installing kitchen cabinets

**ralphlsasser** · 26-01-2012, 05:51 AM

Thanks to many of you for your advise and comments, I finally found and bought the kitchen cabinets I wanted. Now, the next delima, judging by the rest of the walls in my house, could someone tell me how to hang cabinets on uneven walls? I'm concerned that the kitchen walls might have slightly high and low spots and the cabinets won't attach flat to the wall. You're advise and comments have been spot on in the past, so please give me your advise and comments again. Thanks.

**DrAndy** · 26-01-2012, 07:07 AM

if your walls are really not flat, all you can do is hang the cabinets and use spacers behind to make the cabinets vertical

you will then get a gap where gekkos can live

Crepitus · 26-01-2012, 09:38 AM

Look at the back of the cabinets..expect that the backs are slotted in and there is a few mil hollow behind which accommodates mounting hardware plates' thickness.
..so you should only need to worry about the rear edges of the cabinets. If the gap is appreciably obvious in spots you could always calk the gaps with gap filler and paint as per wall. Most silicone fillers are not paintable so best to use latex.
If you are installing back splash tiles up to the cabinets the underside gaps will disappear so you just have the exposed ends to worry about

**liveinlos** · 26-01-2012, 08:09 PM

Buy a level, at least a meter or more in length and verify where your walls are not level or uneven.

Mark these spots

Once you know the extent of the uneveness, you should know what to do whether to add shims or possibly if a cabinet subframe needs to be installed

**david44** · 26-01-2012, 08:46 PM

If you/partner own your home there are other options Level the walls by a layer of plaster if brick If wooden wall use extra wood to even out the fixings or if have good wood skills make bevelled supports shaved with planes /spokeshaves etc to even out minor curvature For serious lumps you may wish to hammer off or more serious structural work . A picture would help. Good luck

FarangRed · 26-01-2012, 08:55 PM

Get the bastards back and put it straight

**ralphlsasser** · 27-01-2012, 04:52 AM

Originally Posted by FarangRed

Get the bastards back and put it straight

Good advise, but after I told them to gather their tools and never come back, I filed suit against him and won a year later. But, as we say in America, "you can't get blood out of a Turnip." The bas$$rds don't have anything of value. Besides that, my lawyer told me, just forget it. It's not worth the time or trouble."

**ralphlsasser** · 27-01-2012, 04:54 AM

Thank you all for your reliable advise and comments. I truly appreciate it.

**ralphlsasser** · 27-01-2012, 04:57 AM

Originally Posted by liveinlos

Buy a level, at least a meter or more in length and verify where your walls are not level or uneven.

Mark these spots

Once you know the extent of the uneveness, you should know what to do whether to add shims or possibly if a cabinet subframe needs to be installed

The sub-frame you speak of, would that be maybe 1 x 2 strips attached to the wall to attach the cabinets to?

**DrAndy** · 27-01-2012, 07:20 AM

if the wall is really that bad, get a bloke in to give it a skim

or tile it

FarangRed · 27-01-2012, 07:22 AM

Thats ok using 2x1 battens but it will make your cabinet stand off the wall, that dont look good.
Ok if you can sink them in the wall, there is usually a bit of a lip at the back of the cabinets that you scribe into the wall.

Other than that mark the wall where you want you cabinets to go then chop the plaster off then once you have your cabinets fixed just fill in around them job done!

sabaii sabaii · 27-01-2012, 11:29 PM

Fit kitchen cabinets | eHow.com

There are videos on there that show you how to bodge, erm build mostly anything

Adjusting the pain in the ass door hinges, will make them look symmetrical

**ralphlsasser** · 28-01-2012, 02:20 PM

Thank you all for your advise and comments. My new builder/handyman will be over shortly, so I'll tell him.

**isanmick** · 28-01-2012, 02:37 PM

Post some pics when the jobs done, will be good to see how it looks when its finished.

**ralphlsasser** · 29-01-2012, 03:51 AM

Originally Posted by isanmick

Post some pics when the jobs done, will be good to see how it looks when its finished.

Okay. Wish me luck. LOL

**nigelandjan** · 29-01-2012, 03:55 AM

If I was over there mate I'd gladly come and do it for you

**nigelandjan** · 29-01-2012, 03:58 AM

What I do is always cut myself some wedges from waste wood ,, cut em about 30 degrees , slide em in the backs , screw tight to the wedges , cut off excess with a sharp chisel , then level and square up the next cabinet .

