Installing cabinets on a brick wall with plaster over lath

[smrf]

We have an Ikea wall system we would like to install on an external wall. The issue for me is that the wall is plater on lath over a brick wall and I'm not sure the best way to mount to it. I know how to use something like a tapcon and masonry bits to go directly into brick, but usually I can actually see the brick to put the tapcon in the right place plus the tapcon will be flush to the brick, in this case there's about an inch of plaster and lath on top of the brick.

My thought was to strip off a chunk of the plaster with a saw or something and then install a piece of plywood in the gap directly to the brick (using tapcons?) and *then* install the ikea cabinets.

Am I just making this more complicated than is necessary?

It's going in my kid's room so I want to make sure it's installed quite securely.

[Adam Zapple]

I have never seen plaster and wood lathe butted directly to a brick wall without some sort of vertical structural member.  I'm not saying it doesn't exist, just that I've never seen it and can't think how it would even work.  Usually, the wood lathe runs horizontally from one 2x4 (or some other sized wood structural member) to the next, the lathe piece is nailed at both ends with one nail, and the plaster is applied over lathe.  Even in the old brick apartment building I lived in, this was the case.  Are you sure there are no vertical 2x4's in the wall?  If there are then just screw directly into the 2X4's.  Even if, for some reason, there are no vertical structural members, a screw directly into the plaster/lathe is pretty damn strong.

[GuitarStv]

If it's directly on the brick you will need a rotary hammer (can be rented for cheap, makes your life infinitely easier than trying to use a hammer drill).  Drill holes for the screws, then install the cabinets with tapcons.

I agree that usually plaster/lathe is attached to 2x4s though.

[Fishindude]

I would surface mount continuous horizontal 2x4 or 2x6 at both top and bottom of the cabinet run.   Anchor these thru the plaster, securely into the brick with high quality masonry anchors.   If the brick is soft, you may need to use epoxy anchors.   Don't skimp on the anchors, you don't want your cabinets falling off the wall.

Then just anchor the new cabinets to these and paint or stain any visible surfaces of the 2x material to match.

Usually they just plastered right over the interior face of brick.  I'd be surprised if there is any wood lath there.