Expert: Jamie Yocono - 1/20/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hello! My question is this, we moved into our house about a year ago and everything seemed fine with our cabinets. Then a couple of weeks ago we noticed that the doors were starting to open on thier own...or should I say that when you close then they open back up a little bit on their own...I thought something was wrong with the doors, but as I looked inside the cabinets on the back wall I noticed that the cabinet box it's self is coming off the wall. How can we reattch the cabinet before it falls entirely?? Is there such a way or do we need to purchase new cabinets? We aren't a very do-it-yourself couple however we are low on money now so I need specifics please help!!!!!!
Thank you

ANSWER: Hi Amber,

I hope I can help you, but I want to make sure of one thing- I am assuming you're talking about the upper cabinets, not the base ones, right? I hope I'm assuming the right ones!

Your upper cabinets are attached to the wall, hopefully by screws that run through bracing that you can't see, called nailers. The nailers are usually plywood strips, about 3" wide, that run along the back of your cabinet, at the very top and the very bottom. They're behind the back wall of your cabinet box, so you can't see them but they add strength to the box, and give the screws or nails something to go through, besides just going through the back of the cabinet, which is weak.

Open a cabinet and look at the back of it, low along the bottom perhaps just 1 or 2" up from the bottom. Do you see any fasteners? Look up high, in that same cabinet. See any fasteners up there? They should be in line, aligned right on top of each other, so that they are fastened into the same wall stud.

In fact, if the cabinet is pulling away, and you can see behind the cabinet a little bit, do you see a screw or nail that's pulled out, too?

I have a sneaking suspicion of a couple of things - first, maybe whoever installed those cabinets missed the stud, and put that nail or screw only in drywall. It's quite possible, it happens.

It's also possible that they may have hit the studs, but didn't use the right kind of fastener. They should have used screws, not nails. Nails can work out over time.

So- you need to check those things- examine the cabinets, and locate the studs. See how the cabinets were attached- if they missed the studs, then prop the cabinet back against the wall, and install screws instead. Pull the nails out afterwards, or if it's too difficult, then just pound them back in. They won't hurt, but they basically do nothing.

Once you get them fastened back onto the wall, you can actually put a few screws into the cabinet boxes, attaching them into each other. Installers usually attach them to the wall, and the screw the boxes to one another, just to keep everything from wiggling or settling.  I think that should solve your problem, it's a pretty common one, and luckily- easy to fix.

Good luck, write back if this doesn't work, or if you have more questions. You should do fine, since you said you're both quite handy. It should be an expensive fix, at all.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Actually I do not believe my wife asked the right question. The way I see it is that on the side in the back of the cabinet there is a tac strip for lack of right word I do believe it  is just the construction of the box but this is were the cabinet is coming apart  and from what I can see the very back two nailers are in tact and look to be in very good shape not pulling away at all sorry for the confusion any more advice would be very much appreciated

Answer
Hi (amber's husband),

Well, your description sort of changes things. It sort of sounds like the nailers are staying place just fine, but the cabinet box itself is pulling away from the nailers. Did I get that right?

I'm keeping in mind that your wife mentioned that you're a little low on funds, but are handy with tools. If my cabinets were coming apart like that, what would I do?

I think I would cut some wood, like 1x4 or even 2x4, to fit inside the boxes, to fit up right long the ceiling line, and then down low, along the very back bottom of the cabinet. Basically, you're making an exposed nailer that will sit in front of the hidden nailers. It might be nice to paint them ahead of installing them, so they will give the appearance of being finished.

Cut them so they are a perfect fit, end to end. Gaps look bad, so take your time, measure correctly, and cut then square.

Once they're mounted right on top of the hidden nailers, you could prop the cabinets back into place, and then screw or nail into them sideways, though the cabinet side into the new nailer. That's why I suggested using a 2x4. It's thick, so you'll be sure to be able to hit it with your nail or screw. Use screws where they won't show, like inside your cabinets, but on an end that will show, use a finish nail. You wouldn't possibly have access to a nail gun, would you? That would help immensely.

So that's it- put in new (and thicker) nailers, fasten them in place. Then prop the cabinets in place and fasten them to the new nailer. Once you get everything pretty well back into place, then screw some of the cabinets to each other, as I mentioned in the first answer.

OK, hope that helps. If you still have more questions, write again and I'll try to help. If this answer doesn't seem like it will work, why not send a couple JPGs to my personal e-mail account?  You can reach me at jamie@wooditis.com. There isn't any way to send photos through All-Experts, so that's the only place to get an image to me.

Good luck!

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com