Hanging upper cabinets without studs?
Hi!
I'm installing two 15" cabs on either side of my window.. while my studs are roughly 16" on center. Due to the design I do have a couple studs closer than that, but due to the cabinet side panels/lips it won't lay directly over 2 studs.
- The black lines are where my studs are.
- The highlighted ones are the ones I plan to use.
- On the right side of the kitchen, I don't have an upper corner cabinet so it's just dead space, and the 15" and 33" cabs will be connected using filler pieces.
So I think I am OK with the left 15" cab cause I will have 2 studs to secure to (1 on the side, and 1 in the back). Does this seem OK?
The 15" cab on the right side of the window is where I'm not sure how to secure. I hate the idea of securing to 1 stud and then relying on anchors for the other side of the cab, but without tearing down the wall and installing support boards, are anchors my only option? I've heard of toggle bolts being useful? Anybody have success using anchors/toggle bolts and not have their cabinets come crashing down?
My walls are 1" thick. The outer 0.5" is plaster and the back 0.5" is drywall.. it's a 1952 home so not sure why the walls were built that way.
Thanks for any input!
Comments (11)
mama goose_gw zn6OH
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoShort of removing part of the wallboard to add blocking between the two studs, can you use 2x4 blocking, top and bottom, in the void to the right of the cabinet, bolted through the middle stud and a corner stud? (red line)
ETA, if there isn't a stud in the corner, then attach a 2x4 vertically to the middle stud, and secure the cabinet through the sides.
Heather L thanked mama goose_gw zn6OHRelated Discussions
Screwing in picture rails to studs so we can hang heavy pictures?
Comments (19)Quite frankly it would be easier to make the drive and hang the mirror / picture/ piano or whatever than to write a step by step description on hanging a cleat system but here goes ONE: Locate and mark a level line where object is to be hung on wall, TWO: Pre-drill the wall side cleat for the number of anchors that is determined to be used, for a 40# mirror that is lets say 24" wide I would suggest 3 alligators. http://www.toggler.com/products/alligator/installation.php or sharkies: http://www.powers.com/product_07585.php One in the center and one on each side 3" - 5" inches from the ends, place the cleat at the the marked location and using a pencil through the holes mark the wall then set the cleat aside and using a 1/4" masonry bit drill through the plaster ( if you are lucky you could hit lath and wont have to use the anchors, just drywall screws ) insert the alligator and gently tap in with a hammer until flush to the wall (check the manufactures instructions). Using flat head screws tighten the cleat to the wall. THREE: Locate the other half of the cleat to the object being hung and attach it using an appropriate sized flat head screws and place your object just above the wall cleat slide it down and your done. Make sure that you understand the cleat system: http://www.google.ca/search?q=%22french+cleat%22&hl=en&num=10&lr=&ft=i&cr=&safe=images I have literally used thousands of the alligator wall anchors in all sorts of materials and as far as I know there was never any failures with them. Stud attachment isn't necessary for this hanging system... the plaster literally does the holding...See MoreAny downside to hanging upper cabinets lower than 18'?
Comments (12)What they said. ^ I'd also say that it all depends on how many uppers you have and whether they form a solid bank around the perimeter of the entire space. If you're working with a kitchen designer, he can help ensure that your tops all work out the right way (staggered or even, depending on your planned look). My caveats, to be responsible about bucking the norm and why I did it: -- I have as much counter space without uppers as I do with, so I have plenty of room for freakishly tall appliances, should I ever need them. -- I cook a lot with very varied ingredients and tools and want things close at hand. -- My kitchen is fairly bright & sunny. I'm 5'8" or so and have never had a kitchen where I felt so comfortable working; friends who cook here tell me this all the time too. I think it's got a lot to do with the ease of these lowered uppers -- one of those small unnoticeable things like the tilt of a chair that you don't realize you'd been missing until you adjust it. I'll link a favorite article on kitchen ergonomics from Starcraft Builders, below: Here is a link that might be useful: mise-en-place: what we can learn from commercial kitchen design...See Moreonly one stud to hang heavy cabinet?????????
Comments (17)Thanks, some good advice today. I already did one room and I can assure that my 10K of cabs looks like 10K of cabs. This is my not my first time hanging cabs. But it is the first time the studs wouldn't line up. I'm sure I am being paranoid about support since the old cabs were much heavier, only one screw and a short one at that. I like the advice about installing support attached to the studs to screw into. It won't make too much of a mess....See MoreFinally mounted upper kitchen cabinet to sloped wall!
Comments (7)let's try this again. what i'm saying is take down your cabinet and the 2x4 s behind it. find two 2x6s and cut them the same length as the cabinet is tall. cut the lumber,across the face to form a wedge that follows the angle of the wall ,the other edge gives you a vertical surface to mount the cabinet to. go to the hardware store with one piece of the cut 2x6 and ask the guy for screw bolts and washers long enough to go out the back by 2 1/2 to 3 inches. a drill bit long enough to go through the width of the 2x6. you will need at least 2 bolts per side, 3 would be better. after you drill the holes in the 2x6s ,you will need to counter sink them . counter sinking is simply removing enough wood around the head so the bolt head is flush with the surface of the wood. that way the heads don't push into the cabinet back. once you have the 2x6s mounted to the studs , screw the cabinet in place. let me know how it's going. p.s. the dry wall screws you are using tend to snap off at the head under stress....See More
Heather L
7 years agoThanks for the input everybody!
For the left cabinet, I think we're securing 2 screws to the stud and then using 2 toggle bolts. Then we'll be adding a filler piece and securing to the stud on the adjacent wall.. that's 6 secures total and hopefully should be good.For the right cabinet, I'm following mama goose_gw zn6OH's suggestion of adding a 2x4 to the side of the cabinet, and then securing the 2x4 to the stud. That same cabinet will also have 2 screws in the back to the left stud (next to the window) and 2 toggle bolts in the back. That's 6 secures total.
O - are toggle boltsx - are cabinet screws
The toggle bolt I'm using is rated for 265 lbs and will be in 1" thick wall so hopefully everything together will be strong enough.
I'd much prefer attaching everything to studs, but cutting out the plaster walls is a huge mess and we just got done finishing all the walls... I'll report back if any of my cabinets fall. :Dkudzu9
7 years ago
Russ Barnard
7 years ago
Joseph Corlett, LLC