Kitchen wall paneling and cabinets

dazoli · 01-31-2011, 07:07 PM

Hello, this is my first time using these forums so excuse me if I miss any details.

I recently decided to take down the 1970's wood paneling from our kitchen and dining areas and replace it with sheetrock and concrete backer board so we can put up a backsplash.

We're on a tight budget and do things as we can afford them and unfortunately new kitchen cabinets are nowhere near being in our budget. My plan was to take the cabinets down and off the walls so we can put up the Sheetrock (as well as insulate between the garage and kitchen which has none at the moment). I was then going to sand the cabinets down and restain them (if possible due to their age).

My main concern now is the cabinet boxes are nailed in and not screwed in. After 30-40 years, what are the risks of me ruining the boxes trying to get them off the wall? I really can't see any other way of getting them off without using a crowbar and with the way the upper body of the boxes are constructed I am betting that will break the wood before the nails pull out of the studs.

Any advice is appreciated.

Ron6519 · 01-31-2011, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dazoli

Hello, this is my first time using these forums so excuse me if I miss any details.

I recently decided to take down the 1970's wood paneling from our kitchen and dining areas and replace it with sheetrock and concrete backer board so we can put up a backsplash.

We're on a tight budget and do things as we can afford them and unfortunately new kitchen cabinets are nowhere near being in our budget. My plan was to take the cabinets down and off the walls so we can put up the Sheetrock (as well as insulate between the garage and kitchen which has none at the moment). I was then going to sand the cabinets down and restain them (if possible due to their age).

My main concern now is the cabinet boxes are nailed in and not screwed in. After 30-40 years, what are the risks of me ruining the boxes trying to get them off the wall? I really can't see any other way of getting them off without using a crowbar and with the way the upper body of the boxes are constructed I am betting that will break the wood before the nails pull out of the studs.

Any advice is appreciated.

Did they use common or finish nails? You can use a tool called a, "cats paw" to take out the nails, but it will leave a mark on the wood. You can cover the damage with a thin covering board. The difficult issue will be the connections between the cabinets. If you take out a line of cabinets, you can minimize the visual issue.
Ron

dazoli · 01-31-2011, 08:50 PM

They're common nails--fairly large. The whole cabinet box/structure is one large piece (just short of 8 feet long) with only 4 nails near both ends.

**oh'mike** · 01-31-2011, 09:04 PM

Are you creative?-----The best way to remove the cabinets is with a home made hole saw---

Pick up an old push rod from your mechanic--you may need a good sized one from a diesel engine--

Saw it in half---file some teeth into the cut end---chuck that into your drill---place the 'hole saw'
over the nail and cut the hole--

You will leave the nail and a little plug of wood in the wall--soon the cabinets will be free--

A plug cutter set might do the same thing---We used to strip barn wood using the push rod cutters-

---Mike--

dazoli · 01-31-2011, 09:17 PM

Well, my father-in-law might be that creative. I don't have quite enough experience to be that creative on my own. I'll give him a shout tomorrow and see if that sounds like something he thinks we could cook up. Thanks for the idea, Mike.

Ron6519 · 01-31-2011, 09:23 PM

Or you can get these.
Ron

dazoli · 01-31-2011, 09:25 PM

Are those the plug cutter's Mike mentioned above?

Ron6519 · 01-31-2011, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dazoli

Are those the plug cutter's Mike mentioned above?

Same family, smaller cousins used for broken screws and the like. I picked them up at Rocklers.
Ron

dazoli · 01-31-2011, 09:57 PM

Excellent. Just checked their web page. Thought maybe it wouldn't go deep enough but if it makes it through the cabinet board then we just yank the nails out once we take the cabinets down.

Thanks much!

Ron6519 · 01-31-2011, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dazoli

Excellent. Just checked their web page. Thought maybe it wouldn't go deep enough but if it makes it through the cabinet board then we just yank the nails out once we take the cabinets down.

Thanks much!

The nailing rail should be about 3/4"
Ron

**oh'mike** · 01-31-2011, 11:13 PM

Good research Ron----we used to make those ourselves--I had no idea they were available already done.

Ron6519 · 01-31-2011, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oh'mike

Good research Ron----we used to make those ourselves--I had no idea they were available already done.

I got these years ago when I snapped off a brass screw because I was in too much of a rush to drill a pilot hole. Saved me a whole bunch of time not drilling that hole.
Ron

dazoli · 01-31-2011, 11:56 PM

Very cool. Glad my question helped someone that was trying to help me.

dazoli · 02-01-2011, 12:12 AM

Hey Ron, just curious: it looks like those have teeth on both ends. How do they attach to a drill? (might be stupid question)

Ron6519 · 02-01-2011, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dazoli

Hey Ron, just curious: it looks like those have teeth on both ends. How do they attach to a drill? (might be stupid question)

You put it in the drill the same way you do any bit. This one just has teeth on both sides.
Ron

01-31-2011, 07:07 PM	#1
dazoli Newbie Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 27	Kitchen wall paneling and cabinets Hello, this is my first time using these forums so excuse me if I miss any details. I recently decided to take down the 1970's wood paneling from our kitchen and dining areas and replace it with sheetrock and concrete backer board so we can put up a backsplash. We're on a tight budget and do things as we can afford them and unfortunately new kitchen cabinets are nowhere near being in our budget. My plan was to take the cabinets down and off the walls so we can put up the Sheetrock (as well as insulate between the garage and kitchen which has none at the moment). I was then going to sand the cabinets down and restain them (if possible due to their age). My main concern now is the cabinet boxes are nailed in and not screwed in. After 30-40 years, what are the risks of me ruining the boxes trying to get them off the wall? I really can't see any other way of getting them off without using a crowbar and with the way the upper body of the boxes are constructed I am betting that will break the wood before the nails pull out of the studs. Any advice is appreciated.

01-31-2011, 08:50 PM	#3
dazoli Newbie Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 27	Kitchen wall paneling and cabinets They're common nails--fairly large. The whole cabinet box/structure is one large piece (just short of 8 feet long) with only 4 nails near both ends.

01-31-2011, 09:04 PM	#4
oh'mike Super Moderator Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kane county,Illinois Posts: 16,748	Kitchen wall paneling and cabinets Are you creative?-----The best way to remove the cabinets is with a home made hole saw--- Pick up an old push rod from your mechanic--you may need a good sized one from a diesel engine-- Saw it in half---file some teeth into the cut end---chuck that into your drill---place the 'hole saw' over the nail and cut the hole-- You will leave the nail and a little plug of wood in the wall--soon the cabinets will be free-- A plug cutter set might do the same thing---We used to strip barn wood using the push rod cutters- ---Mike-- __________________ New members: Adding your location to your profile helps in many ways.--M--

01-31-2011, 09:17 PM	#5
dazoli Newbie Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 27	Kitchen wall paneling and cabinets Well, my father-in-law might be that creative. I don't have quite enough experience to be that creative on my own. I'll give him a shout tomorrow and see if that sounds like something he thinks we could cook up. Thanks for the idea, Mike.

01-31-2011, 09:23 PM	#6
Ron6519 Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 9,519	Kitchen wall paneling and cabinets Or you can get these. Ron

Kitchen wall paneling and cabinets