Replies

1. 
   Jamie_Buxton | May 21, 2009 05:43am | #1

   You can buy screws intended for this purpose.  They have finer threads than wood screws, and most have a bit-like tip to drill through the sheet metal.   Home Depot stocks them -- this isn't an uncommon problem -- or you can get them from http://www.mcfeelys.com/metal-drilling-screw .   I like to put more screws into the metal studs than if I were going into wood studs.  Somehow I don't trust the thin sheet metal to prevent a screw from pulling out.

1. 
   dnno215 | May 24, 2009 06:26pm | #4

   Thanks, That should do the trick.  -Dan

2. 
   fredoman | May 23, 2009 03:09am | #2

   #10 fh sheet metal screws. coarse thread pilot through studs first

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   Edited 5/22/2009 8:10 pm ET by fredoman

   
   

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   Edited 5/22/2009 8:11 pm ET by fredoman

3. 
   cowtown | May 24, 2009 06:00am | #3

   Hanging cabs on steel studs to my pea brain requires a toggle bolt at least at the top.

   No import stuff, you need toggle bolts that have bonafide engineering behind them....

   Hilti springs to mind for a mfgr. Hardly cheap.

   Why? srews strip out and fail atastrophically, but with a toggle bolt, yer gonna have to pull the whole freakin stud out of the drywall before the cabinet starts to sag....

    

   just gotta catch the stud right doncha?

   Been there done that with the import toggle bolts that didn't support what they were supposed to.

   It was pleasing to me that my casework didn't suffer when they fell because some office worker decided boost hisself upon and then to walk upon the uppers to reach the high transom windows....

    

   (we're talking 7' to the top)

   It was just the imported toggle bolts that failed. Drywall intact, steel studs intact, and as I said, casework intact.

    

   Axiom to take home, is that when you think it is secure, add another cuppla fasteners to be safe.

    

   Feel free to put yer faith in screws, but not me.

    

   Eric

    

   Just 8 toggle bolts rated at 75# (=600# SHEAR) failed.

1. 
   bambam | May 25, 2009 06:00am | #6

   Hilti springs to mind for a mfgr. Hardly cheap.

   Believe it or not I had some Hilti screws that were stripping out of 16 gauge a few months ago. Even had the torque as low as I could go and still get them in. Only one box and they replaced them though.

   I hope its not the shape of things to come with them.Due to the recent state of the economy, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off

1. 
   dnno215 | May 25, 2009 05:42pm | #7

   Thanks to all. I have the space to use a cleat so I think that's the route I'll go. The time spent putting in the cleat should easily be made up by the ease of setting the cabinet

1. 
   KeithNewton | May 26, 2009 03:34pm | #8

   Whenever you can, it is best to put some wood blocking in the wall before the drywall goes on.

1. 
   dnno215 | May 26, 2009 05:16pm | #9

   Unfotunately, that ship has sailed. No cabinets were originally planned on this wall.

4. 
   bambam | May 25, 2009 05:57am | #5

   If your cabs will allow I always screw or toggle bolt a 1x4 cleat to the wall first. If 20 gauge use toggle bolts if 16 then screws will work fine. That way you can remove them later if needed. With proper layout it makes them easier to set too.

   Due to the recent state of the economy, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off