Reattaching a wall cupboard to plasterboard wall

[Murmansk]

I have been asked to reattach a kitchen high up wall cupboard that has fall en off the wall

The cupboard was attached to a wall which as far as I can see consists enti rely of plasterboard and it was attached at each of the two back corners us ing plasterboard fixings which have simply pulled out of the wall because o f the weight of the cupboard.

I have yet to closely to examine the wall to find out if there are any wood en uprights behind the plasterboard panel, but my initial exploration by ta pping the wall seems to suggest that there is absolutely no woodwork anywhe re behind the plasterboard in the area in which the cupboard needs to be at tached.

I'm going to start off my exploration by drilling lots of small holes acros s the panel of plasterboard to try and find some solid upright piece of woo d behind the plasterboard.

I'd like to support this cupboard using a long strip of wood at the back of the cupboard just under the top edge but my problem is how to attach this to a wall which is so insubstantial.

Irrespective of whether I find any wooden uprights behind the plasterboard I'm thinking that I could screw a large piece of plywood to the wall roughl y the same size as the cupboard and at the top of this piece of ply I could attach a strip of wood which will support the cupboard, I am hoping that t he plywood would distribute the weight of the cupboard sufficiently to allo w the strip of wood to hold the weight of the cupboard.

I would plan to cut a strip out of the back panel of the cupboard with my m ulti tool to allow the strip of wood on the wall to come into the back of t he cupboard just below the top panel then I'd screw the top panel to the pi ece of wood with some screws going through top panel

I'm wondering what people think of my idea and whether there are any better suggestions

An added complicating factor in the story is that I don't have anybody to h elp me do this so I need to get something screwed to the wall which will be ready just to receive the cupboard in one go instead of having to mess abo ut holding it up and adjusting etc

[Tim Watts]

Could the wall be dot and dab onto brick/block? If so, I know what you need (and so do a few others).

You'll find hard bits by tapping every 40-50cm in seemingly random places.

[newshound]

IME it is normally easier to put a batten under the *bottom* edge. Although this will subsequently be visible, it may be a useful place to put cup hooks to hang kitchen spoons, spatulas, etc.

The point is, with a strong bottom edge fitting you can rest the cupboard on that and then either a reliable (but not necessarily strong) pair of hands to hold it on the ledge while you fit something at the top to hold it in place. Or you can even use props of some sort.

Others will comment on how to fit the batten. There are now quite good plasterboard fittings, especially if it is 18 mm board. Finding concealed battens, if there are any, is another option although

*personally* I would try to drill through them into the wall behind. Similar for dot and dab. Recognising that this is more difficult if it is a random stone wall.

[alan_m]

What about a French cleat to spread the load

I seen some metal versions which are very thin.

[Iggy]

replying to Murmansk, Iggy wrote: I wouldn't do almost any of that. You can drill a large hole (25-38mm) with a hole saw or a thinner slot of smaller vertical drill holes, then slip your tape measure in to run to any wood. But, I'd probably even skip that and just go with Toggle Bolts (

These, make for an extremely easy 1-person install and are very secure on plasterboard. Position and just hold the cabinet in place on the wall and drill through the cabinet and plasterboard. Drop the cabinet and insert the toggle-screws and toggle bolts on the end of the screws.

Now, re-drill the plasterboard holes to accept the toggles and re-position the cabinet on the wall by simply pushing the screws to send the toggles to the other side of the plasterboard. Snug-up (still loose) the screws so you can plumb, shim, level, attach to another cabinet or whatever. Once all set, then fully tighten the screws.

[fred]

llen off the wall

tirely of plasterboard and it was attached at each of the two back corners using plasterboard fixings which have simply pulled out of the wall because of the weight of the cupboard.

oden uprights behind the plasterboard panel, but my initial exploration by tapping the wall seems to suggest that there is absolutely no woodwork anyw here behind the plasterboard in the area in which the cupboard needs to be attached.

oss the panel of plasterboard to try and find some solid upright piece of w ood behind the plasterboard.

of the cupboard just under the top edge but my problem is how to attach thi s to a wall which is so insubstantial.

d I'm thinking that I could screw a large piece of plywood to the wall roug hly the same size as the cupboard and at the top of this piece of ply I cou ld attach a strip of wood which will support the cupboard, I am hoping that the plywood would distribute the weight of the cupboard sufficiently to al low the strip of wood to hold the weight of the cupboard.

multi tool to allow the strip of wood on the wall to come into the back of the cupboard just below the top panel then I'd screw the top panel to the piece of wood with some screws going through top panel

er suggestions

help me do this so I need to get something screwed to the wall which will be ready just to receive the cupboard in one go instead of having to mess a bout holding it up and adjusting etc

Belt and braces would be to fix a batten top and bottom and screw through t he top of the cupboard into the top batten

These full width battens can be sucured with numerous screws set in plaster board fixings.Google plasterboard fixings. There;s plenty of choice.

I'd also like to know what was being stored in the cupboard when it fell. W e had a case where some genius was storing full ream boxes of single sheet colour leaflets.

[The Natural Philosopher]

In these cases I would do the following:

Enlarge holes where screws have torn out to about hand sized.

Stuff cavity below the hole with balled up newspaper - Guaedian is perfect if there is any left over from wiping your arse.

Fill cavity with car body filler completeley for a sane area and make sure it sticks to the back of the void.

when nearly set sand down and then paint to make good the wall surface

Drill for screws and reattach the cupboard. Do not tighten

Have a cuppa

Tighten, invoice and go.

[spuorgelgoog]

You can get kitchen cupboard wall hanging rail eg

Another option is to drill right through the wall and have a batten on the other side. Obviously this doesn't work so well on external walls, or party walls in semi-detached houses.

Owain

[Murmansk]

Thanks for all those replies, they've given me plenty of good ideas to thin k about. I think I will start off by using my multitool to make the holes w here the plasterboard fixings were much bigger so I can see what is behind the plasterboard in general and behind the holes in particular.

I'll then look at trying to fit a couple of resin fixings into the wall beh ind the plasterboard - I'll either attach the cupboard to them directly or use them to secure a batten to which I'll attach the cupboard.

[Brian Gaff]

Might one ask what is on the other side of this wall and how thick it actually is. I've come across some awful bodges in part walls which seem to defy gravity even without a cupboard on them. Brian

[Murmansk]

Knowing the walls of the houses round here it'll probably be a wall made of rubble, 23 inches thick with miscellaneous pebbles, rocks, stones and other rubbish covered in a layer of plaster about 4 inches thick!

[newshound]

Ah one of them. Mine too, and particularly bad for the top six feet or so. I had to put in a corner shelf for the kids, to take a 23 inch CRT TV and video player. More failed than successful fixings in that, even based on a couple of big bits of 18 mm ply.