How to hang kitchen cabinets on steel framed wall?

[Reezy1]

Hi, 

I am looking for some advice on how best to hang kitchen wall cabinets to a steel framed wall. I will be demolishing an existing kitchen and tiled splash back so I will have access to the wall cavity. I plan on extending this opening high enough to be able to install some noggins within the wall to provide a point to secure the new wall cabinets. 

I am unsure for what to use for the noggins. The options I currently have are: 

- Place timber noggins between the steel studs.

- Cut down a steel stud and use horizontally.

- Instead of  patching the wall directly behind the cabinets with gyprock, use a 10mm plywood to allow for a solid backing. 

there is a gas line that runs vertically within this wall behind where the rangehood cabinet will be secured, so I am going to be limited in my ability to install a solid noggin that spans that space. I am thinking it might be best to install blocks onto the adjacent studs.

any suggestions or advice would be appreciated! 

[Dave-1]

Evening @Reezy1 

I dont even think you should need noggins, the steal studs should hold the cupboards nicely. Id add some if you had something particular in mind but otherwise I would just take note where the studs are, how far centerd apart they are and then sheet it first.

Im trying to think back to my old kitchen wall, it did have some noggins in it but I screwed to the studs just vbecause they were consistant in spacing.

Welcome to the community Kitchens are a lot of fun, stressfull, but fun I am currently saving to do my kitchen (different place) Please take a bunch of photos throughout Not just for us to have a look at, but mostly because it will help you down the track when you think back "Why did I do that?"

Kitchen rebuild from 2009 is my old kitchen just to show we never take enough photos

Dave

[JacobZ]

Hi @Reezy1,

Thank you for your post and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. 

I'll start by saying that all steel-framed construction systems follow a construction guide to meet warranty requirements and the specific engineering requirements of their system. 

If you were aware of the specific steel framing system that is used, I would encourage you to seek out the construction guide to find the manufacturer's preferred method of attaching cabinets to their framing system.

In non-load bearing, steel frame construction projects I've been involved in, we used 15mm thick structural plywood as noggins to support cabinetry and television mounts. Where the object being hung was heavier, we used thicker material and more screws.

When we weren't confident the steel stud could support the weight, we strengthened the studs even further by adding framing timber in the channel of the steel stud.

We used brackets cut from a product similar to Siniat 76 x 3000mm Steel Track to attach the plywood to the steel studs. This allowed the plywood to sit flush with the stud work so the plasterboard could be installed as normal.

You may be able to use similar methods if they fall in line with the manufacturer's requirements for their system. 

Following along with @Dave-1's advice, taking lots of photos with measurements relative to a set position (datum point), will give you an easy way to find things inside the wall once closed in. 

It's also advisable that you mark the floor in front of the wall with the location of studs, and the heights of points of importance, specifically the gas line. This can be done with painter's tape to avoid marking the floor.

If you have any images to upload, I am happy to offer more tailored advice.

Let me know what you think and if you require assistance uploading images.

Jacob