Preparing a wall for a new kitchen

[Jupiter01]

I am planning on fitting some new kitchen units for my parents on a wall which is constructed of a single leaf of blocks and then has battens - to which plasterboard is screwed. I am planning to rip off the plasterboards. Fit new plasterboards and then the kitchen base and wall units.

should I be battening the wall in a way that makes the cabinet screwing easier at a later stage?

Thanks in advance.

 

[23vc]

I would, if that detail is known. Makes for easier fixing. If you know the height, run a horizontal across at that point
Why do you need to replace the plasterboard?

 

[Jupiter01]

It’s 25 years old and suffered from kitchen moisture. I thought it would be sensible to replace with a nice clean sheet of moisture resistant board?

on the horizontal batten, I am concerned that I need to plan and get that spot on now! Is that the case?

 

[23vc]

You need to get it so the screws in the cupboard top fixing brackets, which will sit slightly below the top line of the cupboards, will hit the wood. That shouldn’t be too hard to know at this stage?

 

[Jupiter01]

It shouldn't with a bit of planning I guess...
I will need to do the same for the top line of cupboards too. I may need to invest in a laser level for this project...

As a slight aside, does anyone have any good/bad things to say about IKEA kitchens? I am particularly attracted to the fixing bar that goes on to the wall and is then used to hang the cupboards. It felt easier to do and perhaps stronger too? I assumed this is unique to the IKEA kitchens.

Thanks for your help.

 

[23vc]

I know they’re pretty popular, but always remember being told of issues with running services across the wall behind base cabs, like they didn’t have the usual hollow back section or something - This was years ago mind, so could well have changed. Can’t be that bad as there are plenty around

 

[Ian H]

If you were battening with 2x1 you could use a 4x1 or even 6x1 where the wall unit fixing would be.

You can buy a long length of the fixing bracket metal to use with any kitchen.

 

[JohnD]

I assumed this is unique to the IKEA kitchens.

nope.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...S0&_nkw=kitchen+cabinet+hanging+rail&_sacat=0
Other makes of cabinet usually arrive with something like this
https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/search?query=cabinet+wall+fixings&fi=s

But you can run the rail all the way along the wall before you start, and hang the cabs on it wherever you want, level. You can lift them off and hang them somewhere else if you want. I prefer to paint the rail to match the wall before fixing. The rail is very strong and has lots of holes so you can screw it to studs or battens or bricks and can bridge over buried pipes, cables or weak spots.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

IKEA units are (as noted above) annoying for not having a service void behind them. That void is handy not just for pipes but also if your walls are wonky- you can trim the units to depth so you get a nice straight front line. If you've got drylined walls this is less likely to be a problem....

 

[PTS2]

As a slight aside, does anyone have any good/bad things to say about IKEA kitchens? I am particularly attracted to the fixing bar that goes on to the wall and is then used to hang the cupboards. It felt easier to do and perhaps stronger too? I assumed this is unique to the IKEA kitchens.

Thanks for your help.

This is a DIY site, for the best value/best quality stuff you should search for a DIY Kitchen supplier. Generic fixing bars are available from all the usual places. If you get your cupboards from a DIY Kitchen supplier the cabinets come with handy adjustable wall hangers which hook onto such generic bars.

If you decide not to re-do the plasterboard, I'd hack out a horizontal area of plasterboard and fix a batten directly to the wall. Screw your fixing bar to that. Don't fix through plasterboard into the wall, you will not see the mess you made behind the cupboards as the cupboards are in the way.

 

[noseall]

Why not remove the plasterboard from the battens and refit 18mm ply instead of plasterboard?
You will be able to fix anywhere.

 

[Jupiter01]

If I used MDF, how do I deal with sections of the wall that need tiling or skimming?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Who mentioned MDF? @noseall suggested ply where the wall units will go, you can certainly tile on ply (not sure about skiming, never tried it) but ply is much more expensive than plasterboard so if you do go that route only put it where your wall units are going.

 

[noseall]

If I used MDF, how do I deal with sections of the wall that need tiling or skimming?

Tile the ply or add a layer of 9.5mm plasterboard for a skim finish.

 

[23vc]

You can’t plaster onto ply.