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Is there a way to hang a cabinet on this wall without getting the tiles fixed (yet)? I bought myself a lovely new (and expensive) shaving cabinet to replace an old mirror. Unfortunately on removing the mirror we discovered some tile movement.
I’m aware of previous water ingress issues that were apparently fixed (boundary wall, apartment block) - other visible areas previously affected have not worsened in 18 months (I have photos). Concrete block wall. Had someone out today to have a look and he thinks there are still ingress issues through an expansion joint that has failed - basically looks like I’m facing months (at best!) of waiting for the external repair and wall to dry out completely. Moisture meter was around 13% compared to 7ish on other walls.
ANYWAY - my question is - is there a way to hang the cabinet so that it won’t warp on the uneven surface (or if there is any further small movement)? I suspect any water ingress is quite minor given the other more obvious area appears to be ok. I don’t want to damage the cabinet but also don’t really have anywhere to store it (also was excited to use it!)
Hi @fredd,
Before going any further, can I just check if this is one of our cabinets? If it is, I can contact the manufacturer and get details on whether what you’re planning is possible.
Speaking more openly about what your photos show, my main concern is less about wall movement and more about a couple of the tiles in that area not appearing to be securely fixed to the wall. From what I can see, it looks like the top right corner fixing is right on the joint of two tiles that have pulled away. That could be due to the fixing itself not being anchored in the masonry behind, or the tiles may simply have come loose over time. So while there may be some minor wall movement, it seems more likely that these tiles themselves are not properly adhered to the substrate. My suspicion is that there is no wall movement, and the top right fixing has been installed incorrectly, which has forced the tiles off the wall at that point. This gives the impression of wall movement, but might just be that the tiles have come off the substrate.
As for hanging your cabinet, the key will be where your fixings go. Provided the fixings go through the tiles and into the masonry behind, and the tiles are stable enough not to move when drilled, you could potentially install the cabinet. It comes down to how flat the back of the cabinet will sit against the wall and how large the unit is relative to the area with loose tiles.
At this stage, I would carefully inspect the tiles that have moved. The mirror fixings currently in place may be the only thing holding them, so gently removing one could show whether the tile comes away easily. If they are loose, you could re-glue them back into position before installing the cabinet, which would make a big difference to the stability and prevent potential damage. It would be unusual for only this small area of wall to move while the rest remains fine, so focusing on securing the tiles first is likely the safest approach.
Once the tiles are stable, and you know the fixings can anchor into masonry, you’ll have a much better idea of whether the cabinet can be hung safely without warping.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
