Carpentry and Woodworking - kitchen cabinet problem

i have a cabinet right beside a corner cabinet that is coming loose from the sides so the shelf holders won't hold any more because the sides are expanding enough to release the holders. these have been proffessionally installed about 20 years ago,not a poor job. just happens. this cubbard is in the middle of a run next to the short on over the stove .should i try to take it out and fix it and put it back in ,it is tight[a darn good fit] or should i try to slide something up in the hole between the cabinets and push the side of the cabinet back where where the the shelf holders will hold again. does any one have a better suggestion. theres not much room underneath to slide anything up either. im not sure how easy the cabinet would come out and go back in. i can fix the cabinet. its a matter of in and out. what you think?

If I understand you correctly there is a gap generating between two cabinets. This could be caused by 20 years of your house settling, stretching and yawning. If you can get something in between the cabinets, such as a crow bar, or piece of flat steel (preferred) maybe you can pop the cabinet sides back into correctness. Try that first. Leave the crack between the cabinets if you are successful, and install a filler strip attached to only one of the cabinets. That way your house can continue its settling, and the cabinets will just slide beside each other unnoticed. Last resort, pull the cabinet and straighten it, and after replacing it, don't try to pull it close; use a filler strip. Good luck, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

the gap isnt the problem. the cabinet wall is expanding and the shelf holders will no longer reach the wall. the gap is between the expanded wall and the cubbard next to it. there is a small gap there ,maybe three eights inch not much. it will be hard to get something driven up into that gap condering it cant be very long because of the counter being there. about 12 or 14 inches would be about all then another piece end to end.pretty tough.just to drive the wall back towards the cabinet where the shelf holders will catch the wall. i hope that explains it better.

As much as I hate to say it, your best bet is going to be to remove the offending cabinet and straightening it out prior to reinstalling it. I believe an "in place" repair would be back breaking and nerve wracking to say the least. The cabinet is probably held to the wall with either eight or ten penny nails. This was prior to the common use of screws. You will have to get a cats paw and dig under the nail heads and pull them out. Be sure to support the cabinet with 2x4's or something so it won't fall and mess up your countertops. I hope this helps.

actually my cabinets are all merrilat.they were all put in with screws. its just that the cabinets are so good of a fit. "im not complaining mind you." i hate to pull them out .i may not get them back into place. thanks so much for your input.

i shaved off two 12 '' pieces of wood colonial trim i had left over and drove them up in the back up the hole of the cubbards and got lucky .worked like a charm. lined up perfectly. thanks for your advice and happy holidays. :) the better half is happy again

Cool. I'm glad you were determined enough (translated hard headed according to my wife) to see this through without having to remove the cabinets.