Expert: Jamie Yocono - 4/7/2009

Question
I have a two door kitchen cabinet that is falling from the top of the wall.  How can this be repaired?

Answer
Hi Gigi,

Generally, a wall hung cabinet is installed by screwing it into the studs behind the drywall on which it is mounted. The screws are located along the upper interior of the cabinet, through a hidden brace called an upper rail. There are also some screws that might be in the lower part of the interior, through the lower rail. The rail is installed behind the back of the cabinet, so you can't see it, but it's usually about 3" tall and spans the entire width of your cabinet. It adds some beefiness for your screw to mount to the wall.

I would locate the wall studs that are located where your cabinet is, and then prop your cabinet back up against the wall, where it's supposed to go. Install a couple of long screws, around 2.5 to 3 inches long, from inside your cabinet (low and high) into those studs. Make sure you use washers behind the screws, so the cabinet doesn't pull away from the screw. If you can add maybe 4 screws, two on the upper rail, and two on the lower rail,  your cabinet box should stay in place.

Hope this helps, write back if you need more help.

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