tin walls and kitchen cabinets

MKemnitzer · 01-04-2007, 12:12 PM

Hello. My home was built in the 1800s and has tin walls in the kitchen. I know nothing about construction, so I don't know if there are studs behind the tin or if it is supported with some other material. I pulled a corner of the tin up, and it looks a little like lathe behind there. Currently, there are no upper cabinets on the walls. However, I would like to have some installed. Does anyone have experience with this sort of thing? Can cabinets be installed onto tin walls or must I take the tin down first? If it is, indeed, lathe instead of studs, is that sufficient for hanging cabinets, or does it need to be completely gutted? Thank you so much!

majakdragon · 01-04-2007, 02:13 PM

Since we cannot see the tin, I have to ask if it is a solid sheet of tin or the tin decorative tile-type panels? If it is the tiles, I would carefully remove them from the area behind where the cabinets will be installed. These are collector items and could be quite valuable. The new ones they are selling run about $20 a piece. Mostly used as ceiling tiles. If there is lath behind the tin, it is probably nailed to studs. The tin and lath would not support cabinets. You need to secure the cabinets into studs. Good luck with your project.

MKemnitzer · 01-04-2007, 05:17 PM

Okay, great! They are large sheets of tin, not squares. Any way I can tell if there are studs under all of that tin and lathe? I have tried using a stud finder but it didn't pick anything up. Thanks again!

majakdragon · 01-04-2007, 05:52 PM

Personally, I would remove the tin but you could try drilling small holes starting at about 16" from the corner of a wall and see if you hit a stud. The lath should only be about 1/4 to 3/8" thick so if you keep getting resistance, you most likely have hit a stud. I cannot imagine not having studs in the wall.

redline · 01-04-2007, 08:22 PM

Is there an interior wall on the opposite side if this tin wall?

Try your stud finder in it.

There has to be studs to hold up the roof or second floor.

MKemnitzer · 01-05-2007, 01:42 PM

Thank you both for the tips! It's reassuring to know that there are studs somewhere under there; hopefully that means I won't have to rip out the historical tin! Thanks again.

redline · 01-05-2007, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redline

Is there an interior wall on the opposite side if this tin wall?

Try your stud finder on it.

There has to be studs to hold up the roof or second floor.

meant to type "on" it and not in it.