Hi, I'm installing a 27mm solid oak worktop as an island. It's 1720 long and 820 wide with 350mm units at each end and there is a gap in the middle to sit at of around 990mm. I've put 1 supporting leg in the centre of the gap and want to know if this is enough to stop it bowing in the future or if I should be putting some additional strips of wood on the underside for support? Thanks
In a ~1m span, a single leg in t'middle should be fine. It's not a hugely thick top, tho', so if you find it's a touch springy when peeps lean their elbows on it, then your idea of reinforcement is good. If you have any spare worktop, then a 50mm+ - wide strip of the same material run along the edges underneath might even look good too - either flush with the edges to make it look like a double-thick top (although the join will obviously be visible), or else stepped in a neat amount so's it's not flush, but still looks a part of the whole thing. Glued and screwed every, I dunno, 200-300mm-ish? But glued definitely - that's what'll give it rigidity.
It's a fair span but not huge. Why not get a piece of say 25mm square thick wall steel tube and run this across underneath. Small enough to be unobtrusive but mega strong. Do what you like on top then, it will never bend. Run two bars across and you could do away with the leg. Thin wood strips won't help too much. DA's 50mm strip would work well but you would obviously be more likely to see them
I doubt it would bow over a 1M span. I would go with the angle iron - legs look silly in that situation.
25mm square tube would do a good job. Two pieces running along from cabinet to cabinet(cut the cabinet top for the steel to sit on/in). 50mm of worktop will be no good if it's sectioned glued. Mr. HandyAndy - Really
Thanks for all the replies, I'll see how it looks and it sounds like the metal tube could be a good option. Would just attaching 2 strips of metal tube to the underside be enough without cutting the cabinets for them to sit on, i.e. just to give the worktop some additional rigidity and avoid cutting the cabinets?
Yes. All it has to do is to make the worktop length more rigid - it doesn't actually need 'holding up' as such. Fit it a good 150mm+ in from the front and back edges so's it can't be seen, and it'll keep the whole worktop strong and spread its effect over the whole top. Mind you, it has to be thick-walled box section - if you get thin stuff that you can partially 'flex' by hand (ie - if it's 'springy') , then I doubt it'll do much. (If you do have spare worktop, then my original idea still stands - literally. If you had a 990mm length, then chust double the thickness in that table section - IF you think it'll look good too. If you think it'll look pants, then go for a hidden solution like the steel box-section. There is also a very good chance that your own support leg idea will be fine - put it in place and see how 'springy' the front and back edges are.)