

There are three primary ways to attach upper kitchen cabinets to a wall, and installers may use more than one method at a time. The most common method is to drive screws through the back of the cabinets and into studs in the wall behind. Sometimes cabinets are glued to the wall with strong adhesive. Often a combination of screws and adhesive is desirable. The last way is by hanging the cabinets on hardware brackets that attach to the wall before cabinet installation.

Storage cabinets can be custom or standard, depending on the purpose of the cabinet, size of your space, and available materials. If you’re looking to build something to a standard size, the usual range for cabinet dimensions are as follows:

• Height: 12 inches–42 inches

• Width: 12 inches–36 inches

• Depth: 16 inches–24 inches 

Taller cabinets typically have a height of 84 inches, 90 inches, and 96 inches.