Any top tips on putting up a wall cabinet?

[Anastasie]

It's large, heavy and Victorian and our walls are also Victorian and so far I have managed to cock it up completely.

I've put two little brackets on the top edge (which is the soundest part of the edge) with a hole in each (you know the brass ones - the sort you might hang a mirror with) and have been trying to drill into the wall but the trouble is, as I anticipated, that the walls are made of shit and horse hair, and I can't seem to find any studs in them. Only space and impenetrable brick, with crumbly plaster in front.

I was intending to support it with further screws direct through the back board after I had done this and also thought about putting brackets underneath it as well, though they would have to be quite small as there is a dado rail going up a little way beneath it (more drilling fun no more nails probably )

I'm thinking of putting it outside on the pavement and waiting for someone to take it away and give it a home.

I have had the thing for many years, it was a 'foundling' which someone else chucked out and then charged me £15 for when I asked if I could take it

Glass fronted, 8" deep and about 36 wide by 47 tall. Bloody thing.

[PigletJohn]

how old is the house?

What do you think the walls are made of?

how deep have you drilled so far?

have you got a hammer drill?

[Anastasie]

1900, lath and plaster, not very deep, and yes!

Thank you

I have actually got it up now - curious process of drilling tiny pilot holes in a straight line till one of them hit a stud! Then finding another stud and attaching two small shelf brackets at the base level using another piece of wood with spirit level.

Then doing similar at the top and moving the top brackets to position of studs and thenceforth just using screws without plugs.

Did I do right? I'm never sure about using a rawlplug when I'm screwing into the stud - I worry about the plaster. Screws are pretty long though (about 2 1/2") and brackets feel very sturdy.

I got one top bracket in the wrong place so it's held by one at the top and sitting on the brackets at the base.

I think later I will add a right angled small bracket at the top as well when I can properly locate the stud but for now it seems very solid.

[PigletJohn]

screwing into the stud you don't use a plasplug, you use a woodscrew. Preferable two inches long plus the thickness of the plaster. So about 70mmx4mm. Three is much better than two. They might be about 600mm apart.

To find a stud next time, feel for the nails which fasten the laths to it, or use a magnet or stud detector. Your fingertips can feel a single molecule on a flat smooth surface, so you may surprise yourself by feeling them when you stroke the plaster. It is easier on plasterboard. They will be in a vertical column. Otherwise, drill one hole, and use a Special Tool (I sell these at £25 plus P&P) which is a wire coathanger bent so it will go through the hole and push sideways until you feel the nearest stud. Then take it out and measure.

I would prefer a wooden batten underneath, you can screw it to every stud and it will hold the cabinet level and take its weight while you fix the top.

[Anastasie]

I love the coathanger idea, that's genius and you probably should sell them

I've never used a batten and it might have been quite helpful in the 'this thing is trying to kill me' phase earlier on. I'm not sure how it would look, probably quite nice actually, still, them brackets is up and that's where they is staying for now.

I think I got the length of screws right anyway.

Thanks a lot - lessons learned for next time!