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How to Fix Kitchen Base Units to a Wall
Fixing Kitchen Base Units When There’s a Gap to the Wall
Kitchen base units rarely sit against a perfectly straight wall. Uneven plasterwork, out-of-square corners, service voids and the position of the cabinet run can all leave space between the unit and the wall where it needs to be secured.
Space-Plug Adjustable Spacer Fixings provide a simple way to bridge that space at the fixing point, helping you secure suitable floor-standing kitchen units and cabinets to the wall without cutting individual timber packers or making fixed spacers to suit every gap.
This guide looks at some of the common situations where an adjustable spacer can make fixing kitchen base units quicker and easier, including side fixing, uneven walls and gaps behind the cabinet.
Space-Plug bridging a fixing gap between suitable floor-standing cabinetry and the wall.
The Problem
A kitchen cabinet may be square, but the wall beside or behind it often isn't. If the size of the gap changes along the unit, one fixed packer may not suit every fixing position.
The Adjustable Solution
Space-Plug adjusts at the individual fixing point, allowing the fitter to bridge the actual distance between the cabinet and wall before securing the unit.
Where Can Space-Plug Be Used?
Beside a Wall
Fix through the side of a suitable base unit where the end of a kitchen run sits close to a wall but a gap prevents a direct fixing.
Uneven Walls
Deal with fixing points where bowed plasterwork or an out-of-plumb wall causes the distance from the cabinet to vary.
Behind a Base Unit
Where the cabinet construction allows, Space-Plug can bridge an appropriate gap between the rear of a floor-standing unit and the wall.
Side-Fixing Kitchen Base Units
At the end of a kitchen run, a base unit may finish beside a wall without actually touching it. The same problem can occur when cabinetry is fitted into an alcove or where an uneven wall leaves a changing gap alongside the carcass.
Where there is a suitable structural fixing point in the cabinet, Space-Plug can be fitted between the carcass and the adjacent wall. It is then adjusted until it bridges the gap before the appropriate screw and wall fixing are installed.
Because the spacer is adjustable, the fitter does not need to measure, cut and fit a different solid packer every time the distance changes.
Useful When the Wall Isn't Straight
Older properties in particular can present anything but a straight wall. Plaster can bow, corners may be out of square and the distance between a kitchen unit and the wall can change considerably from one fixing position to another.
Each Space-Plug is adjusted independently, so one fixing point can accommodate a different gap from the next.
What Is an Adjustable Cabinet Spacer?
Space-Plug is an adjustable spacer fixing designed to bridge the void between suitable floor-standing furniture or cabinetry and a wall. It is manufactured from strong, durable polypropylene and provides both the spacer and the route for the fixing screw.
Once adjusted to the required depth, the Space-Plug forms a rigid bridge across the gap. The fixing screw can then pass through the cabinet and spacer into an appropriate wall fixing.
15–80 mm
Three Sizes
Mini, Regular and XL provide overlapping adjustment ranges for fixing gaps from 15 mm to 80 mm.
Adjustable
Set the spacer at each fixing position to suit the actual gap rather than relying on a predetermined packer thickness.
Fix Through
The fixing screw passes through the cabinet and Space-Plug into an appropriate fixing in the wall.
Which Size Space-Plug Do I Need?
Measure the gap at the actual fixing position rather than assuming it will be the same along the whole cabinet. The three Space-Plug sizes overlap, providing adjustment from 15 mm through to 80 mm.
Mini Space-Plug
15–35 mm
For smaller gaps between suitable kitchen units, floor-standing cabinetry and the wall.
Regular Space-Plug
30–50 mm
For the mid-range fixing gaps commonly encountered when fitting floor-standing cabinetry.
XL Space-Plug
45–80 mm
For larger voids where the cabinet needs to be securely fixed across a greater distance from the wall.
See How Space-Plug Works
See Space-Plug bridging a gap between cabinetry and the wall at the fixing point.
See how the spacer adjusts to suit the actual distance between the cabinet and wall.
Watch Space-Plug create a rigid connection across an awkward cabinet fixing gap.
Use the Correct Fixing for the Wall
Space-Plug bridges the gap between the cabinet or furniture and the wall as part of the fixing system. The screw, plug, anchor or other fixing must be appropriate for the wall construction and the installation.
Space-Plug Adjustable Spacer Fixings are intended for suitable floor-standing cabinetry and furniture. They are not designed to support wall-mounted kitchen units.
What About the Service Void Behind a Kitchen Unit?
Many kitchen base units have space behind the carcass for services. Where the cabinet construction provides a suitable structural fixing point, Space-Plug can be used to bridge an appropriate gap between the unit and the wall.
The important point is to fix through a suitable part of the cabinet into an appropriate fixing in the wall. The gap must also fall within the adjustment range of the Space-Plug being used.
Do I Need Space-Plug on Every Kitchen Unit?
No. If the cabinet can be properly secured directly to the wall without a gap, there is no need to introduce an adjustable spacer.
Space-Plug earns its place when the void between the cabinet and wall is making the fixing more difficult — whether that is beside a unit, behind it or because the wall itself is uneven.
When the Gap Changes, the Spacer Can Too.
Bridge awkward fixing gaps without cutting a different packer for every position.
Mini 15–35 mm | Regular 30–50 mm | XL 45–80 mm
Shop Adjustable Spacer Fixings
