On 16 Nov 2003 00:10:26 GMT, otforme (Charlie Self)
wrote:

Mannanan asks:


I am building an oak cabinet, roughly 48 inches wide, 30 high, and 10 deep
which will contain glassware. I want to wall mount this unit, and I was
wondering if (normal) walls are up to the task, and what are the best means
of anchoring it to the wall to have the best support. Any ideas?


You need to screw it into the studs, not the wall. Locate the studs before
mounting the cabinet, pick the spots for your screws, and drive them neatly
into the studs.

If you like, place a decorative brace just under the cabinet, screwed into the
same studs.

Studs will support a devil of a lot more weight than will expansion fasteners
in drywall or plaster.

Depending on load, I'd use 2 or 3 screws per stud (on 24" centers, you'll hit
3, on 16" centers, you might hit 4). #10 or #12, 3" length. Do NOT use drywall
screws.

If the stud spacing doesn't match the best places to put screws in the
cabinets, he could install blocking as follows.

Thickness some 4" wide hardwood to the same thickness as the existing
wall board. Remove 4x? horizontal strips of drywall. Install
horizontal 2x4 spanners between studs, flush with the fronts of the
exposed studs. Glue and screw the one-piece hardwood runners to the
exposed studs and newly installed blocks. Screw the cabinets to the
hardwood blocking. This will allow the cabinetry to be installed with
the screws in the best places.

As Charlie says, use "real" wood screws, not brittle drywall screws.
Simply hitting the studs as Charlie described will be plenty strong,
but sometimes you need the blocking to do the job right.

Barry