Hi there, I need some help with my DIY (reffiting Kitchen). I have not done anything close to this before but i figured out that if i am able to replace car engine valves, suspensions, pads and discs (reading manuals) then i there is a strong possibility that i should be competent enough to handle home DIY tasks (with help of course). My DIY tasks are kithen & bathroom refit/rebuild My semi detached house is a new build(1990) hence the inner shell plasterboards and stud walls I have gone down to B&Q and bought all the kitchen units... needed after carefull measurements My kitchen is of the size 2580 X 2470 mm. The current worktop is laid out in a u-shape pattern with base cabinets under them. However, the wall units is only on one wall (i.e proper wall between the two houses). The wall that separates my kitchen from the lounge is a stud wall, and there does not seem to be much support in it, explains why original builders never hung wall cabinets on it. I could have just replaced kitchen units using the current configuration to make my job simpler, but I figured out i could do with the extra cabinets. I also figured out that lessons learned on re-doing the stud wall could be an added bonus just in case i plan to do the bathroom myself which would be more complicated So, now that i know that the stud wall in question cannot hold up the cabinets and i have not exatcly opened up the wall to see what lies behind, I have an idea (in theory) that worked to be done to reinforce the stud work would be to 1)take off the plasterboard on that side of the wall and install Vertical timbers(..dont know which wood..) in the stud from ground to ceiling to almost act as load bearing 2) Install horizontal timbers between the vertical ones above for added support as well as points to attach the wall cabinets 3) put up new plaster boards again... the Questions.... 1) Is my theory right or just plain rubbish?, suggestions are highly appreciated 2) How easy/difficult is this job? 3) How difficult is it replacing the plaster board currectly? 4) Assuming i want to get someone in just to reinforce the stud wall, what ball park figure should i be looking at? Thanks very much cooa99
why not just use these to fix your wall brackets Mungo Easi-Driver Metal 32mm Pack of 100 hope the link works
just had a look at that now. But wont that just spell disaster. Afterall the existing plasterboard wall will have to take the weight of 625mm corner wall cabinet + 500mm wall cabinet which are already heavy units without even having anything in them
2) Install horizontal timbers between the vertical ones above for added support as well as points to attach the wall cabinets so far so good Now instead of pBoard over the whole wall clad over stud work with 18mm ply about 150mm wide then plasterboard upto the ply this will save you having to find the NOGGINS youve put in and will give you a strong fix also it will behidden behind the wall units!
Mate i totally agree with glint, you can also add extra angle brackets to the top of the units for extra fixings where they wont be seen. You can usually find the existing studwork with these additional fittings and get a good size screw in there and its going nowhere. I wouldnt even consider going down your route and ive come across it many times with no problems. Hope this helps. Stuart Wilkins
and I totaly agree with tocordornottocord! get the 18mm ply from top to bottom and job's safe and sound. I use the mungo fittings and i like them, but i wouldn't trust them to hold the full weight of a kitchen cabinet. Its not the fastenings that's in question but the plasterboard and the weight loadings on plasterboard are something like 25-32kg a square mtr, i'm sure a kitchen cabinet, when full, would exceed that.
Stuart wilkins! you cannot and should not really on plasterboard to carry weight, and as for finding studwork, thats all well and good but 9-10 stud walls are 450- 600 centers and unless the kitchen is planned with this in mind the chances of you findin 1 stud per unit are slim, also extra brackets, ok each to their own! personally i NKOW that with a band of 18mm ply 150mm wide fixed to ALL studs on that run WILL NOT LET ME DOWN! as i said each to there own.
I have for donkeys years been an advocate of Toggle fixings on plasterboard. To my knowledge I have never had an issue with wall hangers pulling off. If you look at the loadings, the weight bears down not pulls out. I would not use the driver fixings (by whatever manufacturers brand) as they are always likely to fail by the nature of how they break into the platsterboard and their shape ie the fatter towards the outside. Correctly using Toggles ie drilling and using correct insertion tool has always worked for me and most fitters I know. I only go to the extent of cutting and fixing ply or additional nogging if I am installing 900 units or island extractors. Hope this helps
Ok, Will go down the vertical stud and ply route I also got some info on cabinet hanging rail like one sold by woodfit. I'll cost me extra £20 to have it delivered by friday. can you guys think of any highsteet chain that also sells them? In between the wall corner and the first vertical stud, there is a 1 or 2 water pipes. what do i need to do to put a vertical stud it taking account of copper water pipe going from ground to ceilin? cheers cooa99
Assuming that your wall units have got the usual adjustable hangers on the back you should use a continuous hanging rail (get them from woodfit). You throw away the little 2" long brackets that come with the wall units and use the long strip instead. It is punched at intervals (typically 1") so you can fix it to every vertical stud. I also put in intermediate fixings using toggler fixings into the plasterboard though that is probably overkill. Since the strip is long you cut it to total length of the cabinet run, it's dead easy to get it level and then drop the units onto it. Also very useful if fixing to a wall where there are cables or pipes hidden or the structure is dodgy since you can put in lots of fixings where ever you want.
I use these cabinet hanging rails all the time from woodfit. They are very handy and help spread the load of a good run of wall units. Quite handy on plasterboard walls. As you can nearly every time find the stud work due to the multi holes, and the 2 meter lengths they come in. That way if your lucky you dont need to rip down part of the wall to find the stud work. I just make small holes along the wall until i find the stud work and the holes will be covered by the wall units. As for the pipes. Thats what the hanging rails are designed for as well. As they have multi holes in them you can off set the support holes to clear the pipe work, but still have a good amount of fixings. tony
Must of been replying as you just sent yours Binfield. Similar kind of answer. Great minds think alike.
Thanks Guys, i have ordered the rail from woofit so will be getting it tomorrow!. Brings me to other questions worktops ------------- Kitchen unit i am installing is the Cherry Mordern Style from B&Q. I had a look at the laminates sold at B&Q but was not sure if they are of best quality. Any recomendations on brands to look at?. wall/under cabinet Lighting ------------------------------------- where should i take the power supply from? wall lighting switch which will be a real pain and almost impossible? or from the closest 13amp wall socket? cheers
Duropal , Axiom or bushboard they are the BETTER ones IMO Cant beleive i didnt think of the woodfit hanging rail DOH
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