Hi, PLEASE HELP!!!!!
We have installed an island in our kitchen and want to have an eating counter on the back side of these kitchen cabinets (at a lowered height). However, we don’t want to use bar stools but rather regular height kitchen chairs. Thus my dilemma. How do you attatch this eating surface countertop to the backs of these partical board cabinet backs? The cabinets don’t have much in the way of structural support- just cheesy particle board.
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Replies
hire a clever contractor.
Mike Smith
Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
You may have to add blocking inside the cabinets to give the outside support fasteners some purchase. That should help hold the top to the back of the cabinet and prevent it from pulling away when loaded.
Add a few corbels under the countertop to hold the top up.
stiffen the cabinets. Jeff
* Jeff J. Buck/ Buck Construction/ Pittsburgh, PA *
2nd Generation Buck Const, 3rd generation Craftsman
Step right up! Step right up folks!
Get your free advice here!
That's right folks! You too can enjoy free of charge, Thats right!
I said Free of charge!!
advice from this boards man of mystery!
the vertically challenged!
the 3rd generation craftsman.
YESIREE. I said Crrraaftsmen! the one annnd only.
Jeeefffff Buck!
Tell me folks! Where else are you going to get succint and knowledgeable advice such as our man has deigned to provide us with?
Is there no end to this modest mans talents? Whattaguy!! Whattaguy!
gee, nigel... it looks like ole jeffy pushed somea your buttons..
hah, hah, hahMike Smith
Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
He's still pissed about that time I nearly beat the 'ell outta him at a rounda'bout.
Jeff * Jeff J. Buck/ Buck Construction/ Pittsburgh, PA *
2nd Generation Buck Const, 3rd generation Craftsman
LOL! very good!Woe to the cook whose sauce has no sting- Chaucer
And you fault my logic exactly how????
I'm thinking my plan would work!
Don't worry......next time I'll get out the crayons and draw ya a pic. Jeff * Jeff J. Buck/ Buck Construction/ Pittsburgh, PA *
2nd Generation Buck Const, 3rd generation Craftsman
Add to the back of the "cheesy" cabinets a layer of finish grade plywood to the level of the bottom of the counter top. Glue, screw, and add suppot to secure.
I then assume that there are more than one units of cabinets assembled together. In alignment with the verticle sides of the cabinets cut a hole, square, rectangular or round, to accept a set of cantilevers that are the length of the depth of the cabinets plus the depth of the chair height counter top.
Slide the cantilever. be it wood or steel, into the slots in the new plywood backer and secure them to the cabinet sides with glue and screws for wooden cants, or bolts if using metal. Place the countertop on the level cants and secure. This should give you a top that is suspended at about 28"-30" depending on your chairs.
You will need to add support for the countertop if the distances between these cants are greater than 36", or the top will sag with time/usage. The front edge will be show the greatest sag.
clear as mud..........I'sure...........................................Iron Helix
Mike...youre always so helpful LOL
Add decrotive legs or brackets and toggle bolts....just don't sit on it!
It's not who's right, it's who's left ~ http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Skies:
Three things.
1) Don't listen to Mike Smith. Sounds like a phoney name anyhow.
Probably some Providence Hoodlum in Witness Protection.
2) Do remove the back of the cheesy cabinett, and install new 3/4"
hardwood plywood to match the supposed wood of your island.
Fasten the new eating surface to this. Blocking behind is good.
Blocking under is nice too.
3) While the size of the dining surface hasn't been revealed, I'm
guessing not too deep. Therefore, add a strut attached at the 2/3 rds
point front to back, to the midpoint (left to right). The bottom of the strut will bear against the bottom rear of the island, at floor level.
This should help support the front, while not giving you a toe-stubber.
(Need a toe-stubber? Call that Smith guy.)
-gwc
would it be too simplistic to do the following: attach a plywood backing to the back of the cabinets, then build a knee wall back there anchored to the plywood; attach an L-bracket to each stud of the knee wall to support the counter, hiding the vertical arms of the brackets behind the drywall of the knee wall. You lose 4" if depth, but it sounds a lot simpler than all the cantilever stuff, at least for a do-it-yourselfer.
unmasked am i ?
blue skies , don't listen to dese guys and fer cryin out loud don't hire 'em..
they've all demonstrated that they are not clever contractors..... now i, on the other hand .....
contact cement and ramsets would be the proper ticket
Mike Smith
Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Maybe it's too simplistic, but you could always rout a few channels in the back of the cheesy cabinets and let-in some 1/4" steel angles that would support your lower counter. Of course, chubby children or lazy beer drinking builders would cause it to sag, but if you have a better class of friends you would be alright.
Quit using somebody that uses particle board in their cabinet construction?
Just get a narrow table and push it up to the cabinet. Furniture in the kitchen is all the rage now. There's a thing called a sofa table that would probably work. I have one that's the exact same height as my dining table. Pier 1 Imports has many styles for about $100. Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel have several in their catalog that would look right in a kitchen. Put some of those Teflon sliders you can get at the checkout at the linen store under the legs so they don't soak up water when you mop the floor. If you want it to not move when you bump it, then screw some L brackets to the table, drill holes through your cabinet back to accept machine screws, stick on some big old fender washers on the inside and put on the nuts.
Just in case you wanted the woman's solution... I'd rather shop for new furniture than cut plywood any day.
Good luck!
B
B, finallly some practical advice here. Nice going. And who would think that the floor might have to be cleaned some time in the distant future?
Helen