removing cabinet in bedroom

herefishy

Well-known member
I want to remove the small cabinet over the chest that frames the TV booster in the bedroom of our Bighorn 3055RL, but it seems to be "stuck to the wall". I removed the 3 visible screws from the inside frame and it loosened a bit, but seems to not come off. Do they attach these cabinets from the outside? Can anyone think of a way to get it off? Thanks for thinking.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
If it's loosened some, try sliding a playing card between it and the wall. You may locate the hidden fasteners. Not likely it's attached from the outside.
 

herefishy

Well-known member
Thanks for the quick response, John, I slid a card between the cabinet and wall and in three places, at the corners and the mid-bottom, there was absolutely no space. Could be glued, I guess, but I hesitate to just stick a prybar under there and pull it loose. Maybe call the factory? Do you think they would know this kind of thing?
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Thanks for the quick response, John, I slid a card between the cabinet and wall and in three places, at the corners and the mid-bottom, there was absolutely no space. Could be glued, I guess, but I hesitate to just stick a prybar under there and pull it loose. Maybe call the factory? Do you think they would know this kind of thing?

Hopefully, they would know how they attached it to the wall. I kind of doubt that it's glued, but then... Trying to visualize the cabinet, if it has a double bottom or double walls, there might be internal framing with fasteners run through it into the wall and then the outer panel stapled on. Try pressing on the walls of the cabinet in the center. If it flexes, it might have an internal frame.
 

herefishy

Well-known member
Hopefully, they would know how they attached it to the wall. I kind of doubt that it's glued, but then... Trying to visualize the cabinet, if it has a double bottom or double walls, there might be internal framing with fasteners run through it into the wall and then the outer panel stapled on. Try pressing on the walls of the cabinet in the center. If it flexes, it might have an internal frame.
Ummm, yes there does appear to be a double bottom, but how could I get that outer panel off?
 

MTPockets

Well-known member
Don't know if this us the same, but I removed the corner cabinet over the sink in our 3055. The cabinet was screwed to 1/2" square wood strips from the top which in turn were screwed to the wall.
 

Garypowell

Well-known member
While I did not remove the cabinet I do know they are double bottomed....well below the TV is. I had a 2008 3055. My guess since most all the cabinetry is built in place there could easily be something inside that double bottom.

Having done a little work on HL cabinets you just stick a putty knife or something else thin and start to pry. You might leave an indent so pick a place that is not visible.

Just work and and soon the staples will start to come lose and then continue to work it until the whole piece is lose. It is just a piece of cardboard or luan.

Not that hat difficult just scary the first time you do it.
 

herefishy

Well-known member
Thanks for the ideas. We did the corner cabinet, too. Had to shorten it. But all the screws were visible on it.
Will (gently) try prying the double bottom off, but don't exactly understand where to pry. If the "box" has a frame in it, then I would want to pry the sides off, not the whole thing off the wall, right?
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Use a stiff steel putty knife and try inserting it between the edge of the luan, at the frame. Do it near a staple to get one started. You might only need to pry it partially to get a look inside to see if there are any screws inside.
 

herefishy

Well-known member
Will have to go look to see if there are any visible staples - haven't seen any but maybe they glued the luan on rather than stapled? But I would think it would be a lot more efficient to use staples.
 

gebills

Well-known member
herefishy;sounds like everyone's experiences are similar to ours. I've removed,rebuilt or modified several cabinets/shelve in our 3455RL, and they are similar indesign to what several others have suggested. In our bathroom linen cabinet, Iremoved a well-built wooden linen cabinet fascia including the two doors by removing screwson the back side of the fascia. Afterremoving the fascia, Iwas left with two thin layers of veneer panels that formed the top side andbottom side of the shelf of the cabinet. These two thin layers of veneer were stapled into a ½” x ½” square framethat consisted of the inner structure of the cabinet shelf. After removing the top and bottom layers ofveneer, the ½” x ½” square wood frame was screwed into the wall on three sideswith the hardwood fascia screwed into the front side of the wood frame. These two thin layers of veneer panels(roughly 1/8” thick) are stapled in way too many times, but I suppose that isso they don’t fall apart while the miles of the 5’er increase.

If your challengeappears to lie beneath the thin veneer panels, I expect what you will find isthe ½” x ½” wood frame beneath them is in turn screwed into your wall panels. Ithink JohnDar has the right approach with using a stiff-bladed putty knife totry to lift the staples loose to remove the veneer panels. I was pretty certain I wasn’t reusing myveneer panels, so I didn’t use such precise care in removing them, wherein I did rebuildwith a little nicer and stiffer ¼” thick plywood backed by ½” AC plywood all reinforced with gorilla glue. I’m sure I added a pound or two to the shelf,but it is sturdy enough that I created a sturdy mounting point for an added 24”decorative bronze towel bar under the cabinet shelf in the bathroom. I put my shelves back upexpanding the linen cabinet from a 5.5” depth to a 12” depth as we needed moreshelving space. Putting the fascia back in place over my newly constructed andstained shelf/towel bar, it looks like it came from the factory that way. I know that it weighs more than what the H/L engineersengineered into the coach by a pound or two. They use this thin veneer for reducing weight I would expect.

In anotherlocation over our entry closet by the door, I removed one of two shelves inthat overhead location when we installed the Splendide W/D unit and moved our hanging closet barhigher. When removing that shelf, it wasof the same construction as the veneer lined cabinet in the bathroom. I removeda ¾” thick stained hardwood fascia board, then removed the top and bottom layer oflightweight veneer shelf covering, and then unscrewed the ½” x ½” wood framework fromthe closed, covering the old screw holes with color matching silicone. Goodluck with your project.

 

herefishy

Well-known member
Morning brings more puzzles - there are no visible staples that would indicate where to pry off the sides, but there is a trim piece running along the front and bottom that I removed, exposing a space about 1/16" between to the 2 pieces of luan. When I inserted the putty knife in the space I was able to put it way in, but not to find a place that would pry apart. This must be the spot, but how to remove it?
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
I think that the groove that you found is just that. A groove for the tongue of the trim strip that you pulled off.
You need to look at the very underneath of the cabinet.
The sides are solid particle board. The bottom is Luan.

Peace
Dave
 

herefishy

Well-known member
Yea, Cookie! - that was it - pried the bottom right off very easily and there was the frame with the attaching screws. Thanks so much!
 
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