Fixing kitchen cabinets to plasterboard

Anesthaesia

Hi all,

I am currently redoing our kitchen and have a question about mounting the cabinets to plasterboard.

The units use a bracket mounting system - the brackets have 2 holes 25mm apart. These are screwed to the wall and the cabinet hangs on them.

How would you go about mounting these to plasterboard?

Using either spring clips or the self-drill fischer-type fittings, would this not be an issue as both require large holes and being 25mm apart would it not weaken a section of the plasterboard behind each bracket? The same applies for something like Gripit fixings.

As the load is mainly shear force rather than cantilevered is it not possible to use a standard plug with 30mm screw? The cabinets also have 2x screws through the bottom corners into the wall and the wall will be tiled up to below the cabinets (this would reduce some of the load on the cabinet itself too)

I'm trying to see what options are available - I'd prefer to not have to try go into the wall behind as this is thermalite and I've had issues with it before as it just crumbles when a plug is inserted and tightened.

Cheers,
D

BoxerfanUK

I have similar walls, dot 'n' dab onto thermalite with about a 1 inch cavity in between. I use the following for heavy items and never ever had a problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNoLhyy_VXY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaYfs3lr1jI

Moss5

https://www.hafele.co.uk/en/product/cabinet-hanger-wall-rail-galvanized-steel/0000003900011fc500020023/

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kitchen-Cabinet-Hanging-Rail-Wall-Mounting-Bracket-Hanger-2032mm-Length/301169964742?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D58648%26meid%3D9f71a1ab34854df9a5ede0dab0354a0d%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D321713457361%26itm%3D301169964742&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

https://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-wall-dog-multipurpose-screws-pan-self-tapping-thread-6mm-x-32mm-100-pack/7348p

Here is a way of spreading the load over a long length.
The hangers supplied with the wall cabinets demand precise locations that may not coincide with a solid area of wall.
Don't economise on wall fixings, we all just keep adding to the weight of a wall unit and are surprised when it falls off the wall.

knightstyle

I put a length of angle aluminium along the wall for the units to rest on, fix the angle in lots of places with long fixings if there is a solid wall behind them, if partition wall tap to find the wooden uprights and fix to them.
Then use long fixings to fix the top of the unit back.

marlot

I used this when doing mine (my cabinets were Ikea - I don't know if this is compatible with yours). As a result, my cabinets aligned perfectly.


https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/kitchen-products/kitchen-cabinets/metod-suspension-rail-galvanised-art-60205664/

Murmansk

Don't just attach them to the plasterboard even if it seems to work. Once they are loaded with heavy plates etc the cupboard could fall off the wall - easily killing a child.

Depending on how the wall is constructed, Corefix fittings go through the plasterboard and into the wall behind but if there are wooden studs you need to attach to them in which case relatively normal screws can be used but the location of the studs will probably not coincide with where your fixings need to go so you may need some kind of batten to go across between studs.

a.turner

knightstyle wrote: »

I put a length of angle aluminium along the wall for the units to rest on, fix the angle in lots of places with long fixings if there is a solid wall behind them, if partition wall tap to find the wooden uprights and fix to them.
Then use long fixings to fix the top of the unit back.

Did you read the op?

jk0

I think I would cut a horizontal channel in the plasterboard the size of a wooden batten. Fasten this securely to the blocks, then screw cupboards into the batten.

Ruski

Always go thru into substrate, even if thermolite.

https://www.toolstation.com/fischer-srs-frame-fixing/p80430

Use a slightly undersized drillbit, and it will give a better 'grip' in the thermolite, leave the head of the plug flush with the face of the plasterboard - it will act as the 'support' for sheer forces, as well as being solid in the wall.

Hung hundreds of cabinets this way, never had a failure even in thermolites.

HTH

Russ

Anesthaesia

Thanks for all the replies folks.

As most of the walls seem to be dot and dab I will give the Corefix fittings a try.

One of the walls is an extension with a brick wall (breeze block?) that is plastered. Would a standard 8mm wall plug be sufficient for these or should I be using something else?

I'd like to avoid using lengths of metal/wooden brackets here as well as this would require modification of the units.

Ruski

Feel free to use corefix, but you're spending unnecessary money where you don't have to - this is MSE afterall!!!

Red or brown wall plugs are fine for going into plastered solid walls.

Be confident with it and enjoy

Russ