We’re going to line one 20′ wall of our Los Angeles, California, garage with 6-foot tall by 2-foot deep cabinets that we assemble ourselves. The L-brackets they supply that tie the cabinet top to wall studs don’t seem adequate in earthquake-prone Los Angeles, but the cabinet backs seem too flimsy to bolt to the studs. What’s a good solution?
Audrey W. ~ Los Angeles, California
I am familiar with this problem. Indeed, the little L brackets provided with most large garage cabinets will not provide adequate anti-tip protection on a 6-foot cabinet loaded with 700lbs of stuff. The solution I have used is a 2”x2” piece of angle iron drilled for stud locations with 8-10 holes drilled for screws to attach to the top of the cabinet. You can also find metal brackets that will work for this application at most hardware stores. I would recommend that each cabinet be attached to at least two studs and have no less that 5 screws attaching the bracket or brackets to the cabinet. Good Luck!
[...] calling in a contractor who specializes in seismic retrofit is the best course of action. Since an earthquake can strike at any time, it is a good idea to get the ball rolling on what needs to be done. But [...]