I am building some cabinets to be hung from as yet unbuilt wall.
I want to build the wall from 25 or 26 gauge steel studs (whatever they sell at Home Depot/Menards) instead of woood studs.
Will screwing the cabinets into the metal studs be enough support?
Brian Elfert
No, typically plywood is added between the studs & drywall for these applications
Is the wall in the basement? If so then no - too much rust potential. I would _guess_ at the same issue in a kitchen. Others may have different opinions.
...Otherwise someone else can answer as I don't know. But if I were making the wall I would install cross bracing where I was going to place the wall and "make it work". Probably by making sure those studs had "hangers".
As others have said, no unless plywood is added where the cabinets are to hang. Why would you want steel studs? Do you live in Hawaii where termites are a significant problem?
Dave
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Weight. Wood studs are much heavier than steel.
I'm converting a semi trailer to an RV. I plan to use 2x3 metal studs to frame walls inside of the regular trailer walls. I can then add wiring and insulation easily. the cabinets will hang on these walls.
Brian Elfert
Why? If the cabinets have backs, and are screwed to the studs, why is this less reliable than screwing a piece of plywood to the same studs?
Considering the weight of a semi trailer, do you think that wood studs would make a noticeable difference considering every thing else that will go into the trailer. Is 14,600 pounds going to be much worse than 14,000 pounds?
Because the studs are only about 1/16" thick. The screw could easily be pulled back out compared to being screwed in to 2 or 3" of wood.
What's the plywood attached to? :)
How about wood studs only where the cabinets need to screw in?
When in doubt, Build it stout!
Brian, Very interesting project. For RV use, I would consider using smaller studs, say 2" x 2". And where loads exist for cabinets and fixtures, I would inlay some plywood or 1" x 4"s for securing the cabinets. All screws eventually work loose in RVs. I would also consider not using drywall behind the cabinets and use 1/4" plywood instead. This way you will save a considerable amount of weight and be able to secure the cabinets using a French cleat system. (French cleat - a board ripped in half at 45 deg. One half of the cleat attached to the wall and the other mating half attached to the cabinet.)
Dave
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I think metal studs are only designed to carry a vertical load, by attaching the plywood , you are spreading that load out over a 4' by 8' span
Where did this "2 or 3" of wood" suddenly come from?
I was commenting on the comment that said that "plywood" would be an improvement. But this very same plywood screws into the very same studs, so I fail to see an advantage.
Now if you're suggesting a 2 x 3 stud inside the metal studs for a backup "nailer" then we are on the same page. That's what I would do. Pretty much like is sometimes done for door and window openings.
>
And using more screws to attach it. While the weight of a cabinet might be enough to pull four screws out of the metal studs, it will not pull four properly-sized screws out of plywood, nor will it be enough to pull out, say, two dozen screws holding the plywood to the studs. (Numbers picked out of the air to illustrate the point. Direct relationship to reality should not be assumed.)
-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt. And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?
2x2s would probably work as that is what wood framed RVs are generally built from. The only reason for thicker studs would be for insulation. They make special electrical boxes for RVs that fit in a 2x2 wall.
Someone else mentioned drywall. I didn't mention drywall and have plans to use it. 1/4" plywood covered with something is what I am planning to use. I'm not sure if 1/4" plywood will really hold up cabinets.
Brian Elfert
I'm not sure I want to go with metal studs yet. I figured I needed to be sure I could attach my cabinets before choosing metal or wood studs.
Wood studs would be less expensive but heavier.
Brian Elfert
Brian,
I am a carpenter and was doing the exact same thing at Montreal's City Hall. We were building a new kitchen for the blue collar works and commercial code states that metal studs are to be used because of fire code. So here is what I did. Metal studs are in a shape of a U and always face the same direction. Where you plan to put your cabinets, you need to add a piece of stud about
12" long in the opposite direction. So that the 12" stud will face the 8' stud(the U's will face eachother). Since the studs are 16" on center...you can cut a piece of 3/4" plywood 12"x15-1/2". Use 3/4" drywll screws. Do not use the self-tapping kind(silver). They will just burn the wood and will spin. But since you are turning a semi to an RV...if it will be on the road, I would use 2"x6" pine instead of plywood between the studs. It's cheap and it will hold your cabinets without a glitch.Good luck,
Patrick
You're thinking of drywall, and you won't use wooden studs because of the weight?
This does not compute.
Opps. Should say I have NO plans to use drywall.
Brian Elfert
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