# Help with microwave installation.



## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

are those cabinets just hung from the ceiling???


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## wheelds (Sep 19, 2012)

Yes 

Cabinets on the left side are mounted to the wall and you can see the support on the right side at the bottom and they are screwed in to the ceiling above using U bolts I think


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## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

don't believe I've ever seen that before, anyway you'll have to hang the new micro the same as the old. Mount the micro bracket to the 1/4" panel, most of the support will come from the bolts in the upper cabinet


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## wheelds (Sep 19, 2012)

what would you recommend for mounting the MW bracket to the backerboard? The old bracket was screwed in with tiny screws that didn't even grab into the particle board. I am amazed the microwave never fell. 

I was looking into using toggle bolts or something similar. I am not opposed to drilling completely through the backerboard, i just want it to be clean as possible.


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## sublime2 (Mar 21, 2012)

Whats behind the backerboard?
Brick? Drill holes in brick put anchors in the holes then secure.As stated already,most support will come from securing to the cabinet above it.
Toggle bolts won't work if there is no space between board and brick.


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## wheelds (Sep 19, 2012)

maybe backerboard was the wrong word to use. Its a cabinet beauty panel? that lines the backside of the cabinets in the picture. Its only about 1/4" thick so any kind of anchors will not work.


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## sublime2 (Mar 21, 2012)

wheelds said:


> maybe backerboard was the wrong word to use. Its a cabinet beauty panel? that lines the backside of the cabinets in the picture. Its only about 1/4" thick so any kind of anchors will not work.


So behind the beauty panel is sheet rock? 
Toggle bolts will work.as for clean holes,you will not see them as the MW will cover them.


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## wheelds (Sep 19, 2012)

Looking at the picture in my first, i want to mount my new microwave in the existing space. It is cabinets suspended from the ceiling. The backside of the cabinets (what is seen from the dining room, living room) is beauty board stained the same as the cabinets. I have no sheet rock, no studs, nothing else but the 1/4" board on the back of the microwave to mount to.


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## wheelds (Sep 19, 2012)

i guess i can better explain this with a new picture with my old microwave removed. I will upload one when i get home.


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## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

not sure what else you can do besides mount it the same way the other one was.


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## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

toggle bolts are probably not a good idea, I don't think you want them big ole things sticking out the back side.


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## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

sublime2 said:


> So behind the beauty panel is sheet rock?
> Toggle bolts will work.as for clean holes,you will not see them as the MW will cover them.


he has nothing behind the backer panel, no wall no brick no nothing. Cabinets are hung from the ceiling only, that is his problem


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## NitrNate (May 27, 2010)

can the microwave be attached from above somehow? might take a little ingenuity but it's better than falling off. maybe look at reinforcing the back panel from behind and then screwing into that.


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## sublime2 (Mar 21, 2012)

hardwareman said:


> he has nothing behind the backer panel, no wall no brick no nothing. Cabinets are hung from the ceiling only, that is his problem


Thanks for the clarification!


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## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

NitroNate said:


> can the microwave be attached from above somehow? might take a little ingenuity but it's better than falling off. maybe look at reinforcing the back panel from behind and then screwing into that.


of course it can be attached from above, that is how they hang from the cabinet. bolts screw down from the upper cabinet into the micro. His problem is the rear support that needs to screw into studs will be screwed into nothing but a 1/4" piece of backer board. Not really an ideal install.


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## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

ok here is what I would do. Since you said you don't mind the toggle bolts going through the back panel, why not take a piece of 1/2" plywood. Cut it the exact same dimensions as your micro wave back. Screw it to the backer panel from the opposite side of the micro with about 6 or 8 black headed screws. That way you have a good solid backing to screw you support to.


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## sublime2 (Mar 21, 2012)

hardwareman said:


> ok here is what I would do. Since you said you don't mind the toggle bolts going through the back panel, why not take a piece of 1/2" plywood. Cut it the exact same dimensions as your micro wave back. Screw it to the backer panel from the opposite side of the micro with about 6 or 8 black headed screws. That way you have a good solid backing to screw you support to.


I would screw through the panel into the ply.
Again,MW will hide any screws AND more of the screw is grabbing the ply and not the panel.
Oh,and the MW doesn't hang from the cabnet.
It is bolted to it.


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## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

sublime2 said:


> I would screw through the panel into the ply.
> Again,MW will hide any screws AND more of the screw is grabbing the ply and not the panel.
> Oh,and the MW doesn't hang from the cabnet.
> It is bolted to it.


:no: I don't think you still understand


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## wheelds (Sep 19, 2012)

thanks for the good advice. I guess my options are trying to mount it from the cabinets on both sides, or as hardwareman suggested, creating a bracket and hang from above


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## wheelds (Sep 19, 2012)

it is a little discouraging that no one has come across this type of issue/mounting solution before


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## wheelds (Sep 19, 2012)

Thanks for all the advice so far hardwareman - i like your idea with a sheet of plywood accross the back with the MW bracket. What do you think about using hurricane ties and attaching them into the side cabinets for additional support/stregnth.


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## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

overkill


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