You wanna take a bit of time mate or it will look a right pigs ear

**dirtydog** · 29-01-2012, 04:07 AM

Generally a kitchen will have only one side of a cabinet that is exposed for all to see at most, the rest can't be seen, ie the top, bottom is tiled up to, so only like one side of 60cm's is all that can be seen, the rest are wall to wall etc, why worry about how they will hide 60cm of crap wall, it will take them 10 minutes to hide it.

**DrAndy** · 29-01-2012, 07:24 AM

^

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

it will look a right pigs ear

bloody cowboy builders

**nigelandjan** · 29-01-2012, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

why worry about how they will hide 60cm of crap wall, it will take them 10 minutes to hide it.

I don't think its about hiding the crap wall mate ,, its more about how the cabinets are gonna look mounted on a crap wall all higgelty pigglety .

To be honest if the walls were that bad I would batten them and screw some osb board on em to level up , put me cabinets up then tile over the remaining board .

Ralph ! one most important thing before you begin drilling into those walls get yourself a wire / pipe detector only cost about 500 bht but it could save your life , if you want proof look where the electricians planned to route wires in Dr Andy's new apartments , some running at 45 degrees from the bloody sockets! All electric cables SHOULD run NSEW but you know this is Thailand

Good luck mate

**DrAndy** · 29-01-2012, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

if you want proof look where the electricians planned to route wires in Dr Andy's new apartments , some running at 45 degrees from the bloody sockets!

true, I hope they do the drilling

**ralphlsasser** · 30-01-2012, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

Originally Posted by dirtydog

why worry about how they will hide 60cm of crap wall, it will take them 10 minutes to hide it.

I don't think its about hiding the crap wall mate ,, its more about how the cabinets are gonna look mounted on a crap wall all higgelty pigglety .

To be honest if the walls were that bad I would batten them and screw some osb board on em to level up , put me cabinets up then tile over the remaining board .

Ralph ! one most important thing before you begin drilling into those walls get yourself a wire / pipe detector only cost about 500 bht but it could save your life , if you want proof look where the electricians planned to route wires in Dr Andy's new apartments , some running at 45 degrees from the bloody sockets! All electric cables SHOULD run NSEW but you know this is Thailand

Good luck mate

Thank you for the great advise. The electricial, I designed and was there when it was installed, so I don't think there is a problem there. I also had it installed in schedule 40 PVC, so it's pretty tough.
My fears over the wall not being level aren't as bad as I imagined, but there are some "wavy" areas. My builder/handiman says he can plaster patch the wall to fill in the low spots since there not that bad. Thank you very much for your reliable assistance. I'll post pics when the job is finished.

**dspenc** · 30-01-2012, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by FarangRed

Thats ok using 2x1 battens but it will make your cabinet stand off the wall, that dont look good.
Ok if you can sink them in the wall, there is usually a bit of a lip at the back of the cabinets that you scribe into the wall.

I agree

**nigelandjan** · 30-01-2012, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by ralphlsasser

I'll post pics when the job is finished.

Look forward to it Ralph ,, if you have the skills required to fit a kitchen , you should just about be able to post pics on here

All the best mate will be over in your area in about 6 weeks time and if convenient with you would like to pop and have a look , as I may well pick up some tips for in a couple of years time or so when I might well be doing the same

I have fitted a half a dozen UK built kitchens in my time , so a far eastern build version will be a new challenge

**ralphlsasser** · 30-01-2012, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

Originally Posted by ralphlsasser

I'll post pics when the job is finished.

Look forward to it Ralph ,, if you have the skills required to fit a kitchen , you should just about be able to post pics on here

All the best mate will be over in your area in about 6 weeks time and if convenient with you would like to pop and have a look , as I may well pick up some tips for in a couple of years time or so when I might well be doing the same

I have fitted a half a dozen UK built kitchens in my time , so a far eastern build version will be a new challenge

By all means, do stop. You're always welcome.
The directions to my house are; about 10km from Nong Khai, there is a road turning left going to Tabo. Turn left there as if going to Tabo. Go 8km down the highway you'll come to the Ban Khok Khum village. I'm the last house in the village on the left. A cream colored house with brown trim. I'm the only falang in the village, so if you need help just ask, "where does the falang live?" Anyone can tell you. I'm disabeled, so I'm always home. You all are welcome anytime.

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