Between the studs pantry fail

10 years ago

I am starting my kitchen remodel. It's small so I really don't have space for a full pantry. Instead I opted to do a between the studs pantry with a 3" additional built out from the wall for a little more depth. But.......in digging into the drywall, there's plywood behind it. This house is a 1955 National Home and the kitchen was an addition in 1985. The kitchen wall where I wanted to put my pantry was once an exterior wall. There's studs in there somewhere (probably 2x3s), but is it worth the extra effort of cutting through plywood? On the bright side, I won't have to buy additional plywood for the back of the pantry; just cut down what's in there!

Featured Answer

funkycamper

10 years ago

Well, since you're the one doing the work, you're the only one that can answer that. If you decide to move forward, you will probably need some powerful tools with sharp, new blades. We are remodeling a 1949 home that fully embraced the new, at the time, plywood. When we went to tear down the wall between our dining room and kitchen, we had to remove the world's strongest plaster. You could swing a sledgehammer at it and hit it as hard as possible and it would barely make a dent. You had to weaken an edge and then chisel it off, a little at a time. Then we found 3/4" plywood underneath that was the hardest wood to cut through my husband has ever worked with. Mind you, BOTH sides of the wall were like this. The hours and hours to remove that wall was ridiculous. Only so much could be done at a time because 60 year old DH could only man-handle that stuff for so long before he needed a break and recovery. I felt sorry for him. But was it worth it? Totally and unquestionably YES! Even DH thinks so.

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Comments (10)

mushcreek
10 years ago
You need to be very careful not to hit any plumbing or electric that might be in that wall. A lot could have been changed over the course of 60 years. I would use a circular saw set to barely cut through the plywood. Make a small opening, then use a flashlight and a mirror to make sure there's nothing in the wall cavity.
Otforme Coleman thanked mushcreek
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Otforme Coleman
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks all for the insights. There were quite a few oddities when I gutted the bath this summer, so behind the plywood may be interesting too.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
10 years ago
"... but is it worth the extra effort of cutting through plywood?"

No.
User
10 years ago
Can you open the wall on the other side to see what's there? I realize you'd then have to patch that drywall but at least you'd be able to see what you are doing rather than going in blind.
Otforme Coleman thanked User
mama goose_gw zn6OH
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
The kitchen wall where I wanted to put my pantry was once an exterior wall.

The clapboard siding might be under the wallboard on the other side. Ask me how I know. ;)

As for it being worth the effort, in my smallish kitchen it was--we recessed a fridge into a former exterior wall. I also added stud bay storage under the high end of the stairs; it's very convenient for canned goods and small boxes.
Otforme Coleman thanked mama goose_gw zn6OH
Otforme Coleman
Original Author
10 years ago
My curiosity got the better of me. It turns out that it is 1/4" plywood with nothing underneath but the thinnest layer of insulation ever. My socks are thicker!

I'm glad to hear people really do like their shallow pantries.
K Sissy
10 years ago
We would love to see the pictures funkycamper.
funkycamper
10 years ago
Pictures of my wall down? My kitchen is far from finished. We have unfinished walls, plaster still to chisel off on other parts of the walls, mismatched cabinets that will eventually match with new doors/drawer fronts, temporary plywood counters, and exposed wiring. It's not a pretty sight, believe me.
User
10 years ago
Awww FC -- play along. I think it is fun to see kitchens in progress. It is supposed to be a wreck now. I always wonder why the kitchen board doesn't have something like the building board does -- How is the progress for those in the middle of the angst.