Replies

1. 
   frenchy | Jul 19, 2007 01:59am | #1

   jrogerh,

    Minnesota doesn't have much in the line of earth quakes but the most solid way I know of to put a load on a wall is with the french cleat method..

     Basically you take a strip of wood and cut it at a 45degree angle. one half you put on the cabinet and one half you put on the wall.  the weight of the cabinet wedges itself tightly against the wall.

     I've seen four or 5 strips installed in really heavy wall units.. hanging cabinets with screws simply doesn't afford any strength other than what the screws themselves are capable of..  whereas with a french cleat you can glue and screw and get massive more strength, why still having units that can be removed from the wall should she-who-must-be-obeyed decide that a remodel is in order..

2. 
   wbfinewoodworking | Jul 19, 2007 08:09am | #2

   I use "earthquake straps." They are nylon straps with connectors on each end that a screw goes through. One end is screwed into a wall stud and the other is screwed into the furniture where it can't be seen. They were designed in Japan where they have more earthquakes than we do here. I don't remember where I found them, maybe one of the BORGS, but they allow the furniture to sway without falling over. I must admit that I haven't tested mine. I installed them after the Northridge earthquake.

   I have also bolted some furniture directly to the studs in cases where the straps won't work. On some pieces, where the furniture has to be away fron the wall, I placed a piece of wood between the furniture and the wall. If the wood can be seen I used wood to match the furniture. This technique was tested in the Northridge earthquake. None of the furniture that was bolted to the studs fell over. Unfortunately, in one most of the china fell out and onto the floor.

   It is impossible to fully predict what the next quake will do. I've been through two "major" ones here in Southern California. The Sylmar earthquake was more of a rolling action than the Northridge earthquake which was, in our area, a north to south shake. Securing the furniture is only part of the problem. I remember in the Sylmar quake that some of the books from my bookshelf actually flew all the way across my bedroom in an east to west direction. In the Northridge earthquake a picture hanging on a north wall in our dining room flew several feet onto the table. Quite a bit of the water in our swimming pool sloshed out, both on the north and south end. Fortunately it didn't slosh out toward the house which is east of the pool.

1. 
   jrogerh | Jul 22, 2007 01:46am | #5

   I have never seen eqrthquake straps.  If I attach the straps to the studs, then stack the cabinets against the wall, how do I go about fastening the other end of the straps to the cabinet? 

1. 
   wbfinewoodworking | Jul 22, 2007 02:00am | #6

   The earthquake straps have a place at both ends for a screw. One end is bolted to the stud and the other to the top on the piece of furniture. Unfortunately, on some pieces they will show, so on those pieces of furniture I find a way to bolt the furniture to the studs.

   The straps I have look like this --

   http://www.secureitconsultants.com/store/furn_strapts.html

   Check out the following additional designs --

   http://www.earthquakeinfo.com/esn/1/a1fs.html

    

   I've never seen these, but they look good for large, heavy pieces---

   http://macawinc.com/

   http://quakesecure.com/

   Edited 7/21/2007 7:01 pm ET by basset-hound

   Edited 7/21/2007 7:18 pm ET by basset-hound

1. 
   jrogerh | Jul 22, 2007 11:50pm | #8

   Thanks for the info.  Seems like using straps on the top pieces will give me access after the units are stacked against the wall and bolted together.

3. 
   Woodman41 | Jul 19, 2007 09:02am | #3

   nylon earthquake straps are the way to go, be sure to screw them into studs otherwise they won't do much good. If we get a quake strong enough to break those straps, well your wall unit will be the last thing you'll be concerned about.

4. 
   Pondfish | Jul 19, 2007 02:16pm | #4

   Instead of having the units 2" away from the wall to give vlearance for baseboard and wires, you should remove the baseboard and leave wire chases.  outlets should be moved into the cabinet through the backs.  The the units can be secured into the wall using 3 or 3.5" cabinet hanging screws.

   Cleats also work, but if the walls are not flat, they can be more trouble.

   Secure each unit to the wall, and where possible, secure the tops to the lowers.

   If you are hanging a TV from the cabinet (like a big flatscreen), you need a reinforced back.  I typically use torsion boxes with a couple of 2x4s inside for bolting the TV hanger to the back. 

   Good luck!

   Recommending the use of "Hide Signatures" option under "My Preferences" since 2005
5. 
   CoachB | Jul 22, 2007 02:16am | #7

   I live in CA and had to do the samething when I did my library system in the Study/computer room. In may case had the outlet thing and going around a fireplace.

   I used furring strips and put veneer plywood all along the back wall, making a mahogany wall.  The fur strips mark your studs and give you lots to lag into...More expensive but you won't have to do it twice.