Here is one wall which we have started to cut through the plaster and install solid blocking. The cabinets are fairly heavy, and the homeowners are gourmet cooks and will likely have a lot of heavy dishes, pans, etc. I want these cabinets to stay firmly attached to the wall, and it is the wrong time to go hunting for a stud after you are holding a cabinet, drill, and level.

Tony and I used a Dremel and a sawzall to cut through the plaster and blueboard, which were about 1 inch think. We installed 5/4 lumber and 2X lumber every where the upper and lower rails on the back of a cabinet lined up. All of this will be patched and plastered before hanging cabinets.

Here I am on the ladder, looking at Tony through the opening we made through the wall. This house has solid masonry walls up to the eaves, so the wall is a nearly a foot thick (4" brick, parged mortar, 4" block, furring strips, blueboard, plaster).

Here Tony and I are adding angle iron to the bottom of three joists under the kitchen floor. Even though the span is only a little over seven feet, these joists had considerable bounce (deflection). The rest of the kitchen floor spans about twelve feet, and is quite solid.

This angle iron is 1/4" thick X 2" X 3", with 1/2" bolts spaced about 24" O.C.

Tomorrow, we will add blocking between the joists.