[Klawman]

I need to remove a wall cabinet in the ground floor service porch so that I can affect some repairs on the tile floor located on the second floor and immediately above the cabinets. I don't see how it is fastened; no nail heads or screw heads are visible. This is early 1990's Southren Cali tract home construction. The cabinet is pine. It appears to have a 1/8 " thick back and top.

Any suggestionis on how to get it out with as little damage as poosible? My cheap stud finder is getting some hits, but I wonder if it is just picking up the fasteners in the wall that the cabinet is hung on.

I don't want to even try cutting a hole through the top of the cabinet and trying to bend and twist to access what needs to be done.

I don't know if these pictures will help.

 

[kaschmid3]

I may be wrong but it looks to me it is a single cabinet and it should be nailed or screwed in the cleats on the back wall (and possibly in the sides maybe behind the hinges)

 

[Klawman]

I hadn't thought of a cleat system and since the inside depth of the cabinet is only 1/8" less than the outside measurement to the rear wall, there doesn't seem to be space for any sort of cleat. I can slide a straight edge all along the thin gap betweem the sides of the cabinet and the walls on either side without hitting anything, even a nail. I will pop the molding off at the interface of the bottom of the cabinet and the rear wall and see if there is anything to see or reach with a flat strainght edge.

I imagine I will end up destroying the 1/8" cabinet back, but can live with that. It should be just a piece of plywood.

 

[kaschmid3]

Whst I meant was the cleat under the shelves is prob where the screws r

 

[Klawman]

Whst I meant was the cleat under the shelves is prob where the screws r

That makes good sense and I thought I detected one under the paint of a shelf cleat. I will get the cheapo stud finder out and scrape some paint off to see if I can locate them. Thanks again.

 

[carpdad]

Failing all else, you can save the doors, maybe the face frame and rip out the rest.

 

[Klawman]

Failing all else, you can save the doors, maybe the face frame and rip out the rest.

That is a distinct possibility. I don't care a great deal if the 1/8" back is destroyed. The cleats may survive with a bit of putty and if not they are easily replaced. This may give me an excuse for finally buying a pin gun to go with my finish nailer. (Besides I have to build a cedar chest for my daughter's B-Day).

 

[kaschmid3]

Good luck on both projects.

 

[Klawman]

Good luck on both projects.

Thanks. I will need it.