What’s the preferred method in hanging kitchen cabinets? Do you drill pilot holes in the back rails (and maybe also into the wall studs)and then insert your screws? Or do you simply use your drill/driver or impact driver to screw through the back rails and into the studs?
Thanks
Rick
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I use 1/2" melamine backs rather than rails and pre-drill for two reasons. I use Fast-Caps as screw covers and want a consistent countersink. Also, melamine tends to flake if you try to drive the screw head flush with the back; it can leave a bit of a mess.
Pilot holes can help because you're often in an awkward position (on a ladder, etc.) when trying to get the screws started.
Concurr with the others; pilot holes in the melamine and white truss-head screws. No countersink.
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How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....
I always bore clearance holes through the back of the cabinets or rails depending on cabinet style. No pilots into studs.
Clearance hole is larger than a pilot. Just barely grips the screw and strips readily as the cabinet is tightened to the wall.
GRK truss head screws for hanging.
I do this primarily to avoid "surprises" - AKA, missing the stud with the screw.
Jim
3/16" holes pre-drilled to line up with the studs. Shims to make sure face of the cabinet installs level and stright.
Saw a pretty cool fastening screw for cabs I may try on a new kitchen/great room I started.
the screw backs in and out pulling and pushing the cabs instead of needing shims.
Anyone try em?
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pilot holes is OK..
You got studs located, it's an easy thing to transcribe those locations to the back of the cab, drill pilot holes and there's where to start the screws.
I not only use the fastcaps, but I use the fastcap special drill for their screws, so although I do have to bore on the inside with their special drill, I don't have to worry about cleaning up pencil marks afterwards. I've hung a lot of cabs with oridinary screws without call back, but do really like the wide bearing surface of the fastcaps.
Course, if yer using cabs with the 1/4" back and the wimpy fastening backers, you likely only got two or four fastening points. But if you use 1/2 or 5/8 you got so many other options for fastening points (who knows, you might even help straighten the studs!!)
Drilling pilot holes from the back is way faster than locating 4 or more individual holes inside the cabinets, avoids errors in calculating and cleaning up afterwards. It really is simpler, faster, less error prone, and fits my bill...
If the stud happens to fall really close to a gable and the fastcaps drill bit won't do, I've ground down a spade bit to allow me to get up close and personal to the gable, and still use a fastcaps.
just my thoughts
Eric
The Fastcap Powerhead screws are great.
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I like clear finished birch for cabinet interiors with 1/2" plywd backs so you can fasten anywhere, countersink and use adhesive birch circle veneer caps to cover.
Jeff
Edited 11/28/2009 8:36 am ET by Jeff_Clarke
I do neither. I use the 'French Cleat," made popular by California closets.
The short version is that I install a nice, easy-to hang rail on the wall, a matching rail on the cabinet, then simply set the cabinet on the rail. Done.
thats a dutch cleat
if it was french someone would have to surrender to something
French cleat is a great system. Rockler is sellling steel sets.
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http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=347&filter=cleat