This is actually a continuation of a question on attaching kitchen cabinets that I posted some weeks ago. However, I am too lazy at the moment to look it up, so will create a new one.
Revamping the electrical was taking too much time, so I hired someone to actually install some of the kitchen cabinets. He seemed to know what he was doing. However, he installed only two top and two bottom screws to the 28″ upper cabinets to attach them to the wall. Being of the “too much is just enough” school of construction, I will add about three more screws to each cabinet.
I am curious as to whether the standard procedure is to add all the screws to the 1″ of the support rail that extends above the top of the cabinet or whether it would add strength to add the screws inside the cabinets near the top. The wall is 8 1/2 feet high with the top of a double plate at 96″ in the wall, so I have plenty or space to install a number of screws. The screws that I have are 8×3″ cabinet hanging screws with painted heads, so exposed heads will not look all that bad.
I guess my concern is that the support rail is 1/2″ particle board (the cabinet sides are plywood) and I would prefer more than about a 5/8″ strip of the of particle board support rail to support the weight of the whatever will be in the cabinet.
Replies
Bear in mind too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. He has four screws in it already, usually one does not install lower screws they don't do much. Two proper screws on a cabinet up to 30" is pretty good, three for anything beyond if you can is good too. Why do I say too many can be bad? Because he may have insterted shims as he went along behind the rail if you go puting in more with out shimming you can twist the rail and pop the backs if you bear down too much on the new screw, you may not know when to stop turning because the back is flexing due to no shim.
Each manufaturer is different I would place the screws where they sugest, but they usually go on the inside of the cab below the top through the rail. The shelves transfer weight to the sides, the sides to the top shelf, the top shelf to the rail below it. I think you are okay they way he did it. If you want go one more.
Wallyo
Edited 2/22/2008 12:26 am ET by wallyo
Edited 2/22/2008 12:27 am ET by wallyo
One thing I would say is that what are these screws going into? If you're just screwing into the sheetrock, you can put a lot in and they aren't doing much, but if you have two into studs, then you've got some support. If his four screws went into studs, (the screws most likely are 16" apart then) then it's fine. Adding screws into drywall is futile.
Edit: If you are really concerned about having a lot of weight in the cabinet and it won't be adequately supported, use French cleats. Add a bevelled 1x4 to the back of the cabinet near the top and screw a matching beveled 1x4 to the walls (into studs--you could use 2 screws one above the other into each stud) and when the cabinets go up, the bevels "lock" and everything is well supported.
Edited 2/22/2008 7:06 am ET by Danno
Wallyo -
Good point on the shims but I checked and the cabs are flat against the wall. No shims or any place to put them. Danno -
The existing two screws/cab plus those I will install at the top of the cabs are all going into the double top plate, which are 2x4s The screws should hit them right in the middle of the 2x side, so should have lots of holding power. Not worried about the studs or the top plate - it is the 1/2" of particle board above the screws on the top fastening rail that I wonder as to the strength.
Put in as many drywall screws as you can. :)
Pete Duffy, Handyman
Right! Piffin screws forever.....