Wall cabinets fall not because of bad fixings but because of the wrong anchor for the wall type. Wall materials, fixings, and the correct installation sequence.
The most common reason a wall cabinet falls is the wrong wall plug for the wall type. A plug rated for solid masonry holds far less in aerated concrete. The second most common cause is using a plug that is too small in diameter or too short.
| Wall material | How to identify | Fixing |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete (solid or panel) | Very hard, drill bit heats up, grey dust | Expanding nylon plug Ø8–10 mm, L50–60 mm |
| Solid brick | Hard, red-brown dust | Expanding nylon plug Ø8 mm, L50 mm |
| Hollow brick | Drill drops into a void | Cavity wall anchor or Molly bolt |
| Aerated / cellular concrete | Soft, cuts with a knife, white dust | Specialist aerated-concrete plug (nylon threaded or metal screw type) |
| Plasterboard on a frame | Hollow sound when tapped, easy to pierce | Cavity anchor or fix into the metal stud |
| Solid plaster partition | Hard thin layer, hollow behind | Molly bolt or a mounting rail |
Most modern kitchen wall cabinets hang on a continuous rail or on individual brackets screwed into the cabinet sides.
| Fixing | Wall material | Load per point |
|---|---|---|
| Plug Ø8 mm L50 mm | Concrete | 80–120 kg |
| Plug Ø8 mm L50 mm | Solid brick | 60–80 kg |
| Aerated-concrete plug | Aerated concrete | 20–40 kg |
| Nylon toggle anchor | Plasterboard | 15–25 kg |
| Molly bolt | Plasterboard | 30–40 kg |
| Chemical anchor | Aerated concrete / hollow brick | 60–100 kg |
A wall cabinet loaded with crockery weighs 30–60 kg. Each fixing point should be rated at least 2–3 times the actual load. Do not cut corners on the number of fixings: a minimum of 4 points for a cabinet 60–80 cm wide